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The Science Show 14/12/2013 – The influenza virus

Influenza: the flu; the virus and the vaccine

We hear from Cambridge University Professor Derek Smith, how flu, also known as Influenza, so successfully eludes the immune system. In times when cancers can be treated, FLU or INFLUENZA continues to infect vast numbers of people. And why is it that the FLU VACCINE you had years ago offers little immunity against getting the flu again? Did you know you’ve a 1 in 10 chance of getting the flu?

Derek Smith is a Professor of Infectious Disease Informatics at Cambridge University. He is also the Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Modelling, Evolution and Control of Emerging Infectious diseases. Smith uses a method called antigenic cartography to study the phenotypic evolution of rapidly evolving pathogens.

  • See http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/research-reveals-details-of-how-flu-evolves-to-escape-immunity
  • Cambridge Infectious Diseases – resource for infectious disease research http://www.infectiousdisease.cam.ac.uk/news
Quiz
  • Is it Science Fact or Fiction that when you have the flu, getting an antibiotic prescription can help you get better faster?
  • What are antiviral medicines?
  • Is it Science Fact or Fiction that getting a flu vaccination GIVES you the flu?

See Chris Creese’s link to flu myths: check out www.nsh.uk/livewell/winterhealth/pages/flu-myths.aspx

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