1. Influenza Alec Fleischacker

2. Influenza is an infectious disease of birds and mammals

3. Influenza is transmitted via aerosols when people cough or sneeze

4. Symptoms include chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness/fatigue, and general discomfort

5. Ways to prevent getting influenza – Hand washing with soap, which deactivates the virus – Covering coughs and sneezes – Avoid contact with infected people

6. Influenza is caused by an orthomyxoviridae RNA Virus

7. Influenzavirus A is responsible for most common types of the flu

8. Flu Pandemics occur when a new strain is transmitted to humans from a different mammal

9. Influenzavirus B and C are less common than Influenzavirus A

12. There is a new strain of influenza every winter because it mutates very quickly

13. Vaccination is the most effective method of preventing influenza

15. The World Health Organization attempts to predict which strains will emerge each year

16. One of the best treatment for the flu is to get plenty of rest

17. The two types of antivirals used are M2 protein inhibitors and Neuraminidase inhibitors

18. Neuraminidase Inhibitors are preferred to M2 Inhibitors

19. M2 Inhibitors block the ion protein that allows the M2 protein from going into the proton

20. Works Cited http://www.cdc.gov/flu/ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/influenza/DS00081 http://www.who.int/topics/influenza/en/ http://www.wvdhhr.org/wvflu/symptoms_spreads.asp http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/219557-overview http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/cellular- microscopic/flu.htm http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Oct05/avianflu.thevirus.ws.html http://www.livestrong.com/article/90289-influenza-virus-works/