A and B are responsible for epidemics of respiratory illness that occur almost every winter and are often associated with increased rates of hospitalization and death. Efforts to control the impact of influenza are focused on types A and B. One of the reasons the flu remains a problem is because the viruses actually alter their structure, exposing adults and children to new types of the virus each time. Influenza type C usually causes either a very mild respiratory illness or no symptoms at all. A and B do. Influenza viruses continually mutate or change, which enables the virus to evade the immune system of a child.
People are susceptible to influenza infection throughout their lives.
The virus mutates or changes. The older antibody can, however, provide partial protection against reinfection. An influenza virus is generally passed from person to person by airborne transmission. This means your child can contract the flu by coming in contact with airborne viruses from an affected person by way of sneezing and coughing. People are generally the most contagious with the flu 24 hours before they start having symptoms and during the time they have the most symptoms.