Publisher's Synopsis
The 1918 H1N1 flu pandemic killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide, including an estimated 675,000 people in the United States.
The virus' unique severity puzzled researchers for decades and prompted several questions. These questions transported an expert group of researchers and virus hunters to search for the lost 1918 virus, sequence its genome, recreate the virus in a highly safe and regulated laboratory setting at CDC.
First in spring 1918, then two more severe waves scheduled to viral alterations making it more aggressive.
(H1N1)The same virus that produced the 2009 pandemic (which killed 18.500 according the OMS and over 200.000 by two post-mortem estimations).
Although they are believed to be direct or indirect ancestors of the 1918 virus, infectious A-type viruses are considerably less severe.
Aside from the elderly and tiny kids, the Spanish flu mostly afflicted childlike people. Its target market was 20-40 years olds.
The grippal virus caused severe respiratory blockages in birds, causing death.
War facilitated viral transmission, although wounds and privations reduced immune defences, explaining the severity of the pandemic.
The epidemic's cost is unknown. It was formerly estimated as nearly 21 million. Recent estimates put the global infection rate at one-third, with at least half a million fatalities.
In 2002, Niall Johnson and Juergen Mueller calculated the epidemic's "true bilan" at 100 million.
The epidemic has struck many countries. Despite strict quarantine, Australia is among the least impacted.
The SDN established the Health Committee and the Organization of Hygiene in 1922, forerunners of the WHO (OMS).
Notable casualties of the Flu pandemic included Egon Schiele, Guillaume Apollinaire and Edmond Rosland.
