Symptoms of Influenza A and B
Disease description:
I've been feeling unwell for the past two days, starting with a fever, followed by weakness throughout the body and coughing. People around me have had both influenza A and influenza B. Are my symptoms more characteristic of influenza A or B? What are the symptoms of each?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Ren Yi
Influenza A is caused by the influenza A virus, while influenza B is caused by the influenza B virus; both are respiratory diseases triggered by different types of influenza viruses. The two have many similar symptoms, but some differences also exist.
Generally speaking, symptoms of influenza A tend to be more severe, including high fever, intense muscle pain, fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion or runny nose, and headache. Symptoms of influenza B are relatively milder, mainly presenting as fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, body aches, headache, and fatigue. Influenza B is more commonly seen in children, whereas influenza A can affect individuals of all age groups.
Patients with influenza A often experience general fatigue and weakness. The influenza A virus causes more severe damage to the respiratory mucosa, frequently leading to coughing, and some patients may develop neurological symptoms such as red eyes, irritability, and slowed reactions. Influenza B patients also commonly develop fever, although the severity may be slightly less than in influenza A. Body temperatures typically range between 38°C and 39°C, although high fever can also occur.
When the influenza B virus affects the brain, symptoms such as headache, convulsions, seizures, disturbances of consciousness and behavior, or even coma may appear.
