Via: New Scientist, 29 October 2009.
Available at: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18063-timeline-the-secret-history-of-swine-flu.html?full=true&print=true
By Debora MacKenzie and Michael Marshall
“Six months ago, swine flu emerged as a massive threat to global health. It seemed to come out of nowhere, but our timeline explains how the origins of the H1N1 pandemic go back more than a century…
1889
Prior to 1889, the main flu virus circulating in humans has been from the H1 family. But this year, a new strain of H2 flu emerges in Russia and spreads around the world, killing about 1 million people. Afterwards, H2 replaces H1 in humans. Such replacements seem to be a regular feature of flu pandemics.
People born before 1889, who have been exposed to H1 flu, have some immunity to it. This affords them some protection in the deadly H1N1 epidemic of 1918. Those born after 1889 do not have any immunity to H1.
1918
The “Spanish flu” epidemic of 1918 kills at least 50 million people worldwide. It is caused by an H1N1 virus which evolves directly from a bird flu into a human flu…..”
**Read the entire, original post here: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18063-timeline-the-secret-history-of-swine-flu.html?full=true&print=true
