[140], Reasonably effective ways to reduce the transmission of influenza include good personal health and hygiene habits such as: not touching the eyes, nose or mouth;[141] frequent hand washing (with soap and water, or with alcohol-based hand rubs);[142] covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve; avoiding close contact with sick people; and staying home when sick. [41], Sometimes, influenza may have abnormal presentations, like confusion in the elderly and a sepsis-like syndrome in the young. [55] Mutations can cause small changes in the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase antigens on the surface of the virus. [156] It is advised to avoid close contact with others to prevent spread of infection. [90] As before, the viruses adhere to the cell through hemagglutinin; the mature viruses detach once their neuraminidase has cleaved sialic acid residues from the host cell. [87] These medications are sometimes effective against influenza A if given early in the infection but are ineffective against influenza B viruses, which lack the M2 drug target. In the United States, seasonal influenza is estimated to result in a total average annual economic cost of over $11 billion, with direct medical costs estimated to be over $3 billion annually. [23] Children are much more infectious than adults and shed virus from just before they develop symptoms until two weeks after infection. Adults older than age 65 3. Every year about 290,000 to 650,000 people die due to influenza globally, with an average of 389,000. At one point the effect of the flu was believed to be caused by the influence of the stars. [273], Influenza infects many animal species, and transfer of viral strains between species can occur. [256] However, the economic impacts of past pandemics have not been intensively studied, and some authors have suggested that the Spanish influenza actually had a positive long-term effect on per-capita income growth, despite a large reduction in the working population and severe short-term depressive effects. [174], In some cases, an autoimmune response to an influenza infection may contribute to the development of Guillain–Barré syndrome. Bleeding from the ears and petechial hemorrhages in the skin also occurred. These sudden large changes allow the virus to infect new host species and quickly overcome protective immunity. [8], Influenzaviruses A, B, C, and D are very similar in overall structure. flu synonyms, flu pronunciation, flu translation, English dictionary definition of flu. Some isolates of influenza A virus cause severe disease both in domestic poultry and, rarely, in humans. [36], The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains an up-to-date summary of available laboratory tests. [197], New influenza viruses are constantly evolving by mutation or by reassortment. [146][147], Since influenza spreads through both aerosols and contact with contaminated surfaces, surface sanitizing may help prevent some infections. The Atlantis Prophecy. [173] Smoking is another risk factor associated with more serious disease and increased mortality from influenza. Newly synthesized viral proteins are either secreted through the Golgi apparatus onto the cell surface (in the case of neuraminidase and hemagglutinin, step 5b) or transported back into the nucleus to bind vRNA and form new viral genome particles (step 5a). [270][271][272], A number of biologics, therapeutic vaccines and immunobiologics are also being investigated for treatment of infection caused by viruses. 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