Influenza

Influenza (the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year. Every year in the United States, on average 5% to 20% of the population gets the flu; more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, and; about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

Types of Influenza

Influenza is caused by three types of RNA viruses called influenza types A, B and C, which all belong to the family Orthomyxoviridae.

Influenza Immunization

Influenza Epidemiology

Influenza Prognosis

Influenza Symptoms

Influenza Treatments

Influenza Pandemics

Influenza Research

Influenza Infection in Animals

Should I get the Flu Shot?

Latest Influenza News and Research

Rare lung cell found to protect against COVID-19 death

A rare cell type in the lungs is essential to survival from the COVID-19 virus, a new study shows.

25 Apr 2025

H5N1's evolutionary leap could undermine vaccines and heighten human infection risk

From egg prices to pet food recalls – and now, confirmation that another strain of bird flu has infected a large commercial flock of broiler chickens on a Mississippi farm – headlines are capturing escalating concern over H5N1's spread.

24 Apr 2025

New biosensor offers fast detection of H5N1 in farm air

As highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza continues to spread in the U.S., posing serious threats to dairy and poultry farms, both farmers and public health experts need better ways to monitor for infections, in real time, to mitigate and respond to outbreaks.

24 Apr 2025

Baloxavir marboxil shows promise in reducing household flu spread

One dose of the antiviral baloxavir marboxil lowers the chance of transmitting the influenza virus to family members by about 30%, according to research in the New England Journal of Medicine.

24 Apr 2025

New vaccine targets sugar shield to protect against multiple coronaviruses

Sugar coatings aren't only for candies; they also help viruses, like the ones that cause COVID-19, hide from their hosts' immune system.

23 Apr 2025

High-risk adults often do not receive timely flu treatment, study finds

A multi-state study reveals that many high-risk adults diagnosed with influenza (flu) in emergency departments and urgent care centers are not receiving timely antiviral treatment.

22 Apr 2025

Public ignorance and apathy towards bird flu could hinder preventive efforts

In an editorial in the American Journal of Public Health, a team led by researchers from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) say public ignorance and apathy towards bird flu (highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI) could pose a serious obstacle to containing the virus and preventing a larger-scale public health crisis.

17 Apr 2025

Vaccine trial shows promise for saving California condors from bird flu

Researchers evaluated the safety and immune response of a poultry-derived H5N1 avian influenza vaccine in black vultures and critically endangered California condors. The findings support the use of vaccination as a conservation tool against deadly avian flu outbreaks.

17 Apr 2025

Experimental bird flu vaccine offers strong protection in preclinical trials

A vaccine under development at the University at Buffalo has demonstrated complete protection in mice against a deadly variant of the virus that causes bird flu.

17 Apr 2025

Nasal protein levels may predict COVID-19 risk

Higher nasal expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 proteins can predict future SARS-CoV-2 infection.

16 Apr 2025

Breakthrough in chicken genomics offers hope against avian influenza

An international team of researchers led by Professor Huaijun Zhou from the UC Davis Department of Animal Science has created the first-ever detailed map of how genes are regulated in chickens - a breakthrough that could help scientists breed birds that are more resistant to diseases like avian influenza.

10 Apr 2025

New approach to combat influenza and herpes with bean-based gum

In today's interconnected world, infectious diseases pose an escalating threat, as demonstrated by the coronavirus pandemic and outbreaks of H1N1, SARS, Ebola, Zika, and H5N1 (bird flu) viruses-all of which have had significant global health and economic impacts.

4 Apr 2025

Rutgers researchers develop promising new oral antiviral for COVID-19

Rutgers Health researchers have developed an oral antiviral drug candidate for COVID-19 that could overcome major limitations of Paxlovid, currently the most prescribed oral treatment.

3 Apr 2025

Annual COVID-19 boosters crucial for immunocompromised individuals

New research findings provide solid evidence that annual COVID-19 vaccine booster doses continue to be advisable for certain immunocompromised people, researchers at McGill University say.

1 Apr 2025

UTA expert discusses the latest developments of measles outbreak in Texas

Measles is a highly contagious disease that was declared eliminated from the U.S. by the World Health Organization 25 years ago due to the success of vaccination efforts.

28 Mar 2025

Scientists develop universal vaccine targeting multiple coronaviruses

Sugar coatings aren't only for candies; they also help viruses, like the ones that cause COVID-19, hide from their hosts' immune system.

25 Mar 2025

UZH researchers develop decoy molecules to restore immune defense

An immune system defect makes affected individuals vulnerable to severe viral diseases such as influenza or COVID-19. It is caused by the body's own antibodies, which inhibit important defense proteins known as type I interferons.

24 Mar 2025

How your diet and probiotics can improve vaccine effectiveness

Researchers uncover how probiotics and diet shape the gut microbiome to boost vaccine efficacy, offering new avenues for precision immunization.

23 Mar 2025

Registration Now Open for World Vaccine Congress Washington 2025: Leading Experts from Government, WHO, CEPI, and more to Speak

Register for the World Vaccine Congress 2025, the premier event for vaccine experts and leaders, driving innovations in public health and pandemic preparedness.

From World Vaccine Congress Washington 21 Mar 2025