Influenza spreads through aerosol droplets from infected individuals, and can survive on surfaces like railings and doorknobs. Hand washing, avoiding sick people, and vaccination can reduce its spread. Influenza strains constantly mutate, and pandemics occur when a virulent strain infects millions. Vaccination is recommended for the elderly.
Factors influencing the spread of influenza center on exposure to the virus in the form of an aerosol. The three types of flu spread at different rates, but all are spread through the coughs and sneezes of infected individuals. Hygienic precautions such as hand washing and avoiding proximity to sick people during the height of their infection reduce the spread of the virus. Vaccination can slow flu infection rates and protect vulnerable populations.
Influenza is an infectious respiratory virus spread by aerosol droplets emitted by infected people. Infection results from direct inhalation into the lungs and exposure through the nose and mouth. Spread of flu from one person to another can occur even before infected people experience flu symptoms, but is worst during the height of the fever. Children spread flu more efficiently than adults. The virus needs moisture and will dry quickly when exposed to ultraviolet radiation or dry air, which may explain the prevalence of flu during humid, darker winter weather.
In moist droplets, the flu virus can survive outside the body for some time on things like railings, dishes and doorknobs. Through these it is spread by hand-to-mouth contact when someone touches an aerosol-contaminated object and then touches their own mouth. Sharing cups and utensils with infected individuals increases the risk of infection. For this reason, consistent hand washing with soap and water and proper washing of dishes and utensils help reduce the spread of flu.
Two major factors in the spread of influenza depend on the strain of the virus and its mutation rate, as influenza strains are constantly mutating as they compete with the host’s immune system. Influenza B and C are milder forms, but influenza A produces more severe cases of the disease. Pandemics occur when a virulent strain of influenza infects millions of people around the world, usually due to new mutations that have migrated from other animals to humans. The Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, for example, was caused by a mutated strain related to bird flu that caused bleeding and other unusually severe symptoms.
Vaccination prevents the spread of influenza in common forms, especially influenza B, but does not guarantee protection from the spread of new mutations. It is recommended for the elderly, who are at higher risk for serious complications. It’s important to wash your hands, cover your mouth and nose while sneezing, and avoid contact with people during the peak of their infections. If flu patients rest at home and avoid public places until they recover, they are less likely to expose others to the virus.
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