Guide To The Different Types Of Flu

While many individuals think most or even all cases of the flu are caused by the same virus, this actually is inaccurate. In fact, there are three main types of the flu: influenza type A, B, and C. There is also a fourth form of influenza, and it's called influenza D, though it is different than the others. There are certain especially serious subtypes of the type A form of flu, such as swine and avian flu. While these forms of the disease can be extremely serious, they are also quite rare.

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What Is The Flu?

The flu is a viral infection, and it primarily affects the respiratory system. This results in both upper and lower respiratory tract problems, such as sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, coughing, and in severe cases, pneumonia or even death. If an individual is healthy and doesn't experience complications, the flu tends to cause a period of illness for two to seven days. However, some symptoms, such as coughing, can persist for a couple of weeks, but other symptoms, such as fever tend to go away in the previously mentioned two to seven days. It's important to keep in mind the flu virus is slightly different from one season to another. In addition, the different types of the flu make defining it a little more complicated.

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Type A Flu

Type A flu is quite common, and it also can be quite serious. In addition, it is capable of infecting animals. This type of flu tends to be far more common during the winter, and the symptoms of this illness tend to be both respiratory and systemic. In addition, this form of the flu has a tendency to mutate more frequently than type B and C. Epidemics of this virus are extremely commonplace, and pandemics are possible. The average incubation period of the virus in one study was found to be 1.4 days. Perhaps the most infamous form of influenza A is the H1N1 strain, which has been responsible for many outbreaks, including the ones in 2009 and the 1918 Spanish flu.

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