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Influenza, Influenza

In more serious cases, influenza causes pneumonia, which can be fatal, particularly for the young and the elderly. Although it is often confused with other influenza-like illnesses, especially the common cold, influenza is a much more severe disease than the common cold and is caused by a different type of virus.

Influenza can also be transmitted by bird droppings, saliva, nasal secretions, feces and blood. Infection can also occur through contact with these body fluids or through contact with contaminated surfaces. Airborne aerosols have been thought to cause most infections, although which means of transmission is most important is not absolutely clear. Influenza viruses can be inactivated by sunlight, disinfectants and detergents.

Typically, this vaccine includes material from two influenza A virus subtypes and one influenza B virus strain.

Antiviral drugs can be used to treat influenza, with neuraminidase inhibitors being particularly effective.

Occasionally, viruses are transmitted to other species and may then cause devastating outbreaks in domestic poultry or give rise to human influenza pandemics.

The influenza A virus can be subdivided into different serotypes based on the antibody response to these viruses.

The only other animals known to be susceptible to influenza B infection are the seal and the ferret.

However, influenza B mutates enough that lasting immunity is not possible.

Influenza A viruses are classified into subtypes based on antibody responses to HA and NA. These different types of HA and NA form the basis of the H and N distinctions in, for example, H5N1.

Hence, the majority of newly manufactured influenza viruses are mutants, this causes "antigenic drift", which is a slow change in the antigens on the viral surface over time.

Even in the absence of a local outbreak, treatment may be justified in the elderly during the influenza season as long as the prevalence is over 15%.

Source: Wikipedia > Influenza