Flu cases are on the rise, and the majority of the country is experiencing high levels of flu activity. This flu season is dominated by influenza A variants. We explain the differences between flu A and flu B, their symptoms, severity, and how to protect yourself.
Flu cases and hospitalizations are on the rise, and the majority of the country is experiencing high, very high, or moderate flu activity, according to recent estimates from the CDC . This flu season is dominated by influenza A variants, says Dr. Sean T. Liu, associate professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The CDC notes that H1N1- and H3N2-related variants, both type A flu strains, are the most prevalent flu viruses circulating.
But what does it mean to have a flu A or flu B season? Do these types of flu have different symptoms? And does one cause more severe illness than the other? Experts have been studying influenza for years, but there are still ways this virus can surprise us. What we commonly call 'the flu' isn't a single strain. 'Influenza is a family of viruses — a group that shares similarities in how their biology works,' Dr. Stuart Ray, professor of medicine and oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com. Different lineages of influenza have risen and persisted, similar to how other viruses work, like the coronavirus, Ray explains. The two most severe and common flu strains are type A and type B. There's also type C influenza, but it's less common and doesn't follow the same seasonal patterns as the other two, Ray says. Flu A is generally more severe, Ray says, and only influenza A has been known to cause pandemics — including the 1918 flu pandemic. Influenza B only infects humans, he explains, “so it changes more slowly and it tends to be milder.” But on an individual level, influenza B infections can become just as severe. When it comes to type A versus type B flu, the timing isn't always predictable, Liu says. Flu season typically starts around October and goes through February or March, he says, but can last through April. 'Different seasons can be different,' Ray agrees, and flu cases don't always spike at the same time of year. But, in general, 'during the respiratory (virus) season, we tend to see A coming up earlier,' Ray explains, 'and then the tail of the epidemic tends to be influenza B.' Whether you have influenza A or B, you can expect to develop the same general set of symptoms, the experts say. In fact, experts sometimes use the term 'flu-like illness' to refer to other diseases because 'influenza is sort of the prototype' of a fever-causing respiratory illness, Ray explains. The flu can also cause a general feeling of fatigue or malaise, Ray says, as well as gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea and nausea, especially among children. As with COVID-19, some people also experience a loss of taste and smell. But, if you're comparing flu A vs. flu B, it's impossible to tell which strain you have based just on your symptoms. 'They're clinically indistinguishable on a case-by-case basis,' Ray says. 'So when we see someone, we have to test them to see whether they have A or B.' Flu vaccines protect against a set of influenza A and B variants every year, the experts say. 'Every year, the community, including groups from CDC, work hard to do surveillance worldwide and locally to get a sense for what's circulating and what's likely to circulate,' Ray says. Vaccine makers choose one variant of type A H1N1, a variant of H3N2, and a B flu strain from a particular lineage. Previously, they also included a B strain from another lineage, called Yamagata, but that strain is now thought to be extinct thanks to COVID-19 safety measures like social distancing and masking, Liu says. There are precautions you can take to protect yourself from the flu, the experts say. That includes washing your hands or using hand sanitizer and wearing a mask in public areas or at your doctor's office. There are combination at-home tests available now that can detect the viruses that cause the flu. There are also antiviral treatments available for the flu, Liu says, which tend to be most crucial for those with certain underlying health conditions that predispose them to severe flu complications. That includes people with heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, for instance, as well as those who take any immunosuppressive medications. The drug amantadine, which was once used to treat flu infections, is no longer used for that purpose, he explains. And the options available today, such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are effective against A and B variants.
Flu Influenza A Influenza B Flu Season Symptoms Prevention Antiviral Treatments Public Health CDC Healthcare
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