The influenza virus - a hazardous perpetrator of the disease
Małgorzata Kruk (MPharm)
Influenza, namely an inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, is caused by viruses from the Orthomyxoviridae family, commonly known as influenza viruses, type A and B. Due to the severity of symptoms, the speed of the disease's development and the risk of possible complications – the influenza virus, type A is the most dangerous to man. It is responsible for yearly widespread cases of people falling ill.
The influenza virus is characterised by its capacity for spontaneous mutations. As a result, new contagious forms of the virus, which are capable of infecting people, develop.
Remember that the influenza virus needs a living organism in order to survive and reproduce (depending on the virus type – man, swine, bird). Therefore, you may get infected with the influenza virus mainly from a sick person through droplet contact, i.e. by coming into contact with their secretions (during coughing or sneezing) where the ready to attack viruses, are present.
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