Four Flu Pandemics: Lessons that Need to Be Learned

Ronn Pineo

doi:10.1177/0169796x211047221

Abstract

This article explores the history of influenza, focusing on the four major flu pandemics in the last century and a half, outbreaks starting in 1889, 1918, 1957, and 1968. The article looks closely at flu etiology and the historical puzzles over which flu subtype was responsible for each major outbreak. Some mysteries regarding pandemic influenza remain, with core questions stubbornly refusing to yield answers. This article seeks to explore the history of flu in the hope that we can take away some lessons learned as we try to get ready for potential future flu pandemics.

Highlights

Have we? This article explores the history of influenza, focusing on the four major flu pandemics in the last century and a half, outbreaks starting in 1889, 1918, 1957, and 1968
The common view among most, if not all, flu researchers is that human influenza pandemics are only caused by flu virus subtype “shifts.” This shift has always been in the “H,” that is, for example, from H1 to H2, or from H2 to H3
For us to understand more about the threat from pandemic influenza, it would be enormously helpful to know what subtype the “Russian” flu was

Summary

Introduction

This article explores the history of influenza, focusing on the four major flu pandemics in the last century and a half, outbreaks starting in 1889, 1918, 1957, and 1968. The common view among most, if not all, flu researchers is that human influenza pandemics are only caused by flu virus subtype “shifts.” This shift has always been in the “H,” that is, for example, from H1 to H2, or from H2 to H3.

Results

Conclusion