| Quick, what was the most deadly year in the 20th | | | | spray. The trade name for this vaccine is FluMist. |
| century? No, it wasn't 1943 or 1944 or 1917, or any | | | | However, most vaccines are of the inactive variety, |
| other year with a major conflict. It wasn't caused by | | | | and are administered as intramuscular injections into |
| bombs or bullets either. The most deadly year in the | | | | the quadriceps muscle of the upper leg or the deltoid |
| 20th century was the period from September 1918 | | | | muscle in the shoulder. The standard vaccines for |
| to September 1919. In that time frame, almost 40 | | | | those over 18 years of age are: Fluarix from Glaxo |
| million people died from the Spanish flu pandemic that | | | | Smith Klein Inc., Fluvirin from Chiron Corp., and Fluzone |
| swept the world. | | | | by Sanofi Pastuer Inc. |
| The devastation it caused was profound. In many | | | | According to many health officials throughout the |
| communities, most businesses were closed, public | | | | world, there is a very high probability that the flu we |
| gatherings restricted and the health care system | | | | really have to be concerned about is the H5N1 strain |
| decimated due to illness and overload. People wore | | | | of avian Influenza that was first reported in Hong |
| gauze masks in public in a vain attempt to avoid | | | | Kong in 1997. Known as the "Bird Flu", it has been |
| falling victim to the invisible killer. The death caused | | | | detected in birds throughout the world. To stop the |
| by this pathogen, an H1 strain of Influenza, was | | | | spread of this flu strain, over 100 million birds have |
| especially gruesome. It was nicknamed "the purple | | | | been ordered destroyed by health authorities in the |
| death" in some locales, in reference to the | | | | last year in South East Asia alone! It is now being |
| bluish-purple pallor taken on by victims, perishing from | | | | detected in birds in Europe as well. |
| lack of oxygen as their lungs filled with blood and | | | | Apart from the economic concerns caused by the |
| other bodily fluids. | | | | impact to the poultry industry, why be concerned |
| In fact, the flu was responsible for more deaths in | | | | about a flu strain that kills birds? Well, this strain of |
| the 20th century than all the wars combined. This, in | | | | Influenza also kills people. In fact, it is especially |
| a century when wars had elevated killing to a fine art | | | | deadly. Of the 125 cases of this disease reported to |
| by applying the best new technology man could | | | | the World Health Organization through 09 November, |
| devise. Influenza, commonly called "the flu", tends to | | | | 2005, 64 have been fatal. This correlates to a |
| be minimized as a minor illness by most. Actually, the | | | | staggering 52% mortality rate. As a comparison, the |
| flu kills an average of 36,000 people each year in the | | | | deadly Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 had a death rate |
| United States alone. Some years see a rather | | | | of less than 10% of those afflicted. In its current |
| dramatic increase. In the 1998-1999 flu season | | | | form the virus cannot even be spread by human to |
| (December - March), 64,684 U.S. deaths were | | | | human contact. |
| attributed to the flu, according to the Center for | | | | Scientists are concerned, however, the H5N1 strain |
| Disease Control. | | | | could mutate into a slightly different form that would |
| Traditional Influenza is most lethal to older victims or | | | | allow human to human transmission. Such a mutation |
| those with a previous illness. In those patients older | | | | would trigger a pandemic. According to the WHO, a |
| than 85, the flu is an astounding 16 times as deadly | | | | pandemic is created when a disease new to the |
| as it is to those in younger age groups. A traditional | | | | population emerges and infects humans, causing |
| flu prevention strategy, and one recommended by | | | | serious illness and/or death. It also must spread easily |
| most health officials, is annual vaccination for those in | | | | and sustainably through human to human contact. |
| high risk groups. | | | | If such a pandemic were to occur, as a majority of |
| Flu vaccines are created by a sophisticated guessing | | | | scientists and health authorities fear, it would cause |
| method. Health care officials examine world wide | | | | incalculable devastation. Some estimates place the |
| trends to try and determine what strains of the flu | | | | world wide death toll from such a pandemic at over |
| will cause the most damage the following flu season. | | | | 100 million people, although estimates vary wildly. It is |
| They then target the flu vaccine toward those | | | | hoped 100 million is a worst case scenario. The key is |
| strains. They have a fairly remarkable record for | | | | to prepare for as many eventualities as possible. |
| accuracy in this regard. | | | | The pandemic is most likely not a question of if, but |
| There are two types of flu vaccine, active and | | | | when. Be ready for it. It would be far better to over |
| inactive. The active variety actually contains live | | | | prepare than under prepare. |
| Influenza virus and is typically administered as a nasal | | | | |