So small, yet it has the ability to affect millions. The influenza virus, also known as the flu, has been a menace to man for hundreds of years. The influenza virus has scientific researchers watching it carefully, in search of finding a cure for the virus. The influenza virus has the ability to change its appearance, thus making it resistant to many of our weapons to combat it. The virus is always one step ahead of mankind.
Influenza is a viral disease of the upper respiratory tract.
Symptoms of this viral disease are fever, muscle aches, headaches, nausea, vomiting, swollen nose and throat mucous membranes and a dry cough. Upon first exposure to the virus, it takes only about 48 hours for the virus to replicate and spread throughout your body. Eventually the symptoms appear, first with high fever and chills. Then the rest of the symptoms tend to follow. One way to distinguish the flu from the common cold is that muscle aches usually accompany the flu.