Talk:Influenza

Oh, Robert! Does it *have* to say *that*???

Your recent edits are very timely in light of a lively discussion going on at the forums.http://forum.citizendium.org/index.php/topic,1391.0.html

At one point, I said this:

I could have written:

Influenza is an acute respiratory disease. Systemic and respiratory symptoms include pyrexia, cephalgia, myalgia, lethargy, coryza, pharyngitis, and spasmodic contraction of the thoracic cavity. Types A and B (H1N1) may also be associated with gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Laryngotracheobronchitis is a common presentation in children. Most symptoms resolve within two to seven days. Complications of influenza exacerbate underlying chronic health conditions.

I didn't. I assume doctors don't need to read CZ to know what the flu is, so I wrote:

Influenza, commonly called “the ‘Flu”, is a common viral infectious disease. That means that it is contagious (easily passed from one person to another) and is caused by a virus.

Symptoms of Influenza include headache, coughing and other cold-like symptoms. These are accompanied by a high fever. The flu is easily treated with modern medicines, but many strains are nevertheless quite serious, particularly for children and older persons.

It has now been expanded significantly and much improved and you can read all about flu at Citizendium.

Now I see we've got a clinical definition. Oh, dear. Could we maybe make the opening more accessible, and put the formal note in later in the piece?

Aleta Curry 14:12, 2 December 2007 (CST)