title: Influenza.
abstract: Influenza is an acute respiratory illness, caused by influenza A, B, and C viruses, that occurs in local outbreaks or seasonal epidemics. Clinical illness follows a short incubation period and presentation ranges from asymptomatic to fulminant, depending on the characteristics of both the virus and the individual host. Influenza A viruses can also cause sporadic infections or spread worldwide in a pandemic when novel strains emerge in the human population from an animal host. New approaches to influenza prevention and treatment for management of both seasonal influenza epidemics and pandemics are desirable. In this Seminar, we discuss the clinical presentation, transmission, diagnosis, management, and prevention of seasonal influenza infection. We also review the animal-human interface of influenza, with a focus on current pandemic threats.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Catharine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paules
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Electronic address: ksubbarao@niaid.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Kanta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Subbarao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D035843:Biomedical Research; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000175:diagnosis; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D017277:Drug Approval; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009981:Influenza B virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission; D008875:Middle Aged; D058873:Pandemics; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination; D055815:Young Adult; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D007252:Influenza Vaccines