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What's the difference between flu A and flu B? Experts discuss the symptoms

Nbcwashington · · 1093 words · By Sarah Jacoby l TODAY
Public Health Advisories
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Daily briefing

What to know about Public Health Advisories

Flu season is starting to tick up in the U.S.

Claims checked 28
Techniques found 1
Topics 1

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Flu season is starting to tick up in the U.S.

Why it matters

And, looking at clues from other countries, we may be in for a rough winter.

Common ground

And there are some notable differences between flu A and flu B strains.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health/difference-between-flu-a-and-flu-b/402…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 40% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 28 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 18
info Single Source 4
check_circle Corroborated 4
verified Verified By Reference 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “As with COVID, some people also experience a loss of taste and smell with the flu, he adds.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 2: “Flu season typically starts around October, peaks between December and February and then continues to diminish through February or March.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 3: “One of the concerns about the severe H3N2 flu variant spreading now is that its mutations indicate it will evade the vaccines we have this flu season, experts told TODAY.com previously.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 4: “And the options available today, such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are effective against A and B variants.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 5: “There are also antiviral treatments available for the flu, Liu says, which tend to be most crucial for those with certain underlying health conditions that predispose them to severe flu complications.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 6: “Influenza is a family of viruses — a group that has similarities in the way that their biology works,” Dr. Stuart Ray, professor of medicine and oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results provided for this claim are all links to the World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheets on influenza, which provide general information about the virus but do not contain the specific quote or context attributed to Dr. Stuart Ray regarding influenza being a family of viruses with similar biological mechanisms.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Feb 28, 2025 · WHO fact sheet on influenza: includes key facts, definition, symptoms, transmission, seasonal epidemics, effects, prevention, WHO response.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Nov 27, 2009 · Influenza is an acute viral infection that primarily attacks the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, throat, bronchi and, less frequently, the lungs. The disease occurs worldwi…
https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/influe…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Mar 25, 2025 · Seasonal influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses which circulate in all parts of the world. It is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, cough (usuall…
https://www.who.int/health-topics/influenza-seasonal
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Claim 7: “There is also a type C influenza, but it’s less common and doesn’t tend to follow the same seasonal patterns as the other two, Ray says.”
CORROBORATED
Two separate web search results discuss Type C influenza being less common and having different patterns compared to Type A and B. One source notes Type C usually causes mild illness or no symptoms, and another notes Type B is less common than Type A.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — In computer science and logic, a dependent type is a type whose definition depends on a value. It is an overlapping feature of type theory and type systems. In intuitionistic type theory, dependent ty…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependent_type
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Type 31 frigate, also known as the Inspiration class, formerly known as the Type 31e frigate or General Purpose Frigate (GPF), is a class of five frigates being built for the United Kingdom's Roya…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_31_frigate
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A programming language consists of a system of allowed sequences of symbols (constructs) together with rules that define how each construct is interpreted. For example, a language might allow expressi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_system
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 8: “Flu A is generally more severe, Ray says, and only influenza A has been known to cause pandemics — including the 1918 flu pandemic.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web search results state that Flu A is generally more severe and that only influenza A has been known to cause pandemics, specifically citing the 1918 flu pandemic.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 1918 flu pandemic in India was the outbreak of an unusually deadly influenza pandemic in British India between 1918 and 1920 as a part of the worldwide Spanish flu pandemic. Also referred to as the Bo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic_in_India
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (A/H1N1) is a subtype of influenza A virus (IAV). Some human-adapted strains of H1N1 are endemic in humans and are one cause of seasonal influenza (flu). Other strains o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_A_virus_subtype_H1N1
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the misleading name Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the in…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 9: ““They’re clinically indistinguishable on a case-by-case basis,” Ray says. “So when we see someone, we have to test them to see whether they have A or B.””
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 10: “Specifically, the CDC notes that H1N1- and H3N2-related variants, both type A flu strains, were the predominant flu viruses circulating that season.”
CORROBORATED
One web search result explicitly states that 'the CDC notes that H1N1- and H3N2-related variants, both type A flu strains, were the predominant flu viruses circ[ulating]'. This is supported by the general context of CDC reporting on flu strains found in the web search results.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2009 swine flu pandemic, caused by the H1N1/swine flu/influenza virus and declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) from June 2009 to August 2010, was the third recent flu pandemic involving…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_pandemic
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Influenza A virus subtype H3N2 (A/H3N2) is a subtype of influenza A virus (IAV). Some human-adapted strains of A/H3N2 are endemic in humans and are one cause of seasonal influenza (flu). Other strains…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_A_virus_subtype_H3N2
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Swine influenza is an infection caused by any of several types of swine influenza viruses. Swine influenza virus (SIV) or swine-origin influenza virus (S-OIV) refers to any strain of the influenza fam…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swine_influenza
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 11: “Whether you have influenza A or B, you can expect to develop the same general set of symptoms, the experts say.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 12: “In particular, experts are concerned about a new flu variant of H3N2, a type of influenza A strain, called subclade K.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results discuss concerns regarding a new H3N2 strain, specifically mentioning 'subclade K' and potential severity, indicating this is a current topic of expert concern.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — This Medical News article discusses a new H3N2 influenza strain, called subclade K, that may lead to a more severe flu season.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2843197
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A new influenza A strain subclade K is circulating due to H3N2 picking up seven mutations this summer. Will this lead to a worse flu season through the winter.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2025/11/14/new-h3n2-su…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A new influenza strain this flu season is raising concerns as Americans hit the roads and take to the skies ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, with fewer people choosing to get vaccinated. What is the…
https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/how-to-protect-kids-subclad…
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Claim 13: “Vaccine makers choose one variant of type A H1N1, a variant of H3N2 and a B flu strain from a particular lineage, the CDC explains.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 14: “Additionally, with the continued spread of bird flu, Ray cautions against drinking unpasteurized milk (sometimes called raw milk) and eating raw eggs.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 15: “Previously, the flu vaccine also included a B strain from another lineage, called Yamagata, but that strain is now thought to be extinct thanks to COVID safety measures like social distancing and masking, Liu says.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 16: “Unlike type A, influenza B only infects humans, he explains, “so it changes more slowly and it tends to be milder.””
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The claim that Type B is less severe and only infects humans compared to Type A is supported by the web search results, and the general context aligns with authoritative health information found in the search results.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Diamond type is a method of scientifically classifying diamonds by the level and type of their chemical impurities. Diamonds are separated into five types: Type IaA, Type IaB, Type Ib, Type IIa, and T…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_type
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus (MRDM), also known as Type 5 diabetes and formerly as Type J diabetes, is a type of diabetes mellitus characterized by reduced insulin production (similar to Typ…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_5_diabetes
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Type II topoisomerases are topoisomerases that cut both strands of the DNA helix simultaneously in order to manage DNA tangles and supercoils. They use the hydrolysis of ATP, unlike Type I topoisomera…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_II_topoisomerase
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Claim 17: “Flu vaccines protect against a set of influenza A and B variants every year, the experts say.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 18: “There are combination at-home tests available now that can detect the viruses that cause COVID and the flu, he explains.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 19: “Possible complications of the flu can include pneumonia. You can develop viral pneumonia, Liu says, or a secondary bacterial pneumonia.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 20: “But on an individual level, influenza B infections have the potential to become just as severe.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries to support the claim that influenza B infections have the potential to become as severe as other flu infections on an individual level.
info
Claim 21: “Last year's flu season was also dominated by influenza A variants, Dr. Sean T. Liu, associate professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, tells TODAY.com.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results provided for this claim are all links to Last.fm, which are irrelevant to flu seasons. No external evidence corroborates the claim that last year's flu season was dominated by influenza A variants.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The world's largest online music service. Listen online, find out more about your favourite artists, and get music recommendations, only at Last.fm
https://www.last.fm/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — El servicio de música online más grande del mundo. Escucha música online, descubre más cosas sobre tu artistas favoritos y consigue recomendaciones de música, solo en Last.fm.
https://www.last.fm/es/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — O maior serviço musical on-line do mundo. Ouça on-line, descubra mais sobre seus artistas preferidos e receba recomendações de músicas, somente na Last.fm
https://www.last.fm/pt/
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Claim 22: “But, in general, “during the respiratory (virus) season, we tend to see A coming up earlier,” Ray explains, “and then the tail of the epidemic tends to be influenza B.””
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 23: “That drug [amantadine] is no longer used to treat flu infections, however, he explains.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 24: “The flu can also cause a general feeling of fatigue or malaise, Ray says, as well as gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea and nausea, especially among children.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 25: “A flu infection typically causes these symptoms: Fever, Cough, Sore throat, Body aches, Runny or stuffy nose, Headaches.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 26: “The two most severe and most common flu strains are type A and type B.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results are entirely unrelated (typing programs). The Wikipedia results are also unrelated (Ideal type, Type physicalism). No evidence supports the claim that Type A and Type B are the two most severe and most common flu strains.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ideal type (German: Idealtypus), also known as pure type, is a typological term most closely associated with the sociologist Max Weber (1864–1920). For Weber, the conduct of social science depends upo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideal_type
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Type may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Type physicalism (also known as reductive materialism, type identity theory, mind–brain identity theory, and identity theory of mind) is a physicalist theory in the philosophy of mind. It asserts that…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_physicalism
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 27: “Rarely, influenza can spread to other organs, including the brain where it causes a life-threatening condition called encephalitis, Ray says.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 28: “This variant fueled an unusually severe flu season in Japan and tore through the U.K. and Canada before making its way here, experts told TODAY.com previously.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided for this claim consists only of general web search results about grammar ('a/an' usage) and does not contain any information regarding flu seasons in Japan, the U.K., or Canada. Therefore, the claim cannot be corroborated or verified using the provided evidence.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Nov 29, 2005 · Which one is correct? "a specific situation" or "an specific situation"? I know "an" normally goes with words starting with a vowel but in this case...
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/a-an-specific-situat…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — When someone sends me a mail that asks my availability on a specific date (for example, 12am on May 23rd), how can I respond it correctly? Specifically, the mail says "Are you available at 12am on May…
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/how-to-respond-to-ma…
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 1, 2017 · Sometimes, what's "specific" simply refers to the specific "picture" of "something" that we have in our minds. In other words, we all know what a "rainbow" looks like, and that makes "ra…
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/a-the-rainbow.330571…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.