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Article: Influenza
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Public Health
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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INFLUENZA
Influenza is a potentially severe acute respiratory illness caused by various strains of the influenza virus. The different strains all produce characteristic symptoms, and because major outbreaks are associated with increased mortality, occurrences can be identified in history. Outbreaks consistent with influenza can be traced back at least to the court of Elizabeth I. Some have speculated that the Plague of Athens described by Thucydides was influenza complicated by bacterial superinfection. The influenza syndrome, commonly known as the flu, with its fever, cough, rapid onset and body aches, is not only typical enough to be recognized in the past, but it also allows ...