Flu FAQ

The flu remains a constant thorn in our modern civilization's side, as medicine and science have struggled for centuries to put an end to it for good, but have yet to be successful in that goal.

Since the last big flu pandemic in 1968 (the Hong Kong Flu that killed almost 1 million people), the malady has not been as huge a threat as it was in past centuries (although there were mild outbursts around 1976-1977). Hence, information on flu is more scarce and people generally tend to look upon it without too much concern and often relate it to common colds, although the two diseases are different in nature (however, they present a set of shared symptoms).

The following FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) will try to answer some of the most important issues regarding the flu and will shed some light on the dangers of this sometimes deadly illness.

Q: What kind of disease is the flu?

A: The flu or influenza is an infectious disease that mostly affects mammals, causing complications in their upper airways and lungs.

Q: How dangerous is the flu for humans?

A: The flu has many strains of viruses, each with a certain degree of dangerousness towards human life. The more powerful forms of the virus can be lethal, as they lead to complications such as acute respiratory problems, high fevers and so on.

Q: Can the flu be prevented?

A: Yes, most flu virus strains can be prevented by a vaccine, but take note that even these vaccines cannot be 100% efficient. Since the virus mutates and evolves heavily from year to year, the vaccine needs to be taken yearly as well. In addition, since there are hundreds or thousands of flu virus variations with each new "version", the vaccine cannot possibly cover all of them, therefore its efficiency is not total.

Q: Once a human contracts the flu, can it be treated?

A: The flu can be treated with relative ease, if it is found on time. However, if the initial condition is not discovered in time, it has a chance of evolving into deadlier forms, such as pneumonias. Flu pneumonias are usually a lot harder to treat than "normal" cold pneumonias, since they are very resistant to medication and they damage the body a lot quicker than the latter.

Q: What is a "flu pandemic"?

A: A pandemic is an outburst of flu that affects a large chunk of population and causes a high death toll. Usually, a pandemic starts when there is a severe mutation in the composition of the virus, which makes it easier to spread and deadlier. The most devastating pandemic to occur was the "Spanish Flu" pandemic, which occurred during 1918 and 1920, taking over 40 million lives.

Q: Are there any symptomatic differences between the flu and a common cold?

A: Although both diseases share a set of common symptoms (running nose, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, etc) they are a lot more powerful and quicker in effect when the patient is dealing with the flu. In addition, the flu has several symptoms that cannot be related to a common cold, such as muscular aching, vomiting, high fatigue, a general state of weakness and a few others.

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