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Why did the 1918 outbreak of the Spanish flu cause so many deaths?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
One reason we all get so many colds and influenza is that the viruses that cause these diseases are extremely easy to spread. This was as true in 1918 as it is in 2008. The big problem with the 1918 pandemic was the extreme virulence of that particular strain of virus.
Cold and flu viruses are thought to be spread by contact with respiratory droplets, either airborne through coughing or sneezing or transmission from kissing, surfaces, doorknobs, handshakes, and the like, then transferring the virus to your mucous membranes by touching your eyes, mouth or nose.
In 1918 the germ theory of disease was very well advanced. The medical practitioners of the day had a pretty good idea that droplets of ejecta from an infected person probably had a lot to do with the spread of respiratory illness. They also recognized that the virus could be spread from surfaces, used handkerchiefs, water glasses and so on. They did a good job of controlling as many of these factors as they could. For example, people went about wearing surgical masks, which did much to prevent the mask wearer from spreading viruses through coughing or sneezing.
Click on the related link below to wander through a wonderful website and its links on the 1918 influenza pandemic.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIt has been said that the Spanish Flu in 1918 and 1919 was helped to spread world wide by military personnel as they traveled during World War 1.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThe influenza virus was a strain to which people had no immunity.
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoinfected soldiers
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Which viral disease cause more deaths du ring World War 1 than combat?
Spanish Influenza. It killed approximately 20M people in 1918-19.
What were the two main events of 1918?
i have one: outbreak of spanish influenza. Epidemic sweeps through country. Google for more info!
How did Edwards parents die twilight?
In the Twilight series, Edward's parents died in the Spanish influenza outbreak of 1918. Edward himself was turned into a vampire by Carlisle after he was on the brink of death due to the illness.
What caused 20 million deaths in 1918?
A pandemic of Spanish flu (influenza) which began in August 1918 and ran for about six months killing over 20 million people.
When was the most recent flu pandemic and how many people did it kill?
It was the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1920, and it is estimated to have been responsible for approximately 80 million deaths world wide.
Where can you find a diagram of the process which caused the 1918 Spanish flu?
See the related links below for links to various sites (some with diagrams) about the 1918 Spanish Flu. "The influenza pandemic of 1918, also known as the Spanish Flu, remains the most deadly outbreak in recent history. Death estimates range from 20 to 40 million people worldwide."
Does anyone have a description of the effects that the 1918 Spanish flu had on humans and the environment?
See the related links below for links to various sites with good information about the 1918 "Spanish" Flu pandemic. "The influenza pandemic of 1918, also known as the Spanish Flu, remains the most deadly outbreak in recent history. Death estimates range from 20 to 40 million people worldwide."
How did illness add to the death toll during the last months of the war?
The war ended in 1918. That coincided with the outbreak of Spanish Influenza. The outbreak turned into an epidemic. The death toll of both soldiers and civilians increased drastically because of the disease.
What great strides came after the influenza outbreak of 1918?
evolution
Was there a flu outbreak after World War 1?
The Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918 was a pandemic that killed an estimated 20 million (with some estimates ranging up to 100 million) people in about 1 year. Approx. 5% of the world's population was killed.
Why is inflammation tightly regulated?
Inflammation is very tightly controlled by the body so that it doesn't become a pathologic condition itself. Uncontrolled inflammation is actually the hypothesized cause of the severe mortality rate of the Spanish influenza outbreak of 1918-1919. A large proportion of healthy young adults became ill with the Spanish flu and died rapidly from the build-up of blood and fluid in their lungs. Scientists have now reconstructed the 1918-1919 influenza virus and it causes a cytokine storm in the body, which results in rapid and uncontrolled propagation of the inflammatory response. The cytokine storm, rather than the virus, resulted in the deaths of the ferrets they were experimenting on.
What countries were most affected by the 1918 flu outbreak also called the Spanish Flu?
CHINA
