CDC says this year's predominant flu strain is particularly bad

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the current flu season may be less effective in a particularly bad year and this year's vaccine to boot.

The Health Organization said so far in the 2014-15 flu season, H3N2 is the most common on the trend. The three deadly flu season in the last 11 years - 2012-13, 2007-08 and 2003-04 - each presented as the predominant H3N2 strains.

H3N2 viruses are considered "difficult" by the CDC.

"It's too early to say with certainty that it is a severe flu season, but Americans must be prepared," said CDC Director Tom Frieden said in a statement Thursday. "We can not stay in the life of the house with a three-point attempt to save the fight against influenza :. Immunization, immediate treatment for people at high risk of complications and preventive health measures in case of illness, reduce spread of influenza "

In addition to the problem that the vaccine against the flu this year does not cover completely H3N2.

The annual vaccination against influenza is created, stop the three or four most common strains of the virus currently circulating. Because the vaccine was created in 2014-15, the predominant H3N2 variant slightly modified or "driven."

The vaccine protects against H3N2 to some extent, but ays of the CDC. In the 2007-08 season of influenza, H3N2 shooting, but the vaccine still had a total return of 37 percent and 42 percent efficacy against H3N2.

"Although the ability of the vaccine to protect against the H3N2 virus led reduced this season, we still strongly recommend the vaccine," said Joseph Bresee, MD, chief of the influenza epidemiology and prevention at CDC . "The vaccine has been shown to offer some protection against viruses derived in recent seasons. The vaccine protection against other influenza viruses, which can be later in the season often beaten."

The influenza activity is currently low in the United States, but it is not too late to get vaccinated. Those who are at high risk for serious complications of children under five years of viruses, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases.

The CDC recommends these high-risk patients should antiviral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza immediately if flu symptoms, and not wait for laboratory tests to confirm infection of the flu.

Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuff, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.