by Emma Walker

Created on: February 05, 2009   Last Updated: February 08, 2009

In 1918 the world was ravaged by a virulent highly contagious viral infection which killed an estimated 40 million people world wide over the course of two years. The virus that caused this devastating destruction is the influenza virus, in this instance it was known as the Spanish Flu (the name comes from the fact that it killed a large number of people in Spain in its early days).

The exact origin of the Spanish Influenza is unknown but it is thought to have originated in China, and a rare genetic shift caused recombination of its surface proteins creating a novel virus to most people. One distinguishing feature of the influenza virus is its ability to change its surface antigens at times to such an extent that the body's immune system is unable to recognise it, even if a person has previously been exposed to a different strain. As a result of this, periodically influenza epidemics do occur.

In 1918 the Great War in Europe (WW1) was still active. Deep in the trenches military men were living through some of the worst conditions of life. Almost unnoticed the influenza virus attacked clusters of military men in camps, but by the winter of 1918 the virus could not be ignored.

In September of 1918 the virus was brought back to the U.S for a second wave of infections through a busy port in Boston which dealt with war shipments and machinery supplies. Men across the nation who were urged to join the military and the cause brought the virus with them and spread it to those they were in contact with. (In October 1918 alone almost 200,000 people died as a result of the virus).

In the November of 1918 the end of WW1 brought people together to celebrate Armistice Day, this further enabled the spread of the virus which by then was a public health disaster.

Influenza ordinances were put in place to try and stop its continued spread, gauze masks were distributed to the public. Public gatherings were limited, and some cities required certificates before people were allowed to enter them. There was a shortage of medical staff and supplies as they were already pushed to the limit trying to deal with returning war victims, medical students had to help care for the sick. There was also a shortage of coffins, morticians and grave diggers.

Influenza is easily passed from person to person through the air by droplets excreted by infected people when they cough or sneeze, and can enter the body through the nose or throat.

The unique genetic nature of this strain of influenza, to which few people had any natural immunity against, combined with the timing of its incidence is what turned this particular outbreak of influenza into a pandemic (i.e. it spread world wide), and resulted in the deaths of a fifth of the worlds population.

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