Som de säger i kommentarerna ovan är detta troligtvis Human Error av Paul Preuss. ( Granska här ).
Infektionen i boken är ett poliovirus, inte ett influensavirus, men effekterna av det är som beskrivits ovan. Översynen anger:
But so powerful is Epicell that soon it's producing original work. Meanwhile, however, those who have intimately handled Epicell develop mysterious ""colds"" (readers will guess what's going on long before the characters catch on). Yes, they've been infected with Epicell--which proceeds to develop inside the victims' brains. The first sufferers, unable to handle the human/computer interface, die; later, though, others survive to manifest such strange and highly beneficial new abilities as instant computing, perfect memory and coordination, heightened emotional sensitivity, and more.