Influenza is a virus that causes the flu. Flu symptoms include
fever, sneezing, coughing, muscle aches, and exhaustion. Flu is
more severe than the common cold, keeps people from their normal
activities for up to a week or longer, and can be complicated by
bacterial infections, such as pneumonia. Experts recommend flu
vaccine to prevent infection in older people and in people with
diseases that put them at risk for having a complicated course
of flu. Treatment of flu generally involves rest, fluids, and
medication to decrease fever and aches. However, antiviral
medicines can shorten the course of flu when patients take them
within 24 hours of developing symptoms. Available antiviral
medicines for treating flu include amantadine, rimantadine,
oseltamivir, and zanamivir. Although vaccination is an option
for anyone, regardless of age or disease, recommendations do not
specifically encourage healthy adults under the age of 60 to get
flu vaccine. It is unclear whether the benefits of antiviral
medicines for flu a