What Is Flu B?

By adam

Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky

Article Sources

Medical Expert

More About Us

The flu, also known as influenza, is an infection that is caused by a flu virus. There are numerous types of viruses that cause the flu, and the viruses are not created equal. Some flu types cause mild symptoms, while others can cause someone to become very sick.

The four types of flu viruses are A, B, C and D. Type B is common and one of the types that causes the annual flu. Flu B causes a variety of symptoms, and there are numerous treatments to ease symptoms in people who are infected.

1. How Does Someone Catch Flu B?

The virus for flu B travels through the air in the form of moisture droplets. Infected individuals spread it by coughing, sneezing and even talking. Transmission from one person to another can happen in a couple of ways. One is to breathe in the droplets that are suspended in the air. Another method of transmission is by touching an object, such as a doorknob, phone or keyboard, that is covered in the virus droplets and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes.

After being exposed to the virus, the body develops antibodies against the virus. This makes one less susceptible to infection in the future. However, new strains of the flu virus are constantly evolving, so having antibodies towards one strain does not necessarily mean the person will not be infected by another virus strain.