Etymology:
The word "influenza" is derived from the Italian word "influenza," which means "influence." The term was first used in the 14th century to refer to an epidemic that was believed to be caused by the influence of celestial bodies.
Meaning:
Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a viral respiratory infection that affects the nose, throat, and lungs. It is highly contagious and can spread through contact with an infected person's droplets, by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus, or by inhaling airborne viral particles.
Origin:
The influenza virus is believed to have originated from avian influenza viruses found in wild birds, potentially dating back millions of years. Over time, the virus evolved and adapted to infect humans, likely through close contact between humans and infected animals.
The first known pandemic of influenza occurred in 1580 and was referred to as the "Great Flu." Since then, the influenza virus has caused numerous pandemics and seasonal outbreaks, with varying degrees of severity.
Variants:
There are three main types of influenza viruses: A, B, and C. Influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal outbreaks and can be responsible for pandemics. Influenza C viruses generally cause milder infections and are not known to cause pandemics.
Within each type, there are also different strains and subtypes. Influenza A viruses, for example, are divided into two main subtypes, H1N1 and H3N2. These subtypes can further divide into different strains based on the specific genetic mutations they acquire.
Etymology Middle English influence from Old French influence from Late Latin influ
Etymology Origin Latin fluens present participle of fluere to flow Meaning Th
Etymology affluent ia ia suffix indicating a condition affluent Latin Adjec
Etymology Late Middle English as an adverb from French affluent present participle
Etymology The word influenza is derived from the Italian word influenza which means
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Etymology of Contagion The word contagion comes from the Latin word contagium which
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Etymology The word guinea has a complex etymology with multiple possible origins 1
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Etymology From Middle English reprouable c 1400 from Anglo Norman French reprouvabl
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