How The Year You Were Born Affects Flu Risk

According to a study run by the University of Arizona and University of California Los Angeles, the year you were born could say a lot about the strains of influenza to which you are susceptible. The belief is that the first infection of flu you get when you are younger sets your immune system. And since there is usually a predominant strain of flu for a few decades at a time, it is most likely you7 were exposed to the one that was dominant around the time you were born.

Key Takeaways:

• Their findings could be good news for what scientists predict about the risk of a killer flu pandemic, and they could also help researchers find better flu vaccines, the researchers said.
• They've been spilling over into people for years and scaring scientists who see the potential for a pandemic of flu that could kill tens or even hundreds of millions of people.
• The team at the University of Arizona and the University of California Los Angeles dove into the numbers, examining the reports of each case, who was affected and how severely.

"People's birth years can affect their risk of catching certain strains of influenza — probably because their first case of flu somehow sets their immune system . They've been spilling over into people for years and scaring scientists who see the potential for a pandemic of flu that could kill tens or even hundreds of millions of people."

Reference:

//www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/birth-year-may-affect-your-flu-risk-here-s-how-n682076?cid=public-rss_20161116