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'''Influenza''' or '''flu''' is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by influenza [[virus]]es. It is spread from one person to another through tiny droplets that are released into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.<ref>It can be spread from contact with infected birds, pigs or other animals.</ref>. Winter is the worst season. Influenza caused a deadly worldwide pandemic in 1918-1919, as populations were weakened in the aftermatch of World War I. Over 20 million died worldwide.
A worldwide H1N1 "swine flu" epidemic is underway in 2009, caused by a new strain; so far the deaths from the new strain have been few.
The normal flu and swine flue are similar in their effects; both are highly infectious and people with the symptoms should stay home. A typical case lasts up to one week, and on average a person can infect others one day before they begin experiencing symptoms and up to five days after they become sick.
There is no cure--despite cure—despite fake remedies sold on the internet. Once someone is already infected, Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir) can help relieve the severity of disease if taken within 48 hours.
The most effective protection is prevention through vaccination and the federal government plans to offer 250 million vaccine doses to the public from mid-October to the end of 2009
====Fever====
Fever is rare with a cold. <br>
Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases . A temperature of 100°F 100 °F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.
====Cough====
A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold. <br>
====Sudden Symptoms ====
Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.<br>
The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 3–6 hours. It hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.
====Headache ====
A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.<br>
A headache is present in 80% of flu cases.
====Sore Throat====
Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.<br>
Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.
In 2009 the world confronted '''H1N1''', popularly known as '''Swine flu''', a respiratory illness caused by an influenza A virus.
In April, 2009, a worldwide outbreak of Swine Flu was reported, first in Mexico, and soon in many other countries as well, giving every indication of a possible pandemic. The [[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]] said, ''The virus is a mix of human virus, bird virus from North America and pig viruses from North America, Europe and Asia.'' The CDC at first recommended the use of the flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza, as there specific vaccine for H1N1 became available in late summer 2009. It is genetically different from the fully human H1N1 seasonal influenza virus that has been circulating globally for the past few years. The new flu virus contains DNA typical to avian, swine and human viruses, including elements from European and Asian swine viruses. <ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/ CDC: Swine Influenza]</ref> <ref>[http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_04_24/en/index.html WHO bulletin: Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response (EPR)]</ref>
Different varieties of swine flu have been known for many years. The virus routinely causes outbreaks in pigs but seldom infect humans. Currently medical workers are exploring the possibility of a mutation of known types of the virus, enabling it to pass among species more easily. There have been cases of the virus spreading from human to human, probably in the same way as seasonal flu, through coughing and sneezing by infected people. The virus is an influenza A virus, carrying the designation H1N1. <ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/general_info.htm Swine Influenza: General Information]</ref>
===Spanish Flu Pandemic: 1918-1919===
'''The Spanish Flu''' from 1918 - 1919 was a deadly strain of Influenza A virus which struck civilians and soldiers following [[World War I]]. This [[pandemic]] killed 50 to 100 million people worldwide, more people in one year than the Black Death, [[Bubonic Plague]] from 1347 to 1351. Indeed, more people died from the Flu than from battle injuries in the war. The flu did not originate in Spain; it was called the Spanish Flu because it received greater press attention in Spain than anywhere else in the world. More than one-fifth of the world's population was infected, in large part because of the close quarters of men living together in army camps, and because it was at the end of the war, as they returned they brought the disease back to the wider world. The dislocations and harships of war left millions of people ill-nourished and more vulnerable.
Some 675,000 Americans died. Montana was one of the four hardest-hit states in the nation, as 5,000 residents, or 1% of the population, died as a result of the infection. In response to the epidemic the State Board of Health urged closing public gathering places. Such regulation spawned public resentment, but the Board of Health stood firm. Butte was the hardest hit city of Montana and one of the hardest hit in the nation. The University of Montana in Missoula closed to protect the students. In remote areas of the state isolation and limited medical personnel left many families to face illness with help from neighbors.<ref> Pierce C. Mullen, and Michael L. Nelson, "Montanans and 'The Most Peculiar Disease': the Influenza Epidemic and Public Health, 1918-1919". ''Montana: the Magazine of Western History'' 1987 37(2): 50-61; Volney Steele, "The Flu Epidemic of 1918 on the Montana Frontier." ''Journal of the West'' 2003 42(4): 81-90 </ref>
This flu was most deadly for those in the healthy age groups, between 20-40, whereas most flu deaths usually occur in the elderly or the very young. The effect of the influenza epidemic was so severe that the average life span in the US was depressed by 10 years. The influenza virus had a profound virulence, with a mortality rate at 2.5% compared to the previous influenza epidemics, which were less than 0.1%. <ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no01/05-0979.htm "1918 Influenza: the Mother of All Pandemics": Jeffery Taubenberge & David Morens]</ref>
While the 1918 Pandemic was particularly devastating to communities and individuals, viral, host and environmental factors were at cause.
