Influenza or Adenovirus? What Should We Really Be Scared Of This Winter?

There is no question that this year's flu season is shaping up to be "the worst one yet" (just like every other year that we have maybe ever experienced). However, there is a possibility that some of the infected patients being admitted to hospitals and exhibiting "flu-like symptoms" don't actually have the flu. Rather, specialists are speculating that adenovirus may be causing some of these cases. This virus can cause symptoms similar to the flu like a fever, headache, and body aches. It also may cause a cough, breathing issues, or eye infections in rare cases. It is not uncommon for Adenovirus to cause infections during a flu season (even though it is most commonly found in late winter and spring). For example, in the 2014-2015 flu season, researchers tested 168 college students who were seeking treatment against the flu and found that 13 of them were actually infected with Adenovirus.

Only a few people in the United States receive a vaccine against adenovirus (mainly those in the military), so there would be no reason for people to have immunity against this virus. Some scientists are even recommending that the general public start to receive this vaccine if it is spreading through the population.

Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/virus-looks-flu-acts-flu-it-s-not-influenza-n840651

-Alexandra