Cold and Influenza (Flu)
20 Articles & Excerpts
Vaccine Shortages
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Recent vaccine shortages have frustrated parents and doctors alike. The good news is that serious shortages of several vaccines appear to be over. There are many reasons for the shortages.
Colds and Flu Vaccine
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The most important tool for fighting the everchanging flu virus is immunization by a killed virus vaccine licensed by FDA. The vaccine is made from highly purified, egg-grown viruses that have been made noninfectious.
Colds and Flu: Time is the Only Sure Cure
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Chicken soup, vitamin C, hand-washing, and cough and cold medications are among the many ways some folks say can prevent or treat colds and flu. Which ones work? Flu is like the cold in many ways - most basically, they're both respiratory infections cause
Flu Season : Flu Drugs and Symptoms
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Relenza (zanamivir) and Tamiflu (oseltamivir), both approved for use in 1999, are to treat uncomplicated cases of influenza caused by types A and B flu virus. Tamiflu also is approved for preventive use, while Relenza is approved only for treatment.
Fighting the Flu: Flu Facts
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Influenza, commonly called the flu, is an infection of the respiratory tract caused by the influenza virus. Signs of the flu include sudden onset of headache, chills, and feeling generally miserable.
Avoiding The Flu
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
A safe, effective vaccine makes it unnecessary for many Americans to risk the complications of flu. Immunization is especially important for people age 65 or over and those with certain medical conditions, but is available to others as well.
Flu Season: Keep the Viruses Away
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The season for colds and flu is here. Find out how to keep these nasty viruses at bay and ease the misery if they strike. For most people, viral respiratory illnesses are usually self-limited and last only a few days.
Fighting the Flu
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
While the FDA-licensed vaccination is the chief method of preventing infection, one prescription medication, Tamiflu, can help prevent influenza types A and B. FDA first approved Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate), a capsule, in 1999 to help lessen flu
Flu Season : When You Need a Doctor
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Jerry Rogers, M.D., a family physician in Moorhead, Minn., says some patients have asked him about taking an antibiotic early on, before their cold or flu symptoms get bad. But antibiotics don't help viral illnesses.
Flu Season: Practice Healthy Habits
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising can help the immune system better fight off the germs that cause illness. Because smoking interferes with the mechanisms that keep bacteria and debris out of the lungs, those who use tobacco
Colds and Flu : Prevention, Flu Fighters
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Until recently, another category of over-the-counter drugs called antihistamines was approved only for use by sufferers of hay fever and some other allergies. In October, clemastine fumarate, the active ingredient in products such as Tavist-1 and Tavist-D
Antiviral Drugs and Influenza
by CDC
Four antiviral medications (amantadine, rimantadine, zanamavir and oseltamivir) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of influenza. However, you will need to begin taking the medication within 2 days
Influenza (Flu) Frequently Asked Questions
by CDC
Influenza, commonly called 'the flu,' is caused by the influenza virus, which infects the respiratory tract (nose, throat, lungs). Unlike many other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, the flu causes severe illness and life-threatening
Influenza and the Influenza Vaccine Facts
by CDC
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year.
Influenza (Flu) Viruses
by CDC
Influenza, also known as the flu, is a contagious disease that is caused by the influenza virus. It attacks the respiratory tract in humans (nose, throat, and lungs). The flu is different from a cold. Influenza usually comes on suddenly and may include
Understanding Sinusitis
by National Institute of Health
You're coughing and sneezing and tired and achy. You think that you might be getting a cold. Later, when the medicines you've been taking to relieve the symptoms of the common cold are not working and you've now got a terrible headache, you finally drag
Focus on the Flu
by National Institute of Health
A flu virus is roughly round, but it can also be elongated or irregularly shaped. Inside are eight segments of single-strand RNA containing the genetic instructions for making new copies of the virus.
Flu Season: Are You Ready?
by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Most people probably aren't thinking about flu season in the middle of summer. But government agencies are - in fact, they work year-round to prepare for each influenza season and ensure that enough vaccine is available to protect the American public.
Preparing for the Next Deadly Flu Outbreak
by National Institute of Health
Seasonal flu, or influenza, viruses change slightly over time, allowing the virus to evade our immune systems. That's why there's a new seasonal flu shot every year: to protect you from the newest strains, or varieties, of virus.
Computers Help Plan for a Deadly New Flu
by National Institute of Health
As you stand in line waiting to roll up your sleeve for that annual flu shot, you may wonder why you need the influenza vaccine every year when other types of vaccines offer a lifetime of protection.
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