Classification, Disease and Evidence by Philippe Huneman Gérard Lambert & Marc Silberstein

Author:Philippe Huneman, Gérard Lambert & Marc Silberstein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht

Three Significant Aspects of the 1918–19 Pandemic

A Western Origin

A first important aspect of the 1918–19 influenza pandemic is its likely Western origin. In part because of its extensive pig-duck farming industry, China was previously singled out as the possible origin of most influenza pandemics. However, whereas most pandemics to have befallen man have come from China (Morse 1993, 17) the “Spanish” flu originated (likely) from France as early as 1916 causing acute respiratory symptoms closely resembling the phenotype of the disease during the 1918–19 flu pandemic (Oxford et al. 2002, 2005). Some have recently argued that there was an early wave of influenza in New York between February and April 1918 (Olson et al. 2005). The precise geographical origins of the 1918 pandemic are still a matter of debate, however.14 The world’s deadliest flu pandemic kicked off in October 1918 and in just a few months, the virus killed between 30 and 40 million people (Philips and Killingray 2003; Johnson and Mueller 2002; Crosby 1989; some estimate deaths to number about 50 million, see McNeil 1976). According to the “three waves theory”, influenza swept through all five continents in three recurrences. The first wave (or the “spring wave”) of the flu started in March in the U.S. (Mid West) before moving to Europe, then to Asia and North Africa before reaching Australia in July 1918. While morbidity was high, mortality was not higher than the habitual norm (Reid et al. 2001, 81). The second wave (or “fall wave”), however, was highly devastating and rapidly went extinct after causing millions of deaths worldwide, with peaks in October and November. It started in late August 1918 and within 1 week reports of the virus came from distant cities, including Boston (U.S.), Freetown (Africa), and Brest (France). On many accounts, this second wave lasted until November. The speed at which the virus circulated makes it difficult to pinpoint one specific location as being “the” source of the pandemic but a Western origin appears to be the most plausible hypothesis according to the available evidence. Reports indicated a further third wave that hit in the first months of 1919 but was much less severe (Burnet and Clark 1942; Barry 2004a). However, the three waves pattern of the pandemic is not uniformly applicable to all countries; for instance Australia experienced a single occurrence of the flu pandemic (Johnson and Mueller 2002; Morens and Taubenberger 2009).

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