The Flu: Overview

Influenza

Influenza is a highly contagious acute viral infection of the respiratory tract that can lead to serious life-threatening complications.¹

Patients who have contracted the flu will often experience sudden upper respiratory symptoms that are similar to the common cold.^2,3

Affected patients are also likely to experience fever, myalgia, fatigue and loss of appetite.^4,5,6

Due to the nature of its symptoms, flu can cause a significant impact on quality of life, such as absenteeism, decreased productivity, and detrimental effects to both mood and cognitive performance.⁷

A flu infection can have significant impacts on quality of life⁸

Along with colds, the seasonal flu affects up to 10% of adults and 30% of children worldwide each year.⁹
Symptoms of the flu have been shown to have a direct effect on both mental and physical performance, as well as mood.^8,10

Read more about the flu

Causes

Find out about the causes of influenza infection.

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Signs and Symptoms

Learn more about the signs and symptoms of the flu.

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Management

Explore an overview of flu management.

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Patient care resources

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References

World Health Organization. Influenza (Seasonal) fact sheet. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs211/en/. Accessed July 2018.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website. How the Flu Virus Can Change. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses/change.htm. Last accessed: May, 2018.
Eccles R. Lancet Infect Dis 2005;5:718–725. 2. Centers for Disease Control. Common Colds: Protect Yourself and Others. Available at:https://www.cdc.gov/features/rhinoviruses/. Last accessed: June, 2018.
GSK Global CCR - UA Segmentation Report.
Eccles R and Weber O (Eds). Common Cold. Basel, Switzerland: Birkhäuser Verlag, 2009.
CDC website. Available at: www.cdc.gov/features/rhinoviruses/. Last accessed: June, 2018.
Monto AS, et al. Arch Intern Med 2000;160:3243–3247.
Dicpinigaitis PV et al. Curr Med Res Opin 2015; 31(8):1519–1525.
National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Canadian Immunization Guide Chapter on Influenza and Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for 2017–2018. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/canadian-immunization-guide-statement-seasonal-influenza-vaccine-2020-2021.html. Accessed July 2020.
Smith AP. Twenty-five years of research on the behavioural malaise associated with influenza and the common cold. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2013;38(6):744-751. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.09.002.

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PM-IN-NOBR-22-00008

The Flu: Overview

Influenza

A flu infection can have significant impacts on quality of life8

Read more about the flu

Causes

Signs and Symptoms

Management

Learning Lab

Register Now

Patient care resources

References

A flu infection can have significant impacts on quality of life⁸