Cold & Flu

The common cold and flu are contagious respiratory illnesses. Flu is caused by influenza viruses. The common cold is caused by several different viruses. They share some symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue. Cold symptoms are usually milder than those of flu. There are four types of flu influenza viruses: A, B, C, and D. The seasonal flu, which occurs almost every winter, is caused by human influenza A and B viruses. There are many over-the-counter medicines to treat flu symptoms. Antiviral prescription medicines and an annual flu vaccine are also available.