Causes of the Flu Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Why We Still Get the Flu This winter, media reports of early influenza (flu) deaths in American and British children sparked a panic that is spreading throughout the United States and the world. People are currently rushing to get flu shots to try to prevent this virus, which can be temporarily debilitating and even lead to death (1). With readily available flu vaccination and medication, it is a wonder that the flu is still an extant disease. In fact, in any given year, the flu kills about 15 million people world wide, more people than are killed by AIDS, lung cancer, and heart disease combined (2). With so much modern medical technology, why is it that we are still getting the flu? Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a virus that infects the trachea (windpipe) or bronchi (breathing tubes) (1). Strains of the flu may belong to one of three different influenza virus families, A, B, or C (3). Symptoms include high fever, chills, severe muscle aches, headache, runny nose, and cough. Complications can lead to pneumonia. Those most at risk of dying from the flu or contracting complications include asthmatics, people with sickle cell disease, people with long-term diseases of the heart, kidney, or lungs, people with diabetes, those who have weakened immunity from cancer or HIV/AIDS, children on long-term aspirin therapy, women who are on their second or third trimester of pregnancy, children under the age of nine, and adults over the age of 50 (1). Flu shots may be a miracle of modern technology, but they are not received by everyone. The flu is a world-wide problem. While Americans spend $2 billion treating and preventing the flu every year, those countries known as the Third or Developing World simply cannot afford su... ... VA – Flu Vaccine http://www.fin.org/n_flu.html 9)Fujian flu vaccine ready by next year; news article on the Star Online, a Malaysian Newspaper. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file= 10)ScienceDaily New Release: Australian National University Scientists Find Genetic Trigger For The 1918 Spanish Flu http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/09/010907081636.htm 11)WHO 50th – Smallpox Eradication, Site Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/governance/en/smallpox.htm 12)FluMist: No More Flu Shots? , On the Mayo Clinic website. http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=591BCB8D-4339-4653-86B9311B648BF021 13)ScienceDaily News Release: A Better FLU Vaccine? Nasal Spray Vaccine May Give More Protection Against 'Drifted' Strains http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031209081457.htm