Flu Also called: Grippe, Influenza Summary Flu is a respiratory infection caused by a number of viruses. The viruses pass through the air and enter your body through your nose or mouth. Between 5% and 20% of people in the U.S. get the flu each year. The flu can be serious or even deadly for elderly people, newborn babies, and people with certain chronic illnesses. Symptoms of the flu come on suddenly and are worse than those of the common cold. They may include Body or muscle aches Chills Cough Fever Headache Sore throat Is it a cold or the flu? Colds rarely cause a fever or headaches. Flu almost never causes an upset stomach. And “stomach flu” isn’t really flu at all, but gastroenteritis. Most people with the flu recover on their own without medical care. People with mild cases of the flu should stay home and avoid contact with others, except to get medical care. If you get the flu, your health care provider may prescribe medicine to help your body fight the infection and lessen symptoms. The main way to keep from getting the flu is to get a yearly flu vaccine. Good hygiene, including hand washing, can also help. NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Find an Expert American Lung Association American Lung Association Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases NIH MedlinePlus Magazine Avoiding the Flu Help Stop the Flu Understanding Flu Related Issues Cancer, the Flu, and You Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cause of Flu (Influenza) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Flu and Heart Disease and Stroke Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Flu and People with Asthma Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Flu and People with Diabetes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Seasonal Flu and Staph Infection Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Living With Caring for Someone Sick (Flu) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Flu: What to Do If You Get Sick Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Prevention and Risk Factors CDC Influenza E-Brief 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Influenza Prevention: Information for Travelers Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Preventing the Flu American Academy of Family Physicians Preventing the Flu: Good Health Habits Can Help Stop Germs Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Protect Yourself & Your Family Against the Flu Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Transmission of Flu (Influenza) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Influenza, Human National Institutes of Health Diagnosis and Tests Cold, Flu, or Allergy? 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