Flu Diagnosis: 'No Fever, No Cough, And No Runny Nose'

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — As if this flu season weren't terrifying enough with its widespread reach and young, seemingly healthy people dying within days of becoming sick, there's a new concern - the stealth flu.

A mother's Facebook post is being widely shared that points to a symptom that parents need to watch for: hives.

Brodi Willard posted a photo of her son showing hives on his arm. She took him to the doctor, where he tested positive for Influenza B. A stunned Willard wrote, "He has had NO symptoms. No fever, no cough, and no runny nose. He only has hives."

The post has received thousands of shares and comments. Many echoed the warning about hives and flu.

Christy Watson Wright wrote, "My daughter broke out in a rash just like this on her arms and legs! Took her to the Dr and she had the flu."

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Debby Clayton Culbertson agreed, "We have had a few kids at school that have had this. Drs. said the same thing."

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) doesn't even list hives as a symptom of the flu. Instead, the CDC says to watch out for fever, cough, runny nose, muscle or body aches, headache, fatigue, and vomiting and diarrhea.

>>Also See: San Jose Mother Dies From Flu Shortly After Diagnosis

The severity of this year's flu has increased calls for a universal vaccine, something researchers are actively seeking. An expert in infectious diseases, Dr. Charles Chiu, director of the UCSF-Abbott Viral Diagnostics and Discovery Center, said that research is currently going down three different avenues, "The hope is that by testing a variety of strategies we’ll eventually end up with a universal vaccine that would be durable over time and would not need to be changed on a yearly basis. But I would say it’s at least five to 10 years before one becomes available – although the sharp increase in cases this year might encourage a more concerted effort."

While researchers develop a universal vaccine, moms are online spreading the word about hives as a symptom of influenza and other illnesses, such as strep and the common cold. As Willard said in her post about her son, " I have never heard of this symptom but it is obviously something to be on the lookout for."

More resources:

• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• UC San Francisco

-Image via Shutterstock