his time last year, the H1N1 pandemic had most of us terrified that every little sneeze or sniffle would turn into a deadly case of swine flu—and for good reason: The virus took the lives of more than 12,000 Americans and sickened about 61 million in all. Thankfully, this year’s flu vaccine protects against H1N1, plus two other flu strains predicted to be the season’s main menaces. (If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, call your doc—it’s not too late!) But while flu and colds are always top of mind in winter, there are a few other potentially dangerous bugs you should know about that could make you sick any time of year. Learn the signs and symptoms—and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.
