NH+flu+notes

viruses are much smaller than cells come in many different shapes has proteins on the surface that attach (lock and key) to the proteins on the surface of our cells uses the host cell to make new viruses reasons to get the vaccine -prevents death - 35000 people in the US die because of the flu. most of them are 65+ old because their immune system isn't as strong -prevents severe illness -200000 people are hospitalized due to the flu each year -protects other people -prevent spread to immunosuppressed people the flu viruses that infect us also infect pigs -flu came from pigs -can have botht he avian and human flu--> the viruses could mix and make a new virus that can spread from person to person -people would have little or no protection against it because it is so new peak season for flu -dec--> april 60 million people come down with they flu can be contagious 1-4 days before symptoms appear epidemics start in schools and then spread to communities flu vaccine takes about 2 weeks to work--> stimulates your immune system so that you gain immunity to those strains infects trachea and bronchi vaccine made from growing the virus in hen's egg killed virus vaccine is a guess as to which strain will be going around--> make a "cocktail" of genes for vaccine side affects of vaccine are rare--> don't want an egg allergy people with egg allergy get desensitized to eggs over time flumist--> nasal spray--> weakened/attenuated virus