OK, class, settle down. We have a new lesson at one of the best sites in Flublogia, Infection Landscapes: Influenza. Excerpt:
This week at Infection Landscapes we will cover influenza, one of the most significant respiratory diseases to affect humans, and which does so on an annual basis. Influenza causes substantial morbidity and mortality each year in both the developing and developed world.
The name "influenza" is derived from the Italian word for influence because, centuries ago, it was believed that this disease occurred as a result of the influence of the movement of the sun and the stars given its seasonal nature.
The Pathogen. Influenza is caused by one of three genera of influenza viruses in the Orthomyxoviridae family: influenza A, influenza B, and influenza C. Of these three, influenza A is the most virulent and thus is responsible for the greatest burden of disease. As such, most of this discussion will focus on influenza A.
