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Cold and Flu
Questions and answers about the "Common Cold"; symptoms in the upper respiratory tract like sneezing, scratchy throat, and runny nose, but adults don't typically have fevers. Colds are usually caused by the rhinovirus (up to 40% of colds), or Coronaviruses (about 20%), but there are more than 200 viruses that can cause the common cold. Also questions about the seasonal flu, also called "regular flu", caused mostly by Type A and Type B Influenza viruses. Flu starts with similar symptoms as a cold only it hits faster and harder and usually includes fever in adults. Although the "stomach flu" is a common term, it is not a real diagnosis. The proper medical term for stomach flu is gastroenteritis (an intestinal disease, sometimes viral but also bacterial), it is often mistaken for influenza because the flu can sometimes include vomiting and diarrhea.
4,331 Questions
Who made the first influenza vaccine?
The first vaccine is the virus cowpox (the latin word for cow is vacca, hence vaccine). It produces a very mild and harmless infection in people but protects them from smallpox, one of the most deadly diseases in history.
Today, smallpox has been eradicated from the wild due to a worldwide effort to vaccinate enough people to wipe it out.
What is the genus and species category for influenza?
it is a negative single strand RNA virus of family orthomyxoviridae having four group: influenza A, influenza B, influenza C, and thogoto virus. containing 7to 8 segments of linear rna with a genome length b/w 12,000 to 15,000.
Why do people get sick so fast?
Generally a person is sick well before symptoms show, so it is not as fast as you would think. Symptoms will show more rapidly b/c your body is trying to defend itself against an invader. It only seems very fast because it is a bigger change than what we are used too.
How big is an individual virion of influenza virus?
Approximately 130 nanometers for average. Size varies by specific virus, however, and influenza viruses can range from 10 to 300 nanometers. The nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter, or one millionth of a millimeter.
They are about 1/100th the size of bacteria. Most are "nano" size and too miniscule to be seen with a regular light microscope, so electron microscopes need to be used to visualize the virus particles.
What is hemolytic streptococcus?
Hemolytic streptococcus is a group of bacteria that can cause various infections in humans, including strep throat, skin infections, and invasive diseases such as pneumonia and sepsis. These bacteria can be classified into different groups based on their hemolytic properties (alpha, beta, or gamma) when grown on blood agar plates. Beta-hemolytic streptococci are known for producing toxins that cause the breakdown of red blood cells.
Why is it easy for a virus to mutate?
Viruses mutate easily because they have a high mutation rate due to errors in their replication process. Additionally, viruses have short generation times which allows them to quickly accumulate mutations. Mutations can help viruses evade the immune system, adapt to new hosts or environments, and become more infectious.
Does Hot weather or cold weather cause more deaths?
Which poses the greater risk of death to humans: hot weather, or cold?
Statistical evidence shows that there are twice as many deaths in cold weather than in hot weather (but the weather is not necessarily the direct cause).
"Heat is more likely to kill an American than an earthquake, and thunderstorms kill more than hurricanes do, according to a 'death map' published on Tuesday." So reports Reuters, in a December 17, 2010 story on researchers who compiled the county-by-county look at what natural disasters kill Americans.
The Reuters story continues:
Heat and drought caused 19.6 percent of total deaths from natural hazards, with summer thunderstorms causing 18.8 percent and winter weather causing 18.1 percent, the team at the University of South Carolina found.
Earthquakes, wildfires and hurricanes combined were responsible for fewer than 5 percent of all hazard deaths.
Writing in BioMed Central's International Journal of Health Geographics, they said they hoped to dispel some myths about what the biggest threats to life and limb are. "According to our results, the answer is heat," Susan Cutter and Kevin Borden of the University of South Carolina wrote in their report, based on data gathered from 1970 to 2004.
But the conclusions of Cutter and Borden conflict with evidence that cold weather is a much bigger killer than hot weather (excluding the tropics, of course).
In an article entitled, "The impact of global warming on health and mortality," published in the Southern Medical Journal in 2004, W.R. Keatinge and G.C. Donaldson of Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of London note: "Cold-related deaths are far more numerous than heat-related deaths in the United States, Europe, and almost all countries outside the tropics, and almost all of them are due to common illnesses that are increased by cold."
CO2 Science summarizes the Southern Medical Journalstudy:
Keatinge and Donaldson report that coronary and cerebral thrombosis account for about half of all cold-related deaths, and that respiratory diseases account for approximately half the rest. With respect to the first of these sets of problems, they say that cold stress causes an increase in arterial thrombosis "because the blood becomes more concentrated, and so more liable to clot during exposure to cold." The sequence of events, as they describe it, is that "the body's first adjustment to cold stress is to shut down blood flow to the skin to conserve body heat," which "produces an excess of blood in central parts of the body," and that to correct for this effect, "salt and water are moved out from the blood into tissue spaces," leaving behind "increased levels of red cells, white cells, platelets and fibrinogen" that lead to increased viscosity of the blood and a greater risk of clotting.
Keatinge and Donaldson report that "even in climates as warm as southern Europe or North Carolina [USA], cold weather causes more deaths than hot weather." They also note that "rising temperatures could reduce overall mortality rates."
Another important study by two UK health bodies, the Department of Health (DoH) and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) released this year provides additional evidence that cold weather is by far the greater threat to health and life. However, the media spin on the DOH/HPA report, Health Effects of Climate Change in the UK 2008, presented headlines that completely contradicted the findings of the report. "Climate change soon could kill thousands in UK," declared the Guardian.
British writer Rob Lyons summarized important data from the DOH/HPA report:
Actual experience over nearly 40 years suggests good news overall. For example, "mean annual heat-related mortality did not rise as summers warmed from 1971 to 2003." That means we're able to adapt to warmer temperatures. Indeed, the authors note: "Heat-related mortalities are substantial throughout Europe, but the hot summers in southern Europe cause little more mortality than the milder summers of more northerly regions." If we're prepared for warm weather and we take simple precautions, then heat shouldn't be a problem.
So, for different UK regions, the authors estimate the following decline for hot weather-related fatalities (cases per million of population, 1971-2003):
• South-east England from 258 to 193 in 2003;
• Rest of England and Wales from 188 to 93;
• Scotland from 125 (in 1974) to only eight in 2003.
Meanwhile, deaths due to cold weather fell dramatically - overall, by more than 33 per cent. Far more people are affected by cold snaps than by heatwaves, so the change is more significant than for hot-weather deaths. Here is how cold-weather deaths fell between 1971 and 2003:
• South-east England from 9,174 to 5,903;
• Rest of England and Wales from 9,222 to 6,088;
• Scotland from 9,751 in 1974 to 6,166 in 2003.
As Rob Lyons notes, the declining mortality rates and the concomitant temperature increases should be cause for rejoicing, not hand-wringing:
We should be shouting this from the rooftops: far fewer people are dying because of the temperature than in the past. Milder winters are far more important than hotter summers in achieving this, along with other changes to how people live....
The BBC, gave the story a more balanced headline: "Global warming 'may cut deaths.'"
The elderly die in inadequately heated homes. People get skull fractures from falls on the ice. Men die of heart attacks while shoveling snow. People get colds, flu, pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases. Infectious diseases proliferate. Hospital admissions rise.
"From 1979 to 1997, extreme cold killed roughly twice as many Americans as heat waves, according to Indur Goklany of the U.S. Department of the Interior," Singer and Avery write. "Cold spells, in other words, are twice as dangerous to our health as hot weather."
They continue:
Heat is becoming a less important factor in human health as air conditioning spreads. Heat-related mortality in 28 major U.S. cities from 1964 through 1998 dropped from 41 deaths per day in the 1960s to only 10.5 per day in the 1990s.
A large cohort study comparing households with and without air conditioning in the early 1980s found a 41 percent lower death rate for the air-conditioned households during hot months....
In Germany, heat waves were found to reduce overall mortality rates slightly, while cold spells led to a significant increase in deaths.
The German authors say the longer a cold spell lasts, the more pronounced the excess mortality - and the higher death rates seem to persist for weeks.
Hot spells, in contrast, cause a short surge in deaths followed by a period of lower death rates that persists for more than two weeks.
Now that the cold weather is here, we should remember that more Americans die during the cold months than at any other time of year.
The figure below, which is based on data from the US National Center for Health Statistics for 2001-2007, shows that on average 7,200 Americans die each day during the months of December, January, February and March, compared to the average 6,400 who die daily during the rest of the year. On this basis, there were 95,000 "excess" deaths during the 121 days in the cold months (December to March, assuming a non-leap year).
So bundle up if you go outside, and keep warm indoors as well.
___________
However, it is not the cold weather directly that kills the "extra" people in winter, although some "extra" does happen in extremely cold weather just as people die in the extremely hot weather. A bigger cause of increased winter deaths in the US is death caused by influenza during the "flu season" and pneumonia and other infectious diseases that are more common in the colder times of the year as people stay together in more concentrated groups and indoors. In the US typically 36,000 people die of the flu each year in the flu season. Deaths from overexertion and heart attacks or strokes from shoveling snow, etc. must also be factored in. More winter travel accidents and other accidents caused by ice and snow add to the count and deaths from fires and carbon monoxide and other complications from use of furnaces and space heaters all need to be considered.
Why does a virus need the host cell?
Viruses do not have the capability to reproduce. They are simply a strand of DNA or RNA, inside a protein coat. They infect a host cell and hijack the host cell's reproductive faculty, creating more viruses.
The incubation period for the flu virus is typically between 1-4 days, with symptoms usually appearing within 2 days of exposure. However, it can vary depending on the individual's immune system and other factors. It is important to seek medical advice if you suspect you have been exposed to the flu virus.
Does influenza virus prefer dry or moist air?
Influenza virus is often more transmissible in cold, dry air because low humidity levels can weaken the respiratory mucosal lining and make it easier for the virus to infect. However, it can still spread in moist air through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Dose shivering in cold weather make you colder?
No. Shivering is the body's defense against cold. The rapid contraction and relaxation of the muscles produces heat in the body. If you are shivering while cold and then stop even though you are still cold, that is extremely bad, and means that your body is going through hypothermia.
Is influenza autotroph or heterotroph?
Influenza is a virus and thus does not fit into either the autotroph or heterotroph classification. Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that require a host cell to replicate and cannot carry out metabolic processes on their own.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. It can lead to symptoms such as cough, fever, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. Treatment usually involves antibiotics or antiviral medications, depending on the cause of the pneumonia.
How does the body react to Influenza?
White blood cells attack the flu virus inside your body, trying to destroy them for you. This is one way the body reacts to the flu. Another way is that your skin blocks out most of the viruses trying to get into your body. Hope this is helpful. :)
Is influenza caused by bacteria?
No, influenza is caused by viruses, specifically the influenza virus. Influenza viruses can infect the respiratory tract and lead to symptoms such as fever, cough, and body aches. Antibiotics, which are used to treat bacterial infections, are not effective against the influenza virus.
Can you blow a polyp out of your nose?
Yes, it is possible to blow a polyp out your nose, because I did it. Two years ago I had a sinus infection that was producing a lot of glop, and I had to blow my nose quite forcefully to clear the stuff. I'd noticed for some time that when I blew my nose hard I felt and odd, vibrating sensation high in my nose, but I'd decided it was my imagination.
That day, as I honked and honked, the vibrating sensation became briefly painful, and then was gone. Instead, there was something blocking my nostril. After a few more blows, something solid shot into the tissues I was holding to my nose.
I looked at what it was (couldn't help myself) and saw a pale, translucent nugget shaped like a small lima bean with a minute stalklike bump on one edge. A single, hair-thin blood vessel traced across it from the bump. It had the texture of a pencil eraser, and when I tried to break it, it simply flexed.
I felt a trickle from my nose, and in the mirror I saw a bit of blood dribble from one nostril. Then it stopped.
I thought about having someone look at it, but I knew enough about tumors etc. at that time to know nothing dangerous would have such a minute blood supply. So I chucked it.
At my next doctor's visit a couple months later I asked about it and my doctor said it was a polyp, there's nothing else that would match the description.
How did the flu get the name influenza?
The term "influenza" originated in Italy and comes from the belief in medieval times that epidemics were caused by the influence of unfavorable astrological alignments. The Italian phrase "influenza di freddo" means "influence of the cold," linking the disease to cold weather. Over time, the term influenza became associated with the respiratory illness we now know as the flu.
How does the virus influenza move?
Influenza and all the other viruses move by natural factors, not by making and using their own ATP's. For example, viruses move in your body through your lymph nodes, blood vessels, etc. Outside, they may be carried by other animal's fur, saliva, or by wind or water source.
What is the taxonomic classification of haemophilus influenzae?
Although the organism's name includes the word "influenzae" it is not the same as the influenza virus. It is a bacterium and is treated the same as any bacterial infection with antibiotics. The taxonomy for haemophilus influenzae is:
Kingdom:Bacteria
Phylum: proteobacteria
Class: Gamma Proteobacteria
Order: Pasteurellales
Family: Pasteurellaceae
Genus: Haemophilus
Species: Haemophilus influenzae
can u be more specific, this is a list of some human diseases caused by viruses:
- AIDS
- Burkitt's lymphoma
- chicken pox
- colds
- Colorado tick fever
- dengue
- encephalitis
- fever blisters
- genital warts
- gastroenteritis
- genital herpes
- German measles
- hepatitis
- influenza
- leukemia
- liver cancer
- measles
- mononucleosis
- mumps
- oral herpes
- polio
- rabies
- shingles
- smallpox
- virus hemorrhagic fever
- warts
- yellow fever .
If I am taking an antibiotic for Lyme's disease can I still get a flu shot?
Yes, you can still get a flu shot while taking an antibiotic for Lyme's disease. The antibiotic you are taking should not interfere with the flu shot's effectiveness. It is generally recommended to maintain routine vaccinations even when on antibiotics unless advised otherwise by your healthcare provider.
What is the name of the microorginism in influenza?
Influenza, or flu is caused by three strains: influenza A, influenza B, and influenza C.
No, a flue is not a virus. A flue is a duct, pipe, or chimney for conveying exhaust gases from a fireplace, furnace, boiler, or smokestack. On the other hand, a virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of an organism.
Why was the universal flu vaccine not made earlier?
I am afraid the answer below is wrong, as researchers have managed to make one to the core proteins that don't change between strains. I was just wondering why it hadn't been done earlier. (quote of Wrong answer) There is no universal flu vaccine. It must be reformulated each year to try to match the flu strains though likely to be most important in the coming flu season. (end quote of wrong answer)
The fact that a universal flu has not been made earlier (though as of October 2008 is not commercially available) likely has to do with funding issues, changing technologies and the requirement for studies and clinical trials.
Since Type A flu mutates more readily than Type B, the research is aimed at finding and utilizing aspects flu viruses that do not readily mutate. So the mechanisms that would make it work are not the normal killed-virus vaccine. They must go through a process of studies and clinical trials before they will be approved by FDA. Fear of the Avian flu has spurred the research.
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What happens after you receive a vaccination for influenza?
There are two types of flu vaccine - the injection, which contains killed virus, and the nasal spray, which contains live, weakened flu virus as the antigen that sparks the immune response.
About two weeks after the vaccination adults are protected against the specific types of flu virus included in the vaccine. There are usually 3 types in the seasonal flu vaccinations.
Some possible side effects of the vaccine are soreness at the injection site, achiness in muscles, or a very mild fever. These effects usually only last one or two days, or not at all.
Children over 6 months and under 10 years usually receive a series of two flu vaccinations about a month apart, since their immune systems aren't able to respond with full immunization without the "booster". Usually two to three weeks after the second vaccination, they will be fully protected from those specific virus infections as long as they have an otherwise healthy immune system.
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