Chapter 1
Meet the microscopic hijackers
Chapter 2
Why winter is virus prime time
Chapter 3
Your body's brilliant defenses
Chapter 4
The shape-shifters and the missing cure
YOUR GOAL
Master of Inside the microscopic battle for your nose
Ch 4 · The shape-shifters and the missing cure
doctorx While influenza is caused by a few specific strains, colds are triggered by over two hundred distinct viruses
doctorx Two distinct viral strains exchange glowing genetic material inside a host cell.
Fun Fact
Flu evolution: The influenza virus lacks a proofreading mechanism when copying its genes, which causes it to mutate at a rapid rate.
Glossary
rhinovirus (noun)
Any of a group of RNA viruses that cause respiratory infections in humans, including the common cold. Researchers have identified more than 160 strains of this pathogen, rendering a universal vaccine impossible.
Any of a group of RNA viruses that cause respiratory infections in humans, including the common cold. Researchers have identified more than 160 strains of this pathogen, rendering a universal vaccine impossible.
Quiz
What biological feature does the influenza virus lack, causing it to make frequent errors when replicating its genetic code?
Quiz
Why is it extremely difficult to create a single vaccine that cures the common cold?
Quiz
What is the scientific term for the gradual, small mutations in flu virus proteins over time?
Quiz
How many target strains of influenza are typically included in the modern annual 'quadrivalent' flu vaccine?
Quiz
Which international organization coordinates global surveillance to predict which flu strains will dominate each year?