How the hell does the flu start every year?

[Galleleo]

The point is, there is no first flu. Right now people have the flu, they will give it to other people, who give it to other people, etc. etc. this continues all year long. Along the way the virus keeps mutating, some people carry the virus around and get sick, other people carry it around and don't get sick. Then in the winter due to various reasons (not sure which exactly) conditions are more right for the flu to get more people sick. Probably a combination of a weaker immune system due to the weather, people spending more time inside together, etc. etc. But there is no first flu, it's a continues ongoing process and winter just has "better" conditions for it to affect more people to the point that they actually get sick instead of just carrying it around without getting sick.

[PaulOakenfold]

Both cases will get you the Flu. If you catch a cold, your immune system is very weak and can't fight off the Flu virus.

what does this have to do with going outside

[kthx]

Well there had to be a first flu somewhere in history.

[PaulOakenfold]

what came first, the chicken or the egg?!

[Xog]

the first flu 'pandemic' ever recorded originated in Asia in the summer of 1580. It spread to Africa and then north, infecting all of Europe over a period of half a year. Sea explorers and early colonists then spread the first influenza plague to the Americas.

Well, I'll assume you mean how they replicate, since they do not
(as far as we know) arise from inorganic materials. Viruses are generally thought
of as obligate parasites -- that is, they need the assistance of another organism
for their survival. Depending on the type of virus you're looking at you'll see
many different ways of accomplishing the same goal -- reproduction. In very
general terms, then, a virus will attach itself to an appropriate host cell and
insert it's genetic code into the DNA of the host, which then goes thorough it's
normal routine of reading through its own code to synthesize proteins and enzymes,
and in the process inadvertently replicates the strand of viral DNA (or RNA, depending),
which codes for its own proteins and concentrates within the cell. At some point,
the cell will not be able to support that many viral particles within it's membrane,
and it will die, releasing thousands of new viral particles into the environment to
do the dirty deed all over again.

In short: The Flu has always been around and they just adapt to whatever host they're in.

Basically, Influenza Epidemics occur when a very powerful flu virus has formed and is hard for the general population to fight off. You probably have flu viruses in your body right now, but you're not sick or anythiing because your body easily fights it off.

[Dabram]

here's an idea: live healthy and u don't have to worry about such pussy diseases as the flu or 'catching a cold' when it starts to freeze outside.. seriously, at least in the western world you just get what you're asking for (unless you've a real disease that caused you to have an extremely low immune system)..

during the winter people sit even more indoors, eat even unhealthier and exercise even less. add a bit of winter-stress, or regular stress or lack of sleep, or w/e unhealthy shit you bring onto yourselves = lower immune system = more likely to get sick of something silly...

so just change your lifestyle, or if that's too difficult, just wash your hands 24/7 and don't socialize too much...

obviously i live healthy, so i haven't had the flu or caught a cold in at least 8 years, and the last 3 years even in the winter i'm 30 hours a week outside. so whoever tells you, you're more likely to catch something because of the cold weather, that's the biggest piece of BS ever.

-_-

[Xog]

what does this have to do with going outside

I think you may have read what I wrote wrong. Colds usually occur when it's cold outside. By the way, a Cold is a virus too. The cold will weaken the immune system, making it more susceptible by another virus like the Flu. I was just using it as an example.

[Salubrious]

pretty sure the flu is just bacteria found everywhere, just during the winter our immune systems are at its lowest, thus the bacteria aren't exactly killed off.

I enjoyed your insight so much I've decided that I will let as many trenchwarers read it as possible.

Also, instead of saying "your immune system is weaker", it's more accurate to describe it as being "preoccupied'. If you're already sick with something, your immune system is busy fighting that off first. Plus it takes some time before your body can make the right antibodies to start fighting off your illness after you get sick. If the virus itself doesn't actually target the immune system, it doesn't get weaker.

However, the processes in your body, including your immune system, do slow down in colder weather, so that's partly why flus are more abundant in winter.

[paradise!]

this just in, the flu contains no bacteria at all, this picture is more psyops disinfo blah blah blah.

[paradise!]

psyops obv

[Salubrious]

this just in, the flu contains no bacteria at all, this picture is more psyops disinfo blah blah blah.

As much as a fan as I am of sitting back and silently laughing at ignorance...

The least I could do is point out that most viruses are smaller than bacteria... I could go on and on about how viruses work and how they're different from bacteria, but it's nothing you can't learn from wikipedia yourself!

[paradise!]

glad zeebu can contribute to this thread, regular phil donahue with that commenting.

[paradise!]

As much as a fan as I am of sitting back and silently laughing at ignorance...

The least I could do is point out that most viruses are smaller than bacteria... I could go on and on about how viruses work and how they're different from bacteria, but it's nothing you can't learn from wikipedia yourself!

as much as i enjoy proving you wrong

viruses in the influenza virus often bind with bacteria. But this isn't something you can't learn from wikipedia!!

[Salubrious]

as much as i enjoy proving you wrong

viruses in the influenza virus often bind with bacteria. But this isn't something you can't learn from wikipedia!!

It definitely isn't something you would learn from wikipedia because it's not true!

And what does binding with bacteria even mean, I don't even

[paradise!]

It definitely isn't something you would learn from wikipedia because it's not true!

what a great a reply! As if this couldn't be deduced through wikipedia's definition of viruses, knowledge of the bacteria kingdom, and the definition of influenza!