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Can a Flu Virus Be Dormant & Flare Up Again?

The Influenza virus, commonly known as "the flu," has the ability to lie dormant in a person's body during warm months and flare up into a full-fledged infection during colder winter months.

  1. The Basics

    • Research by the National Institute of Human Development has shown that flu viruses can have a strong layer of coating around them that is affected by body conditions at specific times of the year.

    Summer

    • The Influenza virus can enter a person's body at any time of the year. During the warm summer months the coating will melt before affecting an individual.

    Winter

    • The coating on the flu virus particles grows stronger during the winter months, making it harder for the body to fight off. If a person is infected during the summer and the virus has not been disposed of by the time winter rolls around, this can cause it to grow to a full-fledged infection despite a long period of dormancy.

    Transmission

    • Research conducted by the National Institute of Human Development has shown that the influenza virus is more easily transmitted during the summer months than winter months.

    Considerations

    • While the virus is weaker during summer months due to humidity in the air, it is possible for a person to become infected and show no symptoms for a long period of time. This is an essential period of dormancy. The virus can then grow strong during the winter and cause a person to get sick as the air gets colder.

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