answered question
0
Votes
Votes
3
Answers
Answers
M$1.00
What happens if you catch two different strains of the flu at the same time? Do they cancel each other out?
answers (2)
The chances of catching two different strains of the flu at the same time are minimal, but even supposing it happened, it's difficult to determine how one strain might "cancel the other out." There are too many factors to consider to be able to give a definitive answer. I'll try to explain further.
Influenza viruses come in three types: A, B, and C. Each of the different types causes different symptoms, and the type of flu you're dealing with can be considered either seasonal or pandemic.
Seasonal Flu is usually milder than Pandemic Flu. Seasonal Flu follows more predictable patterns, provokes milder symptoms, and is generally more manageable than Pandemic Flu. Different strains of A and B type flu viruses can mutate and become pandemic, although most are considered seasonal. C type viruses are not thought to cause epidemics.
Both A and B type flu viruses can be broken down into subtypes, but A type viruses are classified based on the two types of protein found on their surface: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). You're probably familiar with the H1N1 virus. The numbers following the letters refer to the different protein subtypes. Hemagglutinin comes in sixteen different varieties, whereas neuraminidase comes in nine. Both A and B type influenza viruses can be further broken down into strains.
The body can only build immunity to influenza virus after having been exposed to it. Ideally, this is achieved through the vaccination process, in which a killed or modified strain of the virus is introduced into the body. Vaccinations can be specific to a single strain of virus, but more often include a broader range of the most common strains. So if the vaccination includes A (H1N1) and A (H3N2), for example, the vaccinated party will likely be protected from both strains for the duration of the vaccine.
After being exposed to an influenza virus, the immune system sends out antibodies to fight it. If two strains that affect the body around the same time are similar enough, the immune response should be enough to take care of both strains. But, for example, being exposed and building immunity to an A type influenza virus won't necessarily protect a person from contracting a C type influenza virus.
Thankfully, several treatments are designed to target multiple types of the influenza virus, so if a person is somehow infected with two similar types, they might only need to undergo one type of treatment to feel better.
I hope this is enough information to help answer your question. While it's possible that one strain might "cancel the other out," it's impossible to say for certain without knowing more about the individual case in question.
I've included some links in the reference section that you might find interesting. I hope this helps!
Influenza viruses come in three types: A, B, and C. Each of the different types causes different symptoms, and the type of flu you're dealing with can be considered either seasonal or pandemic.
Seasonal Flu is usually milder than Pandemic Flu. Seasonal Flu follows more predictable patterns, provokes milder symptoms, and is generally more manageable than Pandemic Flu. Different strains of A and B type flu viruses can mutate and become pandemic, although most are considered seasonal. C type viruses are not thought to cause epidemics.
Both A and B type flu viruses can be broken down into subtypes, but A type viruses are classified based on the two types of protein found on their surface: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). You're probably familiar with the H1N1 virus. The numbers following the letters refer to the different protein subtypes. Hemagglutinin comes in sixteen different varieties, whereas neuraminidase comes in nine. Both A and B type influenza viruses can be further broken down into strains.
The body can only build immunity to influenza virus after having been exposed to it. Ideally, this is achieved through the vaccination process, in which a killed or modified strain of the virus is introduced into the body. Vaccinations can be specific to a single strain of virus, but more often include a broader range of the most common strains. So if the vaccination includes A (H1N1) and A (H3N2), for example, the vaccinated party will likely be protected from both strains for the duration of the vaccine.
After being exposed to an influenza virus, the immune system sends out antibodies to fight it. If two strains that affect the body around the same time are similar enough, the immune response should be enough to take care of both strains. But, for example, being exposed and building immunity to an A type influenza virus won't necessarily protect a person from contracting a C type influenza virus.
Thankfully, several treatments are designed to target multiple types of the influenza virus, so if a person is somehow infected with two similar types, they might only need to undergo one type of treatment to feel better.
I hope this is enough information to help answer your question. While it's possible that one strain might "cancel the other out," it's impossible to say for certain without knowing more about the individual case in question.
I've included some links in the reference section that you might find interesting. I hope this helps!
source(s):
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/
http://www.tamiflu.com/
http://www.relenza.com/
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses/types.htm
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/general/season_or_pandemic.html
http://blogs.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2009/07/international-a.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/142727.php
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/
http://www.tamiflu.com/
http://www.relenza.com/
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses/types.htm
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/general/season_or_pandemic.html
http://blogs.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2009/07/international-a.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/142727.php
voted helpful: chriswingate, stanar
No. You will just get more sick.
The most common symptoms of the disease are chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort. Fever and coughs are the most frequent symptoms. In more serious cases, influenza causes pneumonia, which can be fatal, particularly for the young and the elderly. Although it is often confused with other influenza-like illnesses, especially the common cold, influenza is a much more severe disease than the common cold and is caused by a different type of virus. Influenza may produce nausea and vomiting, particularly in children, but these symptoms are more common in the unrelated gastroenteritis, which is sometimes called "stomach flu" or "24-hour flu".
The most common symptoms of the disease are chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort. Fever and coughs are the most frequent symptoms. In more serious cases, influenza causes pneumonia, which can be fatal, particularly for the young and the elderly. Although it is often confused with other influenza-like illnesses, especially the common cold, influenza is a much more severe disease than the common cold and is caused by a different type of virus. Influenza may produce nausea and vomiting, particularly in children, but these symptoms are more common in the unrelated gastroenteritis, which is sometimes called "stomach flu" or "24-hour flu".
voted helpful: albanian
Related questions
140 characters left
ask any question
