The Flu Today

Influenza, often called flu, is caused by the influenza virus.  Viruses are tiny infectious agents made up of a short fragment of genetic material inside a protective protein coat. There is some debate as to whether they should be considered alive at all.  All viruses are parasites that must highjack the cellular machinery of a host in order to reproduce.  All forms of life, from fungi to animals, plants to bacteria have they their own unique viruses.  Many viruses can cause diseases.  In humans, viruses cause many illnesses including; colds, measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, AIDs, ebola and influenza.

Influenza mainly infects the nose, throat and lungs and can cause fever, aches, chills, tiredness, coughing, a sore throat or runny nose.  These symptoms are similar to many other illnesses meaning that bad colds and other infections are often misinterpreted as flu.  Many of the symptoms are not caused by the virus itself but by the bodies attempt to fight it.

When a disease becomes common, it is known as an epidemic.  When an epidemic spans the world, it is known as a pandemic. There have been about three influenza pandemics in the last 100 years, the most recent one being the 2009 flu pandemic. The worst flu pandemic of recorded history was the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918.