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 Pandemics

Influenza Research

Influenza Epidemiology

Influenza Immunization

Influenza Symptoms

Should I get the Flu Shot?

Influenza Prognosis

Influenza Infection in Animals

Influenza Treatments

Latest Influenza News and Research

Does soup really work when you’re down with cold or flu?

A systematic review found that chicken-based and vegetable-enriched soups may modestly reduce the severity and duration of acute respiratory tract infections. However, stronger evidence is needed before soup can be recommended as a clinical treatment.

10 Jul 2025

Letting bird flu run its course could spark wider pandemic

In a Policy Forum, Erin Sorrell and colleagues – a coalition of virologists, veterinarians, and health security experts – argue that the recent proposal to permit the uncontrolled spread of highly pathogenic avian influence (HPAI) among U.S. poultry to identify birds that survive infection is dangerous and unethical.

4 Jul 2025

Mature dendritic cell vesicles enhance influenza vaccine effectiveness

Influenza hemagglutinin subunit vaccines are more effective and offer better cross protection against various influenza virus challenges when combined with a mucosal adjuvant that enhances the body's immune response, according to a study by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.

2 Jul 2025

Vaccination plays key role in preventing cardiovascular events after infection

Today, a new ESC Clinical Consensus Statement published in the European Heart Journal discusses the key role of vaccination in preventing cardiovascular events following various viral and bacterial infections.

1 Jul 2025

How underreporting masks the real impact of RSV in older populations

Research shows RSV leads to high hospitalization rates in adults, emphasizing the importance of enhanced surveillance and diagnostic measures in healthcare.

1 Jul 2025

Kennedy’s vaccine advisers sow doubts as scientists protest US pivot on shots

As fired and retired scientists rallied outside in the Atlanta heat, an advisory panel that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. handpicked to replace experts he'd fired earlier met inside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's headquarters to plan a more skeptical vaccine future.

27 Jun 2025

Updated COVID-19 vaccines found effective against severe illness

A new multi-state study led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) VISION Network – including Regenstrief Institute – has provided the most comprehensive assessment to date of the effectiveness of 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines among adults in the U.S. during the XBB and JN.1 Omicron subvariant waves.

25 Jun 2025

ADC189 shows promise as a single-dose treatment for influenza

Influenza continues to pose a significant global health burden, with seasonal outbreaks causing substantial morbidity and mortality.

24 Jun 2025

Monitoring wastewater proves effective in forecasting COVID trends

Published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, a University of Minnesota research team demonstrated that measuring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater continues to accurately predict COVID-19 infections in a community.

24 Jun 2025

Smartwatches could help stop pandemics before they start

Smartwatch features that measure heart rates, oxygen levels, fitness levels and sleep quality have been marketed as valuable tools for people who are eager to monitor their health.

23 Jun 2025

Many older people embrace vaccines. Research is proving them right.

Kim Beckham, an insurance agent in Victoria, Texas, had seen friends suffer so badly from shingles that she wanted to receive the first approved shingles vaccine as soon as it became available, even if she had to pay for it out-of-pocket.

23 Jun 2025

AI reveals how H5N1 virus is evolving to evade human immunity

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has infected birds and mammals around the world. As of June 2025, 70 people have been infected, and 1 person has died in the United States.

20 Jun 2025

Monitoring airborne fungal spores predicts flu and COVID-19 surges

Monitoring fungal spores in the outdoor air can predict surges in flu and COVID-19 infections, especially during the fall, according to a new study.

20 Jun 2025

AI and film animation tools lead to breakthrough in coronavirus drug discovery

About 30% of all respiratory tract infections are caused by coronaviruses, leading to widespread illnesses and, in some cases, to epidemic and even pandemic outbreaks, as we experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic.

13 Jun 2025

Study reveals mechanisms behind antibiotic-related immune disruptions in infants

In 2017, scientists at Cincinnati Children's revealed that using antibiotics to protect newborns from dangerous infections often comes with a long-term consequence-a permanently underdeveloped immune system that can make children prone to poor outcomes from future lung infections.

9 Jun 2025

Scientists unlock potential of cytokine adjuvants in mRNA vaccines

In the quest to design vaccines that better help the body's immune system fight disease, scientists are always looking for more tools for their arsenal.

6 Jun 2025

New COVID variant NB.1.8.1 spreads across continents amid calls for vigilance

The Global Virus Network (GVN) is closely monitoring the emergence of a newly identified SARS-CoV-2 variant, NB.1.8.1, a sublineage of the Omicron family. This variant was first identified in January 2025 and has rapidly spread across Asia and into other regions, including parts of the United States.

6 Jun 2025

New technique creates multimeric aptamers for precision virus targeting

We have all heard of antibodies – proteins produced by our bodies to bind to viruses or bacteria, marking them for elimination by the immune system.

6 Jun 2025

Compact diagnostic platform enables rapid COVID-19 antibody testing from fingertip blood

Researchers from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with multiple collaborators, have developed a compact diagnostic platform that can evaluate antibody protection against COVID-19 using only a single microliter of fingertip blood.

5 Jun 2025

Researchers warn of bird flu survival in raw milk

The stability of H5N1 in unpasteurized milk poses potential health risks. Study findings emphasize the need for awareness among consumers and dairy workers.

4 Jun 2025