What is the history of the flu?
The term influenza became commonplace to describe the disease, at least in Britain, in the mid-1700s. At the time, it was thought that the influence of the cold ( influenza di freddo ), along with astrological influences or the conjunction of stars and planets ( influenza di stelle ), caused the disease.
How many people died from the flu in the 1960s?
There are about 1.1 million deaths globally, with about 116,000 in the U.S. 1960s 1960: In 1960, the US Surgeon General, in response to substantial morbidity and mortality during the 1957–58 pandemic, recommends annual influenza vaccination for people with chronic debilitating disease, people aged 65 years or older, and pregnant women.
How do antiviral drugs treat the flu?
Flu Treatment. When used for treatment, antiviral drugs can lessen symptoms and shorten the time you are sick by 1 or 2 days. They also can prevent serious flu complications, like pneumonia. For people at high risk of serious flu complications, treatment with antiviral drugs can mean the difference between milder or more serious illness possibly...
What are some historical events in the fight against influenza?
Below is a historical timeline of major scientific and public health events and milestones in influenza prevention. Influenza viruses are isolated from people, proving that influenza is caused by a virus not a bacterium. In 1936, Burnet discovers that influenza virus can be grown in embryonated hens’ eggs.
When was the cure for the flu discovered?
1940s. 1940s: Thomas Francis, Jr., MD and Jonas Salk, MD serve as lead researchers at the University of Michigan to develop the first inactivated flu vaccine with support from the U.S. Army. Their vaccine uses fertilized chicken eggs in a method that is still used to produce most flu vaccines today.
What was the first treatment for influenza?
The first drug approved for treatment of influenza was amantadine. This drug was approved in 1966 but was not widely used until after the 1968 H3N2 pandemic.
How did they treat the flu in 1800s?
There was no standard treatment of flu; quinine and phenazone were used, as well as small doses of strychnine and larger ones of whisky and brandy, and as cheaper treatments linseed, salt and warm water, and glycerin.
When was the first flu vaccine made?
1942: A vaccine that includes both influenza A and influenza B viruses is produced after the discovery of influenza B viruses. 1945: The first flu A vaccine is licensed for use in the United States.
How long did it take to come up with the flu vaccine?
Starting in the 1930s, it took decades of research to understand the complexities of the influenza virus, and it wasn't until 1945 that the first vaccine was approved for use in the US.
What ended the 1918 flu pandemic?
February 1918 – April 1920Spanish flu / Period
Was there a pandemic in 1818?
The first cholera pandemic (1817–1824), also known as the first Asiatic cholera pandemic or Asiatic cholera, began near the city of Calcutta and spread throughout South and Southeast Asia to the Middle East, eastern Africa and the Mediterranean coast.
What animal did the flu come from?
Answer: Influenza is a virus that's spread from person to person. It originates, actually, among birds and other animals such as pigs, and new viral strains of influenza come to this country and to Europe from Southeast Asia.
Was there a flu before the Spanish flu?
The first agreed influenza pandemic of the 18th century begins in 1729. Two influenza pandemics are recorded in the century. Avian influenza is recorded for the first time. Influenza pandemics are recorded four times, starting with the deadly Spanish flu.
How did the flu shot start?
Scientists had a working flu vaccine by the 1940s, after the influenza virus was first discovered in the early 1930s. Soldiers fighting in World War II were the first patients to receive the flu vaccine when it was approved for military use in 1945 and civilian use was approved the following year.
When was the flu vaccine FDA approved?
Jul 30, 2010 (CIDRAP News) – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that it has approved the upcoming season's influenza vaccines, as four manufacturers announced they are starting to ship their first vaccine lots.
When was the flu discovered?
The human influenza A virus was discovered in 1933 soon after Shope succeeded in isolating swine influenza A virus in 1931. Since the discovery studies in the influenza have made immense progress and have contributed greatly to not only virology but also immunology and molecular biology.
How many people died from the 1918 swine flu?
The H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic—caused by the same strain of virus responsible for the 1918 pandemic—originated in Mexico and spread rapidly, killing up to a half-million people worldwide.
How many soldiers died from the flu in the US?
Influenza vaccine development—a high priority for the U.S. military following the deaths of approximately one in every 67 soldiers from the flu during the 1918-1919 pandemic—took a major step forward when researchers at the UK's Medical Research Council were able to isolate the virus (shown at right) from humans.
What is the Spanish flu?
It was caused by a virus known as influenza A subtype H2N2 (shown at right), a mixed strain many scientists believe originated from a combination of bird (the Spanish flu pandemic was caused by a virus that developed from an avian source ) and human flu viruses.
Where is the swine flu virus found?
was made up of genetic elements from four different flu viruses: North American swine influenza, North American avian influenza, human influenza and a swine influenza virus typically found in Asia and Europe.
When did the H3N2 virus start?
by June. A vaccine was developed to contain the outbreak in 1957, but the strain would later evolve via antigenic shift into H3N2, causing a milder pandemic between 1968 and 1969 .
How did Johnson and Johnson help prevent the spread of the virus?
population became sick. Johnson & Johnson played a key role in helping to prevent the spread of the virus by introducing the epidemic mask, made from sterile gauze. It proved so effective that it was also used in later outbreaks. Read More. 7 Superheroes of Nursing Throughout History.
When did JELCO start?
JELCO®, then part of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, introduced a new line of one-time use hypodermic needles and syringes in 1964 that helped prevent cross-contamination between patients during the administration of injected medicines and vaccines, such as the influenza vaccine. Read More.
When did the term "flu" come into use?
The term influenza became commonplace to describe the disease, at least in Britain, in the mid-1700s. At the time, it was thought that the influence of the cold ( influenza di freddo ), along with astrological influences or the conjunction of stars and planets ( influenza di stelle ), caused the disease.
Where did the word "flu" come from?
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.). The word influenza, however, wasn’t used to describe a disease until many centuries later.
What is the name of the virus that causes pneumonia?
He called it Pfeiffer’s bacillus, or Haemophilus influenzae. Scientists later discovered that H. influenzae causes many types of infections—including pneumonia and meningitis—but not influenza. Researchers finally isolated the virus that causes flu from pigs in 1931, and from humans in 1933.
How many people die from the flu each year?
The “flu season” typically lasts from late fall to spring. Each year, flu epidemics cause 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness and about 290,000 to 650,000 deaths around the globe, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
How many people died from the Spanish flu in 1918?
The so-called Spanish flu pandemic was the deadliest in history, affecting one-third of the world’s population and killing up to 50 million people.
What was the name of the disease that affected 100,000 people in Paris?
In 1357, people called an epidemic in Florence, Italy influenza di freddo, which translates to “cold influence,” referring to the disease’s possible cause. In 1414, French chroniclers used similar terms to describe an epidemic that affected up to 100,000 people in Paris.
What are the symptoms of the flu?
Flu symptoms can include sudden onset fever, cough, runny or stuffy nose and severe malaise ( feeling unwell). The flu can also sometimes cause vomiting, diarrhea and nausea, (particularly in young children), ...
Who tried to extract the 1918 flu?
Dr. Johan Hultin, a retired pathologist from San Francisco, tried and failed to extract the virus in 1951 from 1918 flu victims buried near Brevig, Alaska. In 1997 Hultin read about Taubenberger's work, wrote to him and asked if he should try again. Taubenberger wrote back yes.
How many people died from the flu in 1918?
One of the worst flu strains cropped up in 1918, killing about half a million Americans and 40 million people worldwide. Eighty years later, the horror of it has somehow gotten lost in the memory of World War I. But more soldiers died of the flu than on the battlefield.
How to help a person with the flu?
If you do come down with the flu, these measures may help ease your symptoms: Drink plenty of liquids. Choose water, juice and warm soups to prevent dehydration. Rest. Get more sleep to help your immune system fight infection. You may need to change your activity level, depending on your symptoms.
What to take for achiness from influenza?
Consider pain relievers. Use an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), to combat the achiness associated with influenza.
How long should you stay home with a fever?
To help control the spread of influenza in your community, stay home and keep sick children home until fever has been gone for 24 hours. Avoid being around other people until you're feeling better, unless you're getting medical care. If you do need to leave your home and get medical care, wear a face mask.
Do you need to be tested for influenza?
During times when influenza is widespread, you may not need to be tested for influenza. Your doctor may diagnose you based on your signs and symptoms. In some cases, your doctor may suggest that you be tested for influenza. He or she may use various tests to diagnose influenza. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is becoming more common in many ...
The color red
The Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 brought with it a slew of folk-medicine remedies. After all, the flu was scary—and there was no vaccine or cure for it yet. At the very least, home remedies offered terrified Americans some semblance of control.
Sliced onions
Once one person in a household came down with the flu, others would soon be infected as well. To try and prevent that, some families would slice onions and place them around the house. it was thought that the onions could “absorb” the virus and prevent others from catching it. Unfortunately, we now know that’s not quite how flu works.
Bloodletting
For more than two thousand years, bloodletting was used to treat a range of conditions, from influenza and heart disease to bad energy and demons. When it came to treating the flu, the theory was simple: By draining the body of blood, and therefore of toxins and disease, doctors could cure a patient of whatever ailed them.
Laxatives
If bloodletting worked by draining the body of toxins and disease, you can see where laxatives would seem to be the next best thing, and easier to induce. “A small quantity of Pluto Water each morning upon arising will keep you regular and help ward off early winter colds and flu,” wrote one ad from 1930.
Whiskey
In May 1941, Time magazine ran an article suggesting, “whiskey is one of the cheapest and best painkillers known to man.” The writer noted that despite its effectiveness, doctors had stopped prescribing it for “moral and ethical considerations.” According to one study from the time, two ounces of 95-percent grain alcohol in a glass of ginger ale could raise the threshold of pain 45 percent for two hours.
Chicken soup
The thing about this old time remedy is that—surprise—it works! In 1978, pulmonologists asked healthy volunteers to choose to drink either hot water, cold water, or hot chicken soup, then they measured changes in congestion. The doctors found that while hot water helped clear congestion, hot soup worked even better.
How long after flu symptoms do you see a doctor?
A child with a high fever will require medical attention. People should try to see a doctor within 24 to 48 hours after flu symptoms appear, as this is when antiviral treatments are most effective. It is also important to see a doctor if symptoms do not improve after 7 days or new symptoms, such as ear pain, appear.
How long after fever breaks can you go to work?
a sore throat. vomiting. congestion. The symptoms tend to peak between days 2 and 4. By day 5, some people begin to feel better. A few feel well enough to return to work or school. However, it is important to stay at home for 24 hours after a fever breaks.
How old does a baby have to be to have a fever?
a baby under the age of 12 weeks develops a fever. symptoms of chronic medical conditions get worse. there is intense dizziness that does not go away after a few hours. a person stops urinating or urinates very rarely. symptoms get better but then return later and are worse.
Can you recover from the flu?
Children, older adults, or people with compromised immune systems are much more vulnerable to flu complications. People should take the flu seriously by resting and avoiding public places until their symptoms disappear. With rest and medical care, it is possible to recover even from serious complications.
