The Influenza Pandemic
The 1957 flu pandemic, also known as the Asian flu pandemic of 1957 or the Asian flu of 1957, was an outbreak of influenza that began in East Asia in February 1957 and spread to countries all over the world. The influenza pandemic of 1957 was the second significant pandemic of the twentieth century, following the influenza pandemic of 1918–19 and preceding the influenza pandemic of 1968. The 1957 influenza pandemic, which killed an estimated one million to two million people globally, is often regarded as the least severe of the three Chinese flu of the twentieth century.
A virus called influenza A subtype H2N2 was responsible for the 1957 outbreak. This virus was found to be a reassortant (mixed species) strain, coming from avian influenza and human influenza viruses, according to research. Antigenic drift occurred in the human H2N2 strain in the 1960s. Periodic outbreaks were the result of these little changes. The 1957 influenza virus vanished after ten years of evolution, having been replaced by a new influenza A subtype, H3N2, which caused the 1968 pandemic through an antigenic shift.
The virus spread throughout China and nearby areas in the early months of the 1957 flu pandemic also known as Chinese flu. It had arrived in the United States by mid-summer, where it appears to have affected only a few persons at first. However, some months later, additional infections were detected, particularly in young children, the elderly, and pregnant women. A second pandemic wave affected the Northern Hemisphere in November 1957, resulting in an increase in cases. The pandemic had already spread throughout the United Kingdom at that time. England and Wales had reported a total of 3,550 deaths by December. The second wave was more severe, with an estimated 69,800 deaths in the United States by March 1958.
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The 1957 flu pandemic, like the 1968 pandemic, was characterized by a wide range of susceptibility and sickness severity. While some infected people only had minor symptoms like a cough and a low fever, others developed life-threatening consequences like pneumonia. Those who have been unaffected by the influenza were assumed to have antibodies that protected them from other, strongly linked influenza viruses. The pandemic's spread and fatality were constrained by the swift discovery of an H2N2 flu vaccine and the availability of antibiotics to treat secondary illnesses.
Symptoms of the Asian Flu
Temperature, body pains, shivers, cough, tiredness, and a decreased appetite are among the common symptoms of the Asian flu, often known as Chinese flu. Many of the symptoms associated with influenza are present in the Asian flu. As influenza is a respiratory virus, symptoms such as a dry cough, sore throat, and difficulty in breathing are common among world flu patients. A high temperature, body pains, and chills are common symptoms of influenza. An individual may lose weight as a result of a lack of appetite. It can take weeks to recover from the H2N2 virus; consequences include pneumonia, convulsions, heart failure, and death.
Deaths from the Asian Flu
Guizhou was the first place where the Asian flu virus was discovered. It reached Singapore in February 1957, Hong Kong in April, and the United States in June. The death toll in the United States was estimated to be around 69,800. The elderly were especially at risk. The number of deaths globally varies widely depending on the source, ranging from 1 million to 4 million, with the World Health Organization agreeing on "around 2 million."
Influenza in Hong Kong, 1968 (H3N2)
A reassortment with just an avian H3 strain, similar to the 1957 H2N2 pandemic influenza virus, resulted in the 1968 influenza epidemic, which was initially recognized during the Hong Kong outbreaks. Unlike the 1957 pandemic, the initial wave of the 1968 H3N2 pandemic peaked barely four months after vaccine manufacture began, with only 20 million doses generated. This epidemic claimed the lives of approximately one million people around the world.
Resistance to circulating N2 strains was likely a factor in the 1968 pandemic's decreased mortality compared to previous pandemics. Indeed, the H2N2 flu vaccine was found to have a 54 percent efficiency against the H3N2 pandemic strain after inoculation.
Pandemics of Influenza in the 20th anx
With the advent of novel influenza A viruses since 1900, four epidemics have occurred: the 1918 H1N1 world flu pandemic, the 1957 H2N2 world flu or Asian flu pandemic, the H3N2 Chinese flu epidemic of 1968, as well as the H1N1 outbreak of 2009. The strains that developed during the 1918, 1957, and 1968 pandemics were novel influenza A subtypes that displaced the previously circulated variant and became established.
After a 20-year absence, H1N1 viruses resurfaced in 1977, causing sickness in children and young people who had never been exposed to the virus before. H1N1 viruses then began to circulate in the human population, although they did not completely replace H3N2 viruses. Rather, influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 viruses are still circulating.
Cases of human infection with a new influenza A (H1N1) virus were discovered in April 2009. This unusual virus has a rare blend of different genes, comprising genes from swine, avian, and human influenza viruses that had been established in North American and European pigs. This virus, now known as A(H1N1), was causing widespread sickness around the world by June 2009, and it continues to spread as a regular influenza virus around the world.
FAQs on 1957 Flu Pandemic
1. What was the 1957 flu pandemic?
The 1957 flu pandemic, commonly known as the Asian Flu, was a global outbreak of influenza A virus subtype H2N2. It first appeared in East Asia in early 1957 and spread worldwide over the following two years, leading to an estimated 1 to 2 million deaths globally.
2. Where did the 1957 Asian Flu originate and how did it spread?
The Asian Flu pandemic is believed to have originated from a novel H2N2 virus that emerged in China in 1956-1957. The virus spread rapidly due to modern transportation networks. It was first identified in Singapore in February 1957, reached Hong Kong by April, and subsequently spread to coastal cities in the United States and other countries by the summer of 1957.
3. What were the main symptoms of the 1957 Asian Flu?
The symptoms of the 1957 Asian Flu were similar to other severe influenza infections. The most common symptoms included:
- High fever and chills
- Severe body aches and muscle pain
- Sore throat and persistent cough
- Headache and extreme fatigue
- In more critical cases, patients often developed pneumonia, which was a primary cause of death.
4. What was the global impact of the 1957 flu pandemic in terms of mortality?
The 1957 flu pandemic had a devastating global impact, causing an estimated 1 to 2 million deaths worldwide. In the United States alone, the death toll was approximately 116,000. The pandemic occurred in two distinct waves, with the second wave in late 1957 being particularly severe, especially affecting school-aged children, young adults, and pregnant women.
5. How did the 1957 Asian Flu pandemic affect India?
The Asian Flu virus reached India in May 1957, with initial cases reported in Madras (now Chennai). The infection spread quickly throughout the subcontinent, leading to widespread illness and millions of reported cases within just a few months, significantly straining the nation's public health resources.
6. What factors contributed to the end of the 1957 flu pandemic?
The end of the 1957 pandemic was primarily due to two factors. Firstly, a vaccine was developed and deployed with relative speed in 1957, which helped to mitigate the spread and severity of the illness. Secondly, as the virus infected large portions of the population, widespread natural immunity to the H2N2 strain developed, which significantly reduced the number of susceptible individuals and slowed transmission.
7. Is the H2N2 virus from the 1957 pandemic still a threat to humans?
The specific H2N2 virus that caused the 1957 pandemic is no longer circulating in the human population. It was supplanted by the H3N2 virus, which caused the 1968 pandemic. However, H2N2 strains are still found in wild bird populations. Because individuals born after 1968 lack immunity, the H2N2 subtype is still monitored as a potential future pandemic threat.
8. How did the H2N2 virus of the 1957 pandemic differ from other influenza A viruses like H1N1?
The key difference lies in their surface proteins, specifically hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). The 1957 H2N2 virus was a new combination for humans, likely resulting from a genetic reassortment of an avian flu virus and a human flu virus. This novelty meant the global human population had almost no pre-existing immunity. In contrast, H1N1 viruses (such as those from the 1918 and 2009 pandemics) have a different genetic structure and have circulated in various forms among humans, swine, and birds.
9. Why was the 1957 H2N2 virus so effective at spreading in the human population?
The H2N2 virus spread so efficiently due to a phenomenon called antigenic shift. This occurs when an influenza virus acquires new surface proteins (the 'H' and 'N' components) from a non-human virus, such as one from birds. Because the human immune system had no prior experience with this novel H2N2 combination, the virus could easily infect people and transmit between them, triggering a rapid global pandemic before widespread immunity could be established.
10. What were the long-term consequences of the 1957 flu pandemic on public health systems?
The 1957 pandemic was a critical learning experience for modern public health. Its most significant long-term consequences include:
- It prompted the enhancement of the global influenza surveillance network to detect and report novel virus strains more effectively.
- It underscored the critical importance of rapid vaccine development and manufacturing capacity as a primary defence during a pandemic.
- The epidemiological data gathered was used to refine future pandemic preparedness plans, shaping strategies for both medical and non-pharmaceutical interventions.
