Radio Shows | Fighting Flu | mp3 … wma … wav

Today we'll talk about fighting the flu.So you ask.Why do I have to get a flu shot every Fall when other vaccines last for years?!

That's because the Influenza virus is always mutating, creating new strains. It doesn't help that the virus also comes in three types: A, B, and C. B and C are the least serious. A, on the other hand, is the one we worry most about. Every year, A viruses emerge in Asia and can spread throughout the world.

Influenza A viruses are naturally found in wild birds as well as domesticated birds like ducks and chickens. In rural Asia, ducks and chickens live with pigs and humans. Occasionally, a chicken flu virus infects a pig and that's where it gets interesting. If the pig is also infected with another flu virus, it's possible the genetic information from both types of viruses can get jumbled together and new viral strains develop.

Sometimes, an avian influenza virus can "jump the species barrier", and move directly from birds to humans and cause disease. Either way, you probably won't have any natural immunity against these new viruses. That makes it possible for a new virus to sweep through the human population with great vengeance.

That's why at the start of each year, a committee of the US Food and Drug Administration tries to predict which of the three types of influenza viruses are most likely to occur. From that an appropriate vaccine is developed. And, the World Health Organization recommends the vaccines contain two A strains and one B strain, just to be on the safe side.

Make no mistake: The best way to prevent the flu is the vaccine. So, if your doctor recommends it, muster your courage, roll up your sleeve, and get that flu shot. It's worth it.