Flu A Vs Flu B

Flu season hit early and hit hard this year. With all the cases of flu that we are seeing right now, I frequently get asked “which flu strain is worse?” There are actually 4 types of the influenza virus: A, B, C, and D.  Influenzas A and B are the 2 types that typically spread every winter. So which one is actually worse?

Flu A is the more common form that we see and tends to spread earlier in the winter months, while Flu B is less common and is seen more often in the late winter months. Influenza A can be spread from animals to humans, while Flu B can only spread between humans, but both are very contagious.

Flu A usually causes around 75% of the annual flu infections each year. Both types of the flu can be severe, but Flu A is most often associated with more severe illnesses, so it is commonly referred to as the “worst one.”

Joshua White PA-C