Flu B viruses: why not H-something-N-something?
The world of influenza (Flu) is filled with many strange things. One of these is why we label the influenza A (FluA) viruses with an “H” (short for the name Read More …
Category: Influenza
Flu in a ScienceWeek flash 🏃
I was asked to present a talk for science week 2019. I thought an explanation of the unprecedented 2019 influenza (flu) season (nicknamed flunami) would be a good talk. But Read More …
The 2019 Flunami was more than just increased testing
The Flunami (see a definition here before you decide upon your own dear reader) has been a rising tide of influenza cases. It was more than just increased testing though. Read More …
Flu, genes, clades and H3N2
We’ve talked earlier about clades; a term which relates to how we can put influenza (flu) viruses that sit under the broad title, “A/H3N2”, into subgroupings. Clades are a way Read More …
H3N2 in Australia – Australia’s unseasonal flu season rolls on
Australia’s unseasonal flu season is still with us, albeit a little quieter than it was. Some jurisdictions have already had a peak and have returned to almost normal numbers of Read More …
Which is the inFLUencing hemisphere, north, south or neither?
One of the most common comments I’ve read on Twitter from my northern hemisphere buds these past weeks is – “hey look at those bad influenza (flu) numbers in Australia…that Read More …
Every flu season is a soup of viruses
It may surprise some to know that influenza isn’t caused by just one “flu virus”. There are multiple flu viruses which can all cause the flu and they are around Read More …
An influenza virus is the sum of its parts
The influenza viruses are a bit different from other viruses that infect and affect our respiratory tract. Their genetic material – the stuff that acts as the blueprint to make Read More …
The Australian Flunami rolls on
Flu. What the heck are you doing? Since November 2018 – traditionally a time of influenza decline as the winter season wanes to a baseline level – you’ve been causing Read More …
Influenza vaccine protection in adults: it’s better than you think
It seems like every year we’re told that the timespan for which influenza (flu) vaccination provides us immunity is a little shorter. In the next few posts, I’ll have a Read More …