The Influenza Virus Life Cycle
Even if you do not aspire to be a doctor someday, it is important to know what the influenza virus life cycle is and how the virus works in order to better protect yourself against the flu and to also know how to deal with it if you do come down with the virus.
An Explanation
The influenza virus life cycle is complicated process of viruses and cells exchanging particles and budding into a growing virus from those cells. The short explanation of the influenza virus life cycle is that the virus enters the body and the virus particle lands on the cell surface. Once the virus particle lands on the surface, it is taken inside the cell where the virus releases genetic information into the cell and begins to move toward the cell's nucleus. The influenza virus life cycle continues into the nucleus where the viral genes are producing new viral components. The components of the influenza virus structure collect at the cell surface and begin to form into new particles. The new particles leave the cell surface and attach on another healthy cell in order to infect the rest of the cells.
The influenza virus life cycle is a complicated process that happens at the cellular level. Once the virus particles begin to multiply in your cells, you will then begin feeling the symptoms of the virus. The symptoms will begin to appear quickly in your body, starting with a fever, body aches, headaches, fatigue and a dry cough or sore throat. Anyone suffering with the flu should monitor their temperature and make sure that proper measures are taken if the fever reaches up to 104 F or more. Otherwise healthy adults may experience a lower fever than the elderly and young children.
Prevention
You can help prevent the flu by getting your annual flu shot. This will prevent you from contracting many strains of the virus, although you may be susceptible to newer strains that develop after the flu shot has been administered. Your doctor can explain to you how effective the flu shot is each year. Remember not to skip a year either just because it didn't work the year before from preventing the flu.
You will also want to take precautions around those who are at risk for complication if you yourself contract the flu. Make sure to use common sense and do not share utensils, glasses and don't sneeze or cough without your hand covering your mouth. Prevention is the key to staying healthy and keeping those at risk safe.
