Influenza: history, clinics, pathogenesis
Data on epidemics and pandemics of the past from Hippocrates (the 5th century BC) upto the pandemic of 2009-2010 provoked by influenza A (H1N1) swl virus are provided in work. The highly virulent influenza A (H5N1) virus is considered as the possible candidate for activators of the next pandemic of flu. The stated modern ideas of pathogenesis and a clinical picture of influenza among humans with special attention to a modern epidemic situation are described.