Symptoms And Changes Of The Influenza Virus

What would later become one of the deadliest plagues the world had ever seen started innocuously enough in the spring of 1918 spreading through populations on both sides of the Atlantic. Remarkable for its highly infectious nature, the spring strain was relatively non-lethal, rarely killing infected individuals (Kolata, 1999). Thus little more than average attention was paid to the precursor of a virus that would eventually kill between twenty-one and one-hundred million individuals worldwide (Barry, 2004). Only after the fall wave of the 1918 influenza did it become a requirement to report cases of influenza thus information on this first wave is sporadic at best (Kolata, 1999). I will argue that the nature of this missing data combined

Influenza, an innocent little virus that annually comes and goes, has always been a part of people’s lives. Knowing this, one would not believe that it has caused not one, not two, but three pandemics and is on its way to causing a fourth! The Spanish flu of 1918, the Asian flu of 1957, and the Hong Kong

A URI or Upper Respiratory Infection is also known as the common cold. There are several types of viruses that can contribute to a URI. When the body notices that there is a foreign virus, it begins to increase the mucus production, swelling in your nose which makes it hard to breathe, sneezing and coughing. The best way to prevent colds is by keeping away from other people that may already be sick, hand hygiene, sanitize your area throughout the day. Treatment for the common cold is simply based on what symptoms you have. Antibiotics cannot cure a cold. There are some medications that can help relieve symptoms but it will not make them go away.

An ‘emerging’ disease is one that is speedily increasing in frequency or distribution. This expression not only circumscribes the diseases corresponding with previously unknown agents, but additional known diseases that are ‘re-emerging’, as well. What is it that provokes disease emergence? Epidemiological principles profess that disease is multi-factorial. That is, in inclusion to the existence of the infectious agent, additional factors, such as the agent, host, and/or the environment are all generally imperative for infection and disease to occur. But who would have concluded that one of the most menacing viral infections would result from a mammal? The Nipah Virus Infection (NiV) is a known emerging infection, targeting the public health

Describe two innate (nonspecific) immune responses that might prevent an influenza virus from causing any noticeable infection, even if the virus enters your respiratory passages.

Flu season is upon us and influenza has hit our area particularly hard this year. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs that spread from person to person through sneezing and coughing. The flu can also be spread surfaces when infected people touch surfaces such as door knobs, shopping carts, computer keyboards, countertops, etc. Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Though it can be difficult to avoid the flu entirely, there are things you can do to protect yourself and your household from getting the flu by following these steps at home. Continue these steps daily throughout the flu season.

The emergence of the “Hong Kong Flu” in 1968-1969 marked the beginning of the A(H3N2) days. When this virus first emerged it had the lowest mortality rate in the 20th century. Although this virus first emerged with such a small death rate, it still continues to kill people to this day. Just as when the A(H2N2) virus appeared in 1957 causing the disappearance of the A(H1N1) virus, the appearance of the A(H2N3) virus caused the disappearance of the A(H2N2) virus. After being dormant for almost 30 years, the A(H1N1) virus reappeared and today

Avian influenza is a disease that has been wreaking havoc on human populations since the 16th century. With the recent outbreak in 1997 of a new H5N1 avian flu subtype, the world has begun preparing for a pandemic by looking upon its past affects. In the 20th Century, the world witnessed three pandemics in the years of 1918, 1957, and 1968. In 1918 no vaccine, antibiotic, or clear recognition of the disease was known. Killing over 40 million in less than a year, the H1N1 strain ingrained a deep and lasting fear of the virus throughout the world. Though 1957 and 1968 brought on milder pandemics, they still killed an estimated 3 million people and presented a new

Each winter season brings the horrid infectious disease, influenza also commonly known as “the flu.” Just in the past week, over 250 cases of positive specimens were gathered with it being the highest week in the year of 2017. Influenza has already been in full force this winter, with many people around Australia falling ill. Everyone in their lifetime suffers from the nasty flu as sometime in their life, but for some, it’s a critical and complicated disease. In the selected years of 2006, 2010 and 2015, influenza was one of the leading causes of death. Influenza and pneumonia are at rank 12, with 2015 having at least 3,402 deaths, more than breast cancer. “There has been a total of 12, 360 laboratories confirmed notifications of influenza

The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 is still being discussed. In the public health sector it is used as an example of the viruses potential power, if we do not continue to prepare, educate the public and vaccinate on a global scale. Let’s think back to that time were science and technology was not as advanced. Quarantine and isolation measures meant little to no travel, remaining home and less time spent in the public, “diagnosing influenza became even more difficult because an especially virulent form of the disease had erupted” (Untied States Department of Health and Human Services, 2015).

Throughout history, plagues have been feared and dreaded. As we have had scientific advancements and we attempt to control the impact of viruses on humanity we find that they continue to evolve with us. We are constantly trying to stay ahead of the next illness. The Center for Disease Control states that, “an epidemic refers to an increase, often sudden, in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in that population in that area” (Lesson 1). An epidemic turns into a pandemic when the epidemic travels into several different countries, usually impacting a larger number of people (Lesson 1). Epidemics have always been around, but now with vaccines people tend to not worry about them. As a country we need to make sure people

It is well known that Influenza was one of the most spread and dangerous diseases in the past. Moreover, it was a fatal epidemic especially in America and Spain, and it resulted in the death of millions in the 20th century. Now, Influenza is not considered as a real life-threatening but it is still a serious illness (1). So, what is Influenza? And what are its symptoms? And how many kinds of Influenza are there? Influenza is a viral disease that infects the respiratory system, and it can be a fatal in some cases (2). Moreover, it has several symptoms and three main types (3).

Scary movies are great because they push boundaries of the believable while sitting on the threshold of our most deep set fears. Where movies such as The Exorcist or The Blair Witch Project have shock value, they also lack depth. Where are the elements that bring these stories their credibility/believability? Some of the best horror movies of all time were science fiction stories that left the audience feeling this could actually happen in their daily lives. Who honestly believes that a ghost is going to come haunt you and your family? What about a widespread disease that is killing off everyone you know, in weeks, that is spread through touch? Schools shut down, the government tries to take over while rebellion among

Influenza virus has been causing recurrent epidemics of acute febrile syndrome every 1 to 4 years for at least recent centuries. The first epidemic report of the influenza like illness was noted in 1173-1174,1 but the first definitive epidemic was reported in 1694.2 The greatest pandemic in recorded history occurred in 1918-99 when approximately 21 million deaths were recorded worldwide.3 it was among the deadliest events in reported human history. After that Three others have occurred in the twentieth century: the 1957 H2N2 pandemic, the 1968 H3N2 pandemic and the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus (pH1N1). In the recent event an influenza strain with a combination of gene segments not previously reported in swine or human influenza virus

The world has experienced a total of four pandemics within the twentieth century. These pandemics, as horrific and deadly as they are, have brought so much more positive advances to our health care system and how we prepare for biological threats. Although we are in the twenty-first century and we have advanced so far in healthcare, there is still the possibility of a deadly pandemic.