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Influenza A virus and influenza B virus circulate in humans and cause seasonal epidemics, and influenza C virus causes a mild infection, primarily in children. Influenza D virus can infect humans but is not known to cause illness. In humans, influenza viruses are primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing.
Influenza viruses are members of the family Orthomyxoviridae. [2] Influenza viruses A, B, C, and D represent the four antigenic types of influenza viruses. [3] Of the four antigenic types, influenza A virus is the most severe, influenza B virus is less severe but can still cause outbreaks, and influenza C virus is usually only associated with minor symptoms.
Influenza B virus is almost exclusively a human pathogen, and is less common than influenza A. The only other animal known to be susceptible to influenza B infection is the seal. [47] This type of influenza mutates at a rate 2–3 times lower than type A [48] and consequently is less genetically diverse, with only one influenza B serotype. [26]
Reasonably effective ways to reduce the transmission of influenza include good personal health and hygiene habits such as: not touching your eyes, nose or mouth; [6] frequent hand washing (with soap and water, or with alcohol-based hand rubs); [6] eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables; [16] covering coughs and sneezes; avoiding close contact with sick people; and staying home yourself if ...
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 (A/H5N1) is a subtype of the influenza A virus, which causes the disease avian influenza (often referred to as "bird flu"). It is enzootic (maintained in the population) in many bird populations, and also panzootic (affecting animals of many species over a wide area). [ 1 ]
Swine influenza (also known as swine flu or pig flu) is a respiratory disease that occurs in pigs that is caused by the Influenza A virus. Influenza viruses that are normally found in swine are known as swine influenza viruses (SIVs). The three main subtypes of SIV that circulate globally are A(H1N1), A(H1N2), and A(H3N2).
During periods of cooler temperature, influenza cases increase roughly tenfold or more. Despite the higher incidence of manifestations of the flu during the season, the viruses are actually transmitted throughout populations all year round. [citation needed] Each annual flu season is normally associated with a major influenza virus sub type.
Influenza B and C principally infect humans, minimizing the chance that a reassortment will change its phenotype drastically. [ 3 ] In the 1940s, Maurice Hilleman discovered antigenic shift, which is important for the emergence of new viral pathogens as it is a pathway that viruses may follow to enter a new niche .