About Type A Flu

Type A flu

Influenza A virus - The microscopic image is caused by influenza A strain. This virus is primarily found in birds, but can also infect pigs, horses, seals, whales, and minks, as well as humans. The most known subtype of this virus is the H1N1 virus, which caused the so-called 'Bird flu' and 'swine flu'. Currently, subtypes of H1N2 and H3N2 viruses are also common in humans. Influenza A is particularly dangerous because of the rate of mutation. The immune system is unable to recognize the virus and defend itself effectively.

1. Flu virus A

The influenza A virus is very susceptible to mutations. It has 8 independent RNA segments, which allows it to exchange genes with other strains of the virus. One type of virus is usually "specialized" in one type of infection. The protein shell of each type A virus is composed of highly immunogenic glycoproteins: hemagglutinin (HA or H) and neuraminidase (NA or N). These proteins include:

• 16 haemagglutinin subtypes,
• 9 neuraminidase subtypes.

There are 144 possible combinations, which allows for a wide variety of influenza A viruses.

Influenza A virus is the most common cause of an influenza epidemic and pandemic. This is because this strain of the virus has the potential for antigenic jumps, i.e. a rapid change in the protein structure of its envelope. Antibodies "knowing" the previous version of the virus will not know this new one and will not defend against it. Other types of influenza can only perform antigenic shifts, which means that the altered structure of the viral protein shell is more likely to be recognized by the immune system that has already encountered the virus once.

2. Infection with influenza virus

One of the components of the virus protein shell, hemagglutinin, attaches to N-acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid). This acid is found in cell membrane proteins and allows signals to be transmitted between cells. The virus attacks sialic acid found in the cells of the airway epithelium, causing the cell to absorb it. Inside it, the virus replicates. After a few hours, copies of the virus are released, which attack more cells.

3. Symptoms of type A influenza

The symptoms of influenza A in people do not usually differ from the usual symptoms of flu. So these are:

• 1.and sudden high fever,
• 2.muscle pain
• 3.conjunctivitis,
• 4.cough,
• 5.sore throat.

When it comes to the H5N1 strain of bird flu, the symptoms are much more severe and more often lead to fatal complications.

The severity of the flu symptoms and the severity of the course of the flu depend largely on the state of the person's immune system. If a person infected with a virus has previously come into contact with the same virus variant, the course will be lighter. If a person's immune system is functional, there is a much lower risk of developing post-influenza complications, which include pneumonia, sinusitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pericarditis, myocarditis, acute kidney failure, encephalitis, inflammation meninges,

and even death.

That is it for today guys!

Read More: South Carolina Democratic Party - Ups and Downs

Follow me on INSTAGRAM