Flu Symptoms

What are your symptoms now? Is it the flu or the common cold? A vast majority of people do not know the difference and with experts warning that a flu pandemic is on the cards, early diagnosis is imperative to catching and treating it in the early stages so that you know exactly what you are up against.

Flu Symptoms Vs Common Cold Symptoms

As a start, the flu and the cold are caused by different viruses. The flu is caused by the influenza virus and the cold virus is the rhinotracheitis virus. The major difference is that you will know it when you get hit by the flu bug because it really wipes you out. The common cold virus isn't as potent and you can usually soldier on. But to be more specific :

Common Cold Symptoms
Flu Symptoms

NOTE : For children under 5, gastrointestinal symptoms seem to be more common and are accompanied by the high fever, fatigue and sore throat.

Flu - the dangers

If you have a chronic illness (eg diabetes, asthma, HIV) or are over 50 or have are immune compromised, then you are in a high risk category to developing complications when you catch the flu. A flu vaccination annually is recommended if you fall into any of those categories. If for some reason, you are in the high risk category and are exhibiting flu symptoms, see your doctor IMMEDIATELY as there is a treatment for the flu virus but it is only effective if administered within 48 hours of the first sign of flu symptoms.

Flu - what about the Bird Flu?

The flu virus doesn't just affect humans, birds get it too. Although most flu viruses will stay within a particular species ie bird flu viruses only affect birds and human flu viruses only affect humans. However, due to the ability of the virus to mutate (alter it's conformation - which is why you need to get the vaccination annually because the virus alters itself so much in a year that the antibiodies in your system from last year's vaccination wouldn't be effective against this year's flu bug - it just won't recognize the new bug anymore because it's changed so much), it can on occasion 'jump species' - which is what happened with the bird flu. That's also why it's so deadly - because your body and everyone else's for that matter wouldn't have 'seen' this particular strain of flu before and therefore it would cause more damage in your body than the normal human strain which your body is more accustomed to fight off.

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Flu symptoms

Bird Flu / Avian Flu News From Medical News Today
Latest Bird Flu / Avian Flu News From Medical News Today.

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An influential Lords Committee have today reported that a new and potentially deadly infectious disease emerges somewhere in the world every year and it is vital that there is more investment in international surveillance if pandemics are to be avoided.
Inovio Biomedical's First Proprietary DNA Vaccine Achieves 100% Protection Against Avian Flu In Pre-Clinical Testing
Inovio Biomedical Corporation (AMEX:INO), a leader in enabling the development of DNA vaccines using a proprietary electroporation-based DNA delivery platform, announced recently pre-clinical results from two proprietary plasmid DNA-based universal influenza vaccine candidates using the company's proprietary electroporation delivery technology and, specifically, a new intradermal device.
Vical Announces Breakthrough For Pandemic Influenza DNA Vaccines With Preliminary Human Data
Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL) announced a breakthrough with preliminary clinical trial data demonstrating that DNA vaccines can safely achieve significant immune responses against H5N1 pandemic influenza in humans.
Indiana Health Officials Examine State's Pandemic Influenza Ethics Planning
Information relevant to Indiana's current pandemic influenza preparedness plan was presented July 16 during a symposium convened by the Indiana State Department of Health and the Indiana University Center for Bioethics, "The Ethics of Pandemic Influenza Planning in Indiana: What Have We Done and
Possible Future Avian Influenza Pandemic May Be Eased By Booster Vaccination
New evidence suggests that a booster vaccination against H5N1 avian influenza given years after initial vaccination with a different strain may prove useful in controlling a potential future pandemic. The study is published in the August 1 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, now available online. H5N1 continues to pose a major health risk to birds and humans.
Newly Described "Dragon" Protein Could Be Key To Bird Flu Cure
Scientists and researchers have taken a big step closer to a cure for the most common strain of avian influenza, or "bird flu," the potential pandemic that has claimed more than 200 lives and infected nearly 400 people in 14 countries since it was identified in 2003. Researchers at the U.S.
Vical To Present Phase 1 Data For Vaxfectin(R)-Formulated Pandemic Influenza DNA Vaccines
Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL) announced the scheduled presentation of preliminary human safety and immunogenicity data from a Phase 1 trial of the company's Vaxfectin(R)-formulated H5N1 pandemic influenza DNA vaccines on Thursday, July 17, at the IBC Life Sciences Next Generation Vaccines conference (National Harbor, MD - July 17-18). Vical's Vice President of Vaccine Research, Larry R. Smith, Ph.D.
Report Offers Resources For Home Health Care Response During A Flu Pandemic
Home Health Care During an Influenza Pandemic: Issues and Resources, a report identifying home health care as a critical component in providing care during a pandemic influenza event and offering resources to home health care providers and community planners to prepare for such an event, was released today by the U.S.
Potential New Drug Candidates To Combat 'Bird Flu' Identified By UC San Diego Researchers
As the specter of a worldwide outbreak of avian or "bird flu" lingers, health officials recognize that new drugs are desperately needed since some strains of the virus already have developed resistance to the current roster of anti-flu remedies.
Animal Study Identifies New DNA Weapon Against Avian Flu
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have identified a potential new way to vaccinate against avian flu. By delivering vaccine via DNA constructed to build antigens against flu, along with a minute electric pulse, researchers have immunized experimental animals against various strains of the virus. This approach could allow for the build up of vaccine reserves that could be easily and effectively dispensed in case of an epidemic.