How Does
How Does Influenza Reproduce?
By Chad Hunter
eHow Contributing Writer
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The influenza virus leaves one person via coughing or sneezing or other exchange of bodily fluids. The virus particles spread through the air and are inhaled directly or they remain deposited on door handles, table surfaces or other physical mediums until the particles come in contact with a healthy person. The germs enter the body through any open areas (e.g. mouth, nose, eyes). The virus may remain dormant for a day after the initial infection.
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The virus travels through the body until it finds a healthy cell that it can attach to. The germ then punctures the cellular wall and inserts itself within the cell, taking with it the genetic code for other influenza cells. Such reproduction is very dangerous for the very young and the elderly due to influenza's aggressive attack on healthy cells as well as its ability to develop into pneumonia.
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The now-hijacked cell is reconfigured to produce other influenza cells, creating a cycle for influenza reproduction. As the reproduction continues, the body exhibits symptoms of the infection such as fever, muscle ache, chills, sneezing and coughing.
eHow Article: How Does Influenza Reproduce?
