Flu Immune 500

The human body is a near perfect breeding ground for the flu virus. Virus particles are commonly transferred from an infected person via bodily fluids either by aerosol or by touching contaminated surfaces such as door handles. Fever, shivers, sore throat, coughs and colds are all common symptoms of flu.

The flu virus enters the body and gains entry to epithelial cells in our respiratory tract. Then the virus hijacks the cells inner mechanics and utilises them to replicate. Many virus particles are then released into the body, the infected cell dies and the process continues. This process severely impairs the functionality of the respiratory tract. Cells here produce mucus that aids the immune system to catch and remove anything that should not be there. The respiratory tract becomes inflamed and clogged with mucus, dead cells and if the inflammation persists sometimes bacterial infections can occur, causing mucus to change colour. The sore throat, cough and cold we experience occurs as a result of infection, inflammation and of the body trying to rid itself of the invader.

Once the body’s immune system recognizes the attack an immune response will be initiated against the virus. Infection and cell damage causes our body to release pyrogens; they cause the body to raise its temperature, inducing fever. The body’s normal’ temperature is also reset to a higher temperature; this means we tend to feel shivery and feverish.

It is thought that higher temperatures mean certain functions/ chemicals in the body that deal with infection are more active. Higher body temperatures also mean that cells heal more quickly. The respiratory tract effectively becomes a battleground. This immune response may continue after the virus has been eliminated causing symptoms such as a cold and cough to linger.

Because body’s cells are not intended to make virus particles this process of replication does not include the safety mechanisms in place for our own DNA. New DNA will be checked by a proof-reading process to make sure it is correct. For viruses this does not happen and results in a high mutation rate, causing a genetic shift in the virus. This is part of the reason why flu is so difficult to prevent with vaccines or treat with medicine because what worked last year may not work this year. For most of us flu is just something accepted by the medical profession as something we just need to endure and let it run its course.