Avian influenza
Avian influenza is a disease in birds caused by influenza viruses that are similar to those causing disease in humans. Exceptionally avian influenza virus has also been transmitted from humans to humans, but no sustained transmission has been described. Read more

Pandemic influenza
Pandemic influenza is a global spread of a new influenza strain to which the general population is not immune. Such new influenza strains may be a mutant avian virus, or a recombination of a human and avian virus. The 20th century saw three large pandemics; the Spanish flu in 1918-19, the Asian flu in 1957-58, and the Hong Kong flu in 1968-69, and the world has for years been preparing for the first pandemic of the 21st century. Read more

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009
The first pandemic of the 21st century started from outbreaks of a new influenza A H1N1 strain of swine origin, first appearing in North America. Within a few months the virus has spread across the world. The global public health community is working closely together to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. Read more

Seasonal influenza
Seasonal influenza hits the Northern hemisphere every winter and causes a substantial disease burden with people being absent from work and schools. Every year many persons die from influenza, and risk groups such as elderly people and persons with certain underlying diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and lung diseases are advised to be vaccinated before the flu season starts. Read more

Seasonal influenza vaccination
Vaccines have been developed for humans to protect them against seasonal influenza. These seasonal influenza vaccine are given every year in the early autumn to protect people at higher risk of severe outcomes to their health if they are infected by seasonal viruses. The largest groups that these vaccine are offered to are older people and people of any age above six months of age with chronic medical conditions. When the next pandemic comes scientists will work to produce a specific pandemic vaccine to use against the new virus. Read more

Swine influenza (classical)
Classical wine influenza, or “Swine flu”, is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract in pigs, caused by type A influenza virus. Swine flu viruses cause illness but low death rates in pigs. In very few occasions, the virus can be transmitted from pig to human causing a similar disease in humans. Read more