The Ultimate Flu Quiz

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 5 to 20 percent of Americans get the flu every year. Health Canada estimates that 10 to 15 percent of Canadians are afflicted with the flu each year.

The World Health Organization estimates that approximately a quarter of a million to half a million people die of the flu worldwide each year. Approximately 36,000 Americans die from the flu each year.

The flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus.

Once a virus reaches your body through the respiratory tract, it releases its genetic information into cell nuclei. The virus then replicates and takes over the function of cells.

The replication process of the flu virus occurs in your respiratory tissue for several days before your immune system kicks into high gear. This leads to inflammation of the respiratory tissue.

Typical flu symptoms may appear similar to cold symptoms, but there are significant differences of degree. Flu symptoms include: fever, body aches, tiredness, coughing, sneezing and runny nose.

Flu symptoms on their own are not life threatening. The flu, however, weakens the immune system, leaving you vulnerable to more serious, life threatening infections.

Some people are at higher risk of developing serious health complications from the flu. Flu-related health complications include bacteria pneumonia, dehydration, sinus problems, ear infections, and worsening of pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and asthma.

The term “stomach flu” is a misnomer. Vomiting, diarrhea and stomachaches can definitely be caused by a virus, but not the influenza virus.

The flu season in North America runs from November to March, but the most active flu months are typically January and February.

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, about one third of families with school-aged children are affected with the flu each year. School-aged children are notorious for spreading the flu virus.

The flu is highly contagious and is spread from an infected person's coughs and sneezes. Tiny flu-infected droplets from a cough or sneeze can travel up to three feet, or one meter, before landing on a surface.

It takes some time for the virus to replicate in your system and for you to start feeling the symptoms of the flu. This can take one to four days.

Adults are contagious from one day before symptoms appear to seven days afterward. Children can be contagious for even longer.

Typically the flu virus stays somewhat localized to the country of origin. On occasion, however, a flu virus can spread worldwide, leading to a pandemic. The most devastating flu pandemic was in 1918.

Anyone is susceptible to the flu, but certain groups are also at greater risk of experiencing complications related to the flu. Groups at risk include: children under two, pregnant women, adults over 65 years of age and anyone with a chronic health condition.

There is no medication that can cure the flu, but antiviral drugs can decrease the duration of the flu. Antiviral drugs include: Symmetrel, Flumadine, Relenza and Tamiflu.

You can catch the flu from either direct or indirect contact. Someone can directly sneeze or cough germs on you or you can receive germs from touching something an infected person had previously touched, such as a door knob.

You don't experience flu related symptoms right away. Only once the virus enters the bloodstream do you begin to feel early signs of the flu.

Strain A is the most severe and common. Strain B is less common and not as severe. Strain C is the least severe and of no particular concern.