Hawk, as usual your posts on this thread (like all immunization topics) are short-sighted, personally biased, and lacking even a shred of scientific fact. Thanks for sharing.
How right you are, Doc. Mycoplasms, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, and even Legonella can all give
flu like symptoms. Without serologic confirmation, it is easy to tell the patient they have the flu or a flu like virus, especially if the treatment is the same. Patient goes home, rests, pumps the fluids, recovers, and assumes they had "the flu".
Some strains are more virulent and violent than others. People old enought to remember and to contract the 1969 strain of "Hong Kong flu" will attest that was a nasty SOB that I wouldn't wish on even Hawk.
