1 of 2 / Common Cold
View AllWhat Is a Cold?
A cold begins when a virus attaches to the lining of your nose or throat.
What's Causing My Cold?
Cold viruses have a lot in common, but each type has its own style, too.
Is It a Common Cold or Allergies?
It's a question that puzzles lots of folks when symptoms hit: Is all that coughing and sneezing from a cold or hay fever?
What Puts You at Risk for the Common Cold?
2 of 2 / Flu (Influenza)
View AllDo You Have a Cold or Flu?
Do you feel under the weather and wonder if you're sick with the flu or a cold?
Flu Test: How to Find the Virus
A doctor can usually tell if you have the flu based on your symptoms, especially if it’s during peak season.
Bird Flu (H5N1)
Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral infection spread from bird to bird. The most common kind is the H5N1 strain.
Swine Flu (H1N1)
While swine flu isn't as scary as it seemed a few years ago, it's still important to protect yourself from getting it.
Suggested Reads about Cold and Flu
Federal Experts Talk Bird Flu ‘What Ifs’ in WebMD Live Event
WebMD brought together experts from four federal agencies to talk prevention, monitoring, and what the “what ifs” of bird flu might look like.
Experts Watching Bird Flu Carefully in Case It Takes Off
The virus variant that is circulating among cattle is not an efficient cause of disease in humans. There may be more concern if H5N1 passes to pigs, because their viral receptors are closer to those in humans.
Dairy Farmers Will Be Paid for Bird Flu Testing and Safety Efforts
The federal government will pay dairy producers millions of dollars to participate in biosecurity efforts as health and agriculture officials attempt to better understand and safeguard both humans and animals from bird flu.
CDC Issues Broad Warning After Latest Human Bird Flu Case
Following the confirmed case of avian influenza in a Texas dairy farmer last week, the CDC has issued a broad alert for people to take precautions when working around birds or other animals that could be infected with the potentially dangerous virus.
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