Table of Contents
What is the origin of the influenza virus?
It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. Although there is not universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919. In the United States, it was first identified in military personnel in spring 1918.
Where was the first case of influenza found?
First descriptions of avian influenza, termed “fowl plague,” is recorded by Perroncito in Italy. In March of 1918, 48 soldiers die of “pneumonia” during a, outbreak at Fort Riley, Kansas.
Did the Spanish flu start in China?
In June an outbreak was reported in China. After reaching Australia in July, the wave started to recede. The first wave of the flu lasted from the first quarter of 1918 and was relatively mild.
Was Spanish flu a zoonotic disease?
Additional sequence was obtained from two recently identified 1918 victims. Influenza is a zoonotic disease, affecting many species of birds and mammals. The HA protein is found on the surface of the influenza virus particle and is responsible for binding to receptors on host cells and initiating infection.
When did influenza originate?
Influenza may have been brought to the Americas as early as 1493, when an epidemic disease resembling influenza killed most of the population of the Antilles. The first convincing record of an influenza pandemic was chronicled in 1510; it began in East Asia before spreading to North Africa and then Europe.
When did the H1N1 flu start?
| 2009 swine flu pandemic | |
|---|---|
| First outbreak | North America |
| Index case | Veracruz, Mexico |
| Arrival date | September 2008 |
| Date | January 2009 – 10 August 2010 |
Is the flu the Spanish flu?
Spanish flu, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or the 1918 influenza pandemic, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus….
| Spanish flu | |
|---|---|
| Disease | Influenza |
| Virus strain | Strains of A/H1N1 |
| Location | Worldwide |
| First outbreak | Unknown (first observed in the U.S.) |
Was there a flu pandemic in 1957?
The 1957 flu pandemic was deadly, but milder than the 1918 event. The virus caused an estimated 70,000 deaths in the United States.
Who was the first person to get influenza?
Influenza has likely been around for millennia, though its cause was only identified relatively recently. One of the earliest reports of an influenza-like illness comes from Hippocrates, who described a highly contagious disease from northern Greece (ca. 410 B.C.).
Who invented influenza?
Influenza dates back approximately 2,400 years. First mentions of the virus stretch to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates. He was first person to accurately describe the virus’s symptoms, which mirrored any other respiratory infection. As the virus spread, there was a need to name the illness.