Influenza
1 in 45 American adults seek treatment for influenza each year
Vaccines and awareness offer hope
Influenza (the flu) spreads each time temperatures drop. The illness, characterized by fever, aches, dizziness, fatigue, and vomiting, kills up to 36,000 Americans and thousands more worldwide each year. Generally, it affects people already vulnerable to illness, but that could change. A small mutation in the bird flu virus could make it transmissible among humans, spurring a global pandemic.
While international travel and urbanization are increasing the spread of viruses, a lifetime “super vaccine” is being researched that could protect against both human influenza and bird flu. With personal precautions, awareness, and further advances in medical research, the spread of influenza can be greatly reduced.
