Influenza

Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year. Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and; about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

Types of Influenza

Influenza is caused by three types of RNA viruses called influenza types A, B and C, which all belong to the family Orthomyxoviridae.

Influenza Immunization

Influenza Epidemiology

Influenza Prognosis

Influenza Symptoms

Influenza Treatments

Influenza Pandemics

Influenza Research

Influenza Infection in Animals

Should I get the Flu Shot?

Latest Influenza News and Research

Study confirms face masks' effectiveness in reducing disease transmission, calls for improved public understanding

Researchers reviewed the benefits, practicalities, and harms of masks and masking, finding that masks are effective in reducing respiratory disease transmission despite some adverse effects, and emphasized the need for improved public understanding and policies.

23 May 2024

Clues from bird flu’s ground zero on dairy farms in the Texas Panhandle

In early February, dairy farmers in the Texas Panhandle began to notice sick cattle. The buzz soon reached Darren Turley, executive director of the Texas Association of Dairymen: "They said there is something moving from herd to herd."

23 May 2024

100-year-old BCG vaccine protects individuals with type 1 diabetes from infectious diseases

In new research, investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) show that the 100-year-old Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, originally developed to prevent tuberculosis, protects individuals with type 1 diabetes from severe COVID-19 disease and other infectious diseases.

22 May 2024

4 ways vaccine skeptics mislead you on measles and more

Measles is on the rise in the United States. So far this year, the number of cases is about 17 times what it was, on average, during the same period in each of the four years before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

22 May 2024

Health experts call for tighter biosecurity measures to monitor avian influenza

Health experts are calling for tighter biosecurity measures in global poultry production, from farms to markets, to monitor bird flu (avian influenza) following its spread among 888 cases of human infection with the avian influenza virus, also known as H5N1, have been reported from 23 countries, of which 463 were fatal, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

21 May 2024

New drug-like molecules show promise in preventing influenza by blocking virus entry

Currently available flu medications only target the virus after it has already established an infection, but what if a drug could prevent infection in the first place?

21 May 2024

Study reveals positive impact of repeat COVID-19 vaccinations

Health-care workers received the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020.

17 May 2024

Innovative electrostatic sampler enhances rapid monitoring of airborne viruses

Airborne transmission of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, has been a focal point for infection prevention in multi-use facilities with dense populations.

17 May 2024

H5N1 avian flu strain jumps to seals in Quebec, raising zoonotic fears

Study describes the unusual mortality of gray and harbor seals in Quebec due to a highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) strain, raising concerns about potential zoonotic spillover.

17 May 2024

Study reveals highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in New York City wild birds

A small number of New York City wild birds carry highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Virology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

15 May 2024

Texas Tech lab helps detect first case of avian influenza transmission from mammal to human

Texas Tech University's Biological Threat Research Laboratory (BTRL) played a key role in detecting the first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1) transmitted from a mammal (dairy cow) to a human.

14 May 2024

Perspective delves into the rising threat of the MPX virus

Scientist at NIAID reviews the escalating global prevalence of the MPX virus, detailing its biology and transmission modes, and the urgent need for comprehensive research to understand and control its spread effectively.

13 May 2024

Study shows cows harbor both human and avian flu receptors in their mammary glands

Study investigates the expression of influenza A virus (IAV) receptors in bovine respiratory, cerebral, and mammary tissues, revealing significant localization of human and duck receptors in mammary glands and predominant chicken receptors in the respiratory tract, which may influence the transmission and pathogenesis of IAV in cattle.

8 May 2024

New influenza vaccine strategies aim to enhance protection with T-cell responses

A recent review highlights the need for innovative influenza vaccines that combine T-cell and antibody responses to enhance protection across multiple strains and seasons.

6 May 2024

Breakthrough study identifies potential treatments for influenza-associated encephalopathy

It might start simply, with a cough or sneeze…but in some cases, the flu virus can make its way to your brain, causing serious symptoms or even death through a disease known as influenza-associated encephalopathy (IAE).

3 May 2024

Bird flu is bad for poultry and dairy cows. It’s not a dire threat for most of us — yet.

Headlines are flying after the Department of Agriculture confirmed that the H5N1 bird flu virus has infected dairy cows around the country.

3 May 2024

Bird flu detected in cow's milk: Insights from an infectious disease expert

In light of the United States Food and Drug Administration's announcement that bird flu has been discovered in cow's milk, board-certified infectious disease physician Carl Abraham, M.D., assistant professor at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM), shares insights on what the general public should know.

2 May 2024

New vaccine approach shows promise in targeting less variable region of influenza virus

Duke researchers have opened a new avenue in the attack against influenza viruses by creating a vaccine that encourages the immune system to target a portion of the virus surface that is less variable.

2 May 2024

WHO overturns dogma on airborne disease spread. The CDC might not act on it.

The World Health Organization has issued a report that transforms how the world understands respiratory infections like covid-19, influenza, and measles.

1 May 2024

Avian flu crosses species, infecting cats and cattle in Texas and Kansas

A study in the CDC's Emerging Infectious Disease Journal reports the spread of H5N1 avian influenza among cats and dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas, showing systemic illness in cattle and significant fatalities in cats exposed to the virus through infected milk.

1 May 2024