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Influenza
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Influenza (Flu) - Independent Australian health & medicines information Influenza (Flu)

What is flu?

Flu (short for influenza) is a very common viral illness that is very easily spread from person to person. The infection affects the nose, throat, bronchi (the two pipes at the end of the trachea that enter the lungs) and, occasionally, the lungs.

Flu is not the same as the common cold. Flu is caused by a completely different virus (the influenza viruses A and B), and the symptoms are more severe and tend to last longer than a cold.

Find out more about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of flu.

Date published: 2012-04-19 00:00:00

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