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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffFlu viruses travel through the air in droplets when someone with the infection coughs, sneezes or talks. You can inhale the droplets directly, or you can pick up the germs from an object — such as a telephone or computer keyboard — and then transfer them to your eyes, nose or mouth.
Influenza viruses are constantly changing, with new strains appearing regularly. If you've had influenza in the past, your body has already made antibodies to fight that particular strain of the virus. If future influenza viruses are similar to what you had before, either by having the disease or by vaccination, those antibodies may prevent infection or lessen its severity.
But antibodies against flu viruses you've encountered in the past can't protect you from new influenza subtypes that are very different immunologically from what you had before. Four such different (novel) virus subtypes have appeared in humans since the global epidemic (pandemic) of 1918, which killed tens of millions of people.
- Key facts about seasonal flu. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm. Accessed July 16, 2011.
- Cold versus flu. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/coldflu.htm. Accessed July 16, 2011.
- People at high risk of developing flu-related complications. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/high_risk.htm. Accessed July 16, 2011.
- Fort GG. Influenza. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..C2009-0-38600-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&about=true&uniqId=230100505-53. Accessed July 16, 2011.
- What you should know about flu antiviral drugs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/antivirals/whatyoushould.htm. Accessed July 16, 2011.
- Tang JW, et al. Emerging, Novel, and Known Influenza Virus Infections in Humans. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. 2010;24:603.
- The flu: Caring for someone sick at home. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/homecare/. Accessed July 16, 2011.
- Preventing the flu: Good health habits can help stop germs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm. Accessed July 16, 2011.
- The flu: What to do if you get sick. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm. Accessed July 16, 2011.
- Steckelberg JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 25, 2011.
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