Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Microbiology Australia Microbiology Australia Society
Microbiology Australia, bringing Microbiologists together
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Influenza

John S Mackenzie A B G , Anne Kelso C and Alan W Hampson D E F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Faculty of Health Sciences
Curtin University
GPO Box U1987
Perth, WA 6845, Australia. Tel: +61 4 3987 5697

B Burnet Institute
85 Commercial Road
Melbourne, Vic., Australia

C WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza (VIDRL)
at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
792 Elizabeth Street
Melbourne, Vic. 3000, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9342 9310
Email: anne.kelso@influenzacentre.org

D School of Applied Sciences and Engineering
Federation University

E Influenza Specialist Group

F 5A Lynne Street, Donvale, Vic. 3111, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9894 5049
Email: Interflu@bigpond.net.au

G Corresponding author. Present address: 20A Silver Street, Malvern, Vic. 3144, Australia. Email: j.mackenzie@curtin.edu.au

Microbiology Australia 35(3) 133-137 https://doi.org/10.1071/MA14045
Published: 24 July 2014

Abstract

Influenza virus infection has probably shaped human populations for centuries, if not millennia. Novel influenza viruses formed by genetic reassortment of avian and mammalian viruses emerge sporadically and, if they have the necessary infectivity and transmissibility in humans, spread rapidly around the globe causing a pandemic. While mortality and morbidity varied widely between the pandemics of the last century, the loss of an estimated 50million lives in the most devastating pandemic of 1918–1919 has had a lasting global impact. Here we briefly review the history and effects of influenza pandemics on the global human population and events of the time. Then we discuss some of the ways in which the experience of the 1918–1919 and later pandemics has influenced development of international influenza surveillance and global public health policy, the full impact of which will become apparent in future pandemics.


References

[1]  Webster, R.G. et al. (1992) Evolution and ecology of influenza A viruses. Microbiol. Rev. 56, 152–179.
| 1:STN:280:DyaK383lt1OqtQ%3D%3D&md5=1369731e909fba96bbf1eab2ae5474c3CAS | 1579108PubMed |

[2]  Morens, D.M. and Taubenberger, J.K. (2010) Historical thoughts on influenza viral ecosystems, or behold a pale horse, dead dogs, failing fowl, and sick swine. Influenza Other Respir. Viruses 4, 327–337.
Historical thoughts on influenza viral ecosystems, or behold a pale horse, dead dogs, failing fowl, and sick swine.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20958926PubMed |

[3]  Beveridge, W.I. (1991) The chronicle of influenza epidemics. Hist. Philos. Life Sci. 13, 223–234.
| 1:STN:280:DyaK387ps1amug%3D%3D&md5=53e054a0d9ed588628d54f624b4f8fd3CAS | 1724803PubMed |

[4]  Potter, C.W. (2001) A history of influenza. J. Appl. Microbiol. 91, 572–579.
A history of influenza.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD3MrjtVemsQ%3D%3D&md5=2526ae7794e78e9da98fe76d39a6b134CAS | 11576290PubMed |

[5]  Guerra, F. (1993) The European–American exchange. Hist. Philos. Life Sci. 15, 313–327.
| 1:STN:280:DyaK2M7isFWkuw%3D%3D&md5=20105053356e0fe0aa75bd614e4c3925CAS | 7529930PubMed |

[6]  Martin, P.M. and Combes, C. (1996) Emerging infectious diseases and the depopulation of French Polynesia in the 19th century. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2, 359–361.
Emerging infectious diseases and the depopulation of French Polynesia in the 19th century.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaK2s7isF2guw%3D%3D&md5=2ab108e00868b3d256b7bb74e6dc5b48CAS | 8969256PubMed |

[7]  Cumpston, J.H.L. (1989) Influenza and pneumonia. In Health and Disease in Australia. (Lewis, M.J., ed) pp. 313–320. Australian Government Publishing Service.

[8]  Flint, S.M. et al. (2010) Disproportionate impact of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza on Indigenous people in the Top End of Australia’s Northern Territory. Med. J. Aust. 192, 617–622.
| 20477746PubMed |

[9]  Wilson, N. et al. (2012) Differential mortality rates by ethnicity in 3 influenza pandemics over a century, New Zealand. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 18, 71–77.
Differential mortality rates by ethnicity in 3 influenza pandemics over a century, New Zealand.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 22257434PubMed |

[10]  La Ruche, G. et al. (2009) The 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza and indigenous populations of the Americas and the Pacific. Euro Surveill. 14, 19366.
| 19883543PubMed |

[11]  Johnson, N.P. and Mueller, J. (2002) Updating the accounts: global mortality of the 1918–1920 “Spanish” influenza pandemic. Bull. Hist. Med. 76, 105–115.
Updating the accounts: global mortality of the 1918–1920 “Spanish” influenza pandemic.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 11875246PubMed |

[12]  Shanks, G.D. and Hodge, J. (2011) The ability of seasonal and pandemic influenza to disrupt military operations. J. Milit. Vet. Health 19, 13–18.

[13]  Oxford, J.S. et al. (2005) A hypothesis: the conjunction of soldiers, gas, pigs, ducks, geese and horses in northern France during the Great War provided the conditions for the emergence of the ‘Spanish’ influenza pandemic of 1918–1919. Vaccine 23, 940–945.
A hypothesis: the conjunction of soldiers, gas, pigs, ducks, geese and horses in northern France during the Great War provided the conditions for the emergence of the ‘Spanish’ influenza pandemic of 1918–1919.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD2cnivFKiug%3D%3D&md5=0667f43842bf35cee50ffc2025eb90eeCAS | 15603896PubMed |

[14]  Tumpey, T.M. et al. (2005) Characterization of the reconstructed 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic virus. Science 310, 77–80.
Characterization of the reconstructed 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic virus.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXhtVOjsr%2FO&md5=1d29013b37489af2327ed13fbc5d85a4CAS | 16210530PubMed |

[15]  Murray, C.J. et al. (2006) Estimation of potential global pandemic influenza mortality on the basis of vital registry data from the 1918-20 pandemic: a quantitative analysis. Lancet 368, 2211–2218.
Estimation of potential global pandemic influenza mortality on the basis of vital registry data from the 1918-20 pandemic: a quantitative analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17189032PubMed |

[16]  McLeod, M.A. et al. (2008) Protective effect of maritime quarantine in South Pacific jurisdictions, 1918–19 influenza pandemic. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 14, 468–470.
Protective effect of maritime quarantine in South Pacific jurisdictions, 1918–19 influenza pandemic.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 18325264PubMed |

[17]  McQueen, H. (1975) ‘Spanish ’flu’ – 1919: political, medical and social aspects. Med. J. Aust. 1, 565–570.
| 1:STN:280:DyaE2M7psVSmug%3D%3D&md5=2c6af9113bd51969f775a208d55a1c64CAS | 1095898PubMed |

[18]  Barry, J.M. (2004) The Great Influenza. The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History. Viking Penguin.

[19]  Davis, D.J. (1952) World Health Organization Influenza Study Program in the United States. Public Health Rep. 67, 1185–1190.
World Health Organization Influenza Study Program in the United States.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaG3s%2FivVKgsQ%3D%3D&md5=3e4232ff857b7c05dbafd2be80816945CAS | 13004200PubMed |

[20]  Kaplan, M.M. (1980) The role of the World Health Organization in the study of influenza. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci. 288, 417–421.
The role of the World Health Organization in the study of influenza.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaL3c7ptVeltw%3D%3D&md5=4adbe30c89a1f6fb15da6aa0136b4b91CAS | 6103559PubMed |

[21]  Kilbourne, E.D. (2006) Influenza pandemics of the 20th century. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 12, 9–14.
Influenza pandemics of the 20th century.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16494710PubMed |

[22]  Viboud, C. et al. (2005) Multinational impact of the 1968 Hong Kong influenza pandemic: evidence for a smoldering pandemic. J. Infect. Dis. 192, 233–248.
Multinational impact of the 1968 Hong Kong influenza pandemic: evidence for a smoldering pandemic.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 15962218PubMed |

[23]  Murray, R. (1969) Production and testing in the USA of influenza virus vaccine made from the Hong Kong variant in 1968-69. Bull. World Health Organ. 41, 495–496.
| 1:STN:280:DyaE3c7ltlOltQ%3D%3D&md5=7566fd4f9ac2dfc001a8ca682867b291CAS | 5309463PubMed |

[24]  Kendal, A.P. et al. (1977) Identification and preliminary antigenic analysis of swine influenza-like viruses isolated during an influenza outbreak at Fort Dix, New Jersey. J. Infect. Dis. 136, S381–S385.
Identification and preliminary antigenic analysis of swine influenza-like viruses isolated during an influenza outbreak at Fort Dix, New Jersey.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 606762PubMed |

[25]  Wecht, C.H. (1977–1978) The swine flu immunization program: scientific venture or political folly? Am. J. Law Med. 3, 425–445.

[26]  Swayne, D.E. and Suarez, D.L. (2000) Highly pathogenic avian influenza. Rev. Sci. Tech. Off. Int. Epiz. 19, 463–482.
| 1:STN:280:DC%2BD38%2FgsVylsg%3D%3D&md5=5829ded123d89eba224dda6006e43027CAS |

[27]  Reperant, L.A. et al. (2012) Influenza viruses: from birds to humans. Hum. Vaccin. Immunother. 8, 7–16.
Influenza viruses: from birds to humans.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 22251997PubMed |

[28]  Neumann, G. et al. (2010) H5N1 influenza viruses: outbreaks and biological properties. Cell Res. 20, 51–61.
H5N1 influenza viruses: outbreaks and biological properties.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXosFGj&md5=38c8bf37fd0d37a31cb9d75ec1614c9dCAS | 19884910PubMed |

[29]  Mackenzie, J.S. et al. (2014) One Health: from concept to practice. In Confronting Emerging Zoonoses: The One Health Paradigm (Yamada, A., et al., eds.), Springer, in press.

[30]  National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic (2011) Council of Australian Governments. Working Group on Australian Influenza Pandemic Prevention and Preparedness. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Australia. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/publications/pandemic/docs/nap.pdf, accessed 28 June 2014.

[31]  Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza (2009) Department of Health and Ageing. Canberra, Australia. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/panflu/publishing.nsf/Content/ahmppi-2009, accessed 28 June 2014.

[32]  Fidler, D.P. (2010) Negotiating equitable access to influenza vaccines: global health diplomacy and the controversies surrounding avian influenza H5N1 and pandemic influenza H1N1. PLoS Med. 7, e1000247.
Negotiating equitable access to influenza vaccines: global health diplomacy and the controversies surrounding avian influenza H5N1 and pandemic influenza H1N1.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20454566PubMed |

[33]  World Health Organization (2011) Pandemic influenza preparedness framework for sharing influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits. http://www.who.int/influenza/resources/pip_framework/en/, accessed 30 May 2014.

[34]  Fidler, D.P. and Gostin, L.O. (2011) The WHO pandemic influenza preparedness framework: a milestone in global governance for health. JAMA 306, 200–201.
The WHO pandemic influenza preparedness framework: a milestone in global governance for health.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3MXpsFags7s%3D&md5=881b217b465ed663294b2cf698efeeccCAS | 21750298PubMed |

[35]  Girard, M.P. et al. (2013) Report on the first WHO integrated meeting on development and clinical trials of influenza vaccines that induce broadly protective and long-lasting immune responses: Hong Kong SAR, China, 24-26 January 2013. Vaccine 31, 3766–3771.
Report on the first WHO integrated meeting on development and clinical trials of influenza vaccines that induce broadly protective and long-lasting immune responses: Hong Kong SAR, China, 24-26 January 2013.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23810374PubMed |

[36]  Fineberg, H.V. (2014) Pandemic preparedness and response – lessons from the H1N1 influenza of 2009. N. Engl. J. Med. 370, 1335–1342.
Pandemic preparedness and response – lessons from the H1N1 influenza of 2009.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXlvFGltrk%3D&md5=16d51a3b19addd7125395f2e6a1cab1bCAS | 24693893PubMed |

[37]  Taylor, M.R. et al. (2012) Crying wolf? Impact of the H1N1 2009 influenza pandemic on anticipated public response to a future pandemic. Med. J. Aust. 197, 561–564.
Crying wolf? Impact of the H1N1 2009 influenza pandemic on anticipated public response to a future pandemic.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23163686PubMed |

[38]  Russell, C.A. et al. (2012) The potential for respiratory droplet-transmissible A/H5N1 influenza virus to evolve in a mammalian host. Science 336, 1541–1547.
The potential for respiratory droplet-transmissible A/H5N1 influenza virus to evolve in a mammalian host.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38Xoslaksb0%3D&md5=123c55c34b6a04ae355819ef77870a64CAS | 22723414PubMed |

[39]  Gao, R. et al. (2013) Human infection with a novel avian-origin influenza A (H7N9) virus N. Engl. J. Med. 368, 1888–1897.
Human infection with a novel avian-origin influenza A (H7N9) virusCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXnsl2gsrc%3D&md5=3076e78c05f577ae86e6c62f31ffa1d1CAS | 23577628PubMed |