Pandemic Influenza:
Could it hapen again?

"The influenza virus pandemic of 1918 was exceptionally severe, killing 20 to 40 million people worldwide (500,000 Americans), with unusually high death rates among young, healthy adults. The disease swept the globe in 6 months, killing more than 10,000 per week in some U.S. cities at the height of the second wave (3). Pandemic influenza results when a type A influenza virus strain emerges with a hemagglutinin (HA) subtype to which few people have prior immunity (4). The source of HA genes new to humans appears to be the extensive pool of influenza A viruses maintained in wild birds (14)." From Fanning et al. J. Virol 2002

"Timeline of human influenza over the past 100 years. In each instance the species of animals implicated in the emergence of disease is highlighted. Since 1997 there has been a disproportionate increase in the number of reports of novel subtypes in humans and in the number of animal and bird species involved, suggesting that the next influenza pandemic is imminent" Image and quote from Webby and Webster Science, 2003

Questions for class: From PBS - 1918 Pandemic website

The "National Standards for United States History" published by the National Center for History in the Schools did not include any mention of the 1918 flu epidemic until just last year - 2003!!! This global pandemic has been largely forgotten by historians (but is the subject of two recent books: America's Forgotton Pandemic; Alfred Crosby; Flu : The Story Of The Great Influenza Pandemic by Gina Kolata )

Why do you think Americans have not (in general) retained this incident in their collective memory? List 3 factors:

1)
2)
3)

Other than for historical purposes, list three reasons policy makers might want to think about the 1918 pandemic to help us to cope with pandemics of the future?

1)
2)
3)

This is what I would say for some answers!:

Question 1: (1) no television/media/, and (2) war concerns and (3) the extreme speed and devastation especially in people 20-40 years old.

Question 2: To ensure pandemic preparedness - the "it couldn't happen here" response! :Vaccine production, Stockpiling antivirals. bioterrorism / emergency response guidelines, logistics of mass immunization, etc....