Men often pretend to suffer from flu even when it's just a common cold to get more sympathy - but a new breakthrough will help scientists find out if they are faking it.

They claim that looking at an individual's blood make-up can be used to prove whether they really are suffering from manflu or just a cold.

"This means GPs are sometimes overcautious and may prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily, for viral infections," The Telegraph quoted Dr Aimee Zaas, at Duke University Medical Center, North Carolina as saying.

"During a pandemic, this has real consequences as there is an increased risk of spreading infection," she added.

Rather than focussing on the microorganism that causes the infection, Zaas' method analyses each individual's immune response to infection.

"We effectively look at the imprint in the blood that the virus makes, which is as individual as a signature," she said.

"Not only is this much more accurate than traditional testing, it also works much faster as it can be done through a simple blood test," Zaas added,

"This could allow patients quicker access to antiviral drugs, but could also give an accurate warning of an forthcoming pandemic." (ANI)