Scientists Solve the Mystery of “Flu Season”

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Everyone knows that winter is flu season, but until now scientists didn’t know why influenza cases spiked during the colder months. They came up with plenty of hypotheses–for example, they proposed that people are more exposed when huddled indoors, and that lower melatonin and vitamin-D levels can weaken immune systems [ScienceNOW Daily News]–but none of the previous suggestions proved correct. Now, however, researchers say they have the answer: The influenza virus thrives in the cold, dry air of winter. “The correlations were surprisingly strong. When absolute humidity is low, influenza virus survival is prolonged and transmission rates go up” [AP], said lead researcher Jeffrey Shaman. Researchers had previously looked for a link between flu rates and relative humidity, but Shaman says that absolute humidity (which measures the amount of water in the air, regardless of temperature) is the real key. Relative humidity varies with air temperature, because more moisture can be present in warm air than in cold…. What that means is warm air at 30 percent relative humidity and cold air at 60 percent relative humidity may actually have the same amount of water in the air. So, while the cold air sounds moist, it might be pretty dry — just what the flu likes [AP].

Since the virus can survive longer in cold, dry conditions, the chances are greater that someone will come along and be infected with the virus, experts say. Now that they know what kind of environment the virus likes, epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch says the next step is to study flu rates closer to the equator. “One really key question is how much influenza is transmitted in tropical locations”—places with high absolute humidity year-round—”and how this compares to temperate parts of the world,” he said [National Geographic].

To reach their conclusions, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences [subscription required], researchers reanalyzed data from several old studies of whether relative humidity affected virus survival and transmission, and found that absolute humidity had a much stronger correlation with virus success. The new findings bolster the idea, suggested previously by others, that increasing humidity in nursing homes and emergency rooms might help prevent flu among vulnerable patients [ScienceNOW Daily News]. But experts say that health care facilities would have to strike a delicate balance, as more humid air might boost mold and other pathogens.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/...-of-flu-season/

[sara..... 371]

ha if they really wanna study it i have four younger siblings they are more than welcome to come stay at my house and monitor us going thru the flu season

sara

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Flu shots work, well, most of the time.

[Peikko 1,575]

Interesting.

[Jasman0717 9]

Flu shots work, well, most of the time.

Last year I got my first flu shot ever and immediately got the worse case of flu I had ever had. I did it again this year and so far so good

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Flu shots work, well, most of the time.

Last year I got my first flu shot ever and immediately got the worse case of flu I had ever had. I did it again this year and so far so good

I have been getting flu shots most years. Last year they missed big time, that was for sure. But, I have not even got a cold so far this year.

[NickD 203]

Ha, most of the gals don't even know how to give a flu shot, was already jammed in the rotator cuff, took almost four months to get full arm movement again. Then we got contaminated flu shots from Great Britain. Not enough profit to be made here. My doctor that is also my neighbor has his own source and his aid knows how to give a shot, not even a sore arm afterwards. About 4" down on the arm from the shoulder, and a subcutaneous shot, about 1/4" under the skin.

Was under the impression that our sub-zero temperatures would kill anything, but some scientists are saying those cold temperatures are preserving that virus? Indoors is more likely, use to be a requirement that all public building have a complete air exchange six time per hour, that has been to reduced to something like 100 cf or less per person. God help you if you have visitors. Airlines are another culprit in attempting to conserve fuel by recirculation of stale virus infected air.

Where does this flu virus come from? From China of course, along with everything else. Just a fridge benefit. I spend a lot of time outdoors, breathing ice cold air, good for you, clears out your lungs, haven't had a cold in years. Major gem carriers are your kids going to those infected with every known disease, schools.