Your DNA is what makes you uniquely you. It's that double helix that your genes are made of. Your DNA accounts for why you resemble your parents and it distinguishes you from your pet frog and from everybody else. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid, sometimes called the molecule of life, as almost all organisms have their genetic material codified as DNA. Since each personâs DNA is unique, DNA typing is a valuable tool in connecting suspects to crime scenes.
Most of the time, a cold or the flu will resolve on its own, with time. There are prescription drugsâTamiflu and Relenzaâthat can treat the flu if given within two days of getting sick. (These are recommended for those at high risk of flu complications, such as infants, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems, among others, and most otherwise-healthy people don't need them.)
The antiviral medicines oseltamivir and zanamivir are used to prevent and treat influenza A and B infections. They can reduce the severity and shorten the duration of flu symptoms. Amantadine and rimantadine have been used to help prevent and treat the flu caused by influenza A (but not influenza B) infection. But for the past few years the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised doctors not to use amantadine or rimantadine to treat or prevent the flu. 5 These medicines have not worked against most types of the flu virus.