Influenza
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Explore overview, symptoms, causes, treatment, diagnosis, prevention, and FAQ articles for this condition.
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FAQ about Influenza
This FAQ explains what influenza is, why it happens, how it spreads, and what to expect if you get it. It also covers diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and the questions people often ask about recovery and long-term effects. Influenza is more than…
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What is Influenza
Influenza is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract caused by influenza viruses, most often influenza A or influenza B. It primarily targets the cells lining the nose, throat, and lungs, where it disrupts normal airway function and triggers a…
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Symptoms of Influenza
What are the symptoms of Influenza? Influenza typically causes the abrupt onset of fever, chills, muscle aches, headache, cough, sore throat, marked fatigue, and a general sense of being unwell. These symptoms are not random; they arise from the body’s response…
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Causes of Influenza
What causes Influenza? Influenza is caused by infection with influenza viruses, which enter the body, attach to cells lining the respiratory tract, and hijack those cells to reproduce. The illness develops through specific biological processes rather than from a single generic…
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Treatment for Influenza
What treatments are used for influenza? Management is centered on a small number of approaches: antiviral medications for selected patients, supportive care to reduce the physiologic burden of infection, and treatment of complications when they occur. These treatments are aimed at…
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Diagnosis of Influenza
Influenza is usually identified through a combination of clinical assessment and, when needed, laboratory testing. Because the illness is caused by influenza viruses that infect the respiratory tract and can spread rapidly from person to person, doctors often consider it early…
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Prevention of Influenza
Influenza is not a condition that can be prevented with complete certainty in all settings, because the virus spreads efficiently through respiratory droplets, close contact, and contaminated surfaces. However, the risk of infection can be reduced substantially by interrupting the main…