The 1918 influenza virus pandemic swept the globe and has remained in history as one of the deadliest outbreaks infecting almost one-third of the world’s population. According to this podcast—‘Being healthy can be deadly’, Dr. Peter Germroth highlights how the pandemic affects different age groups, and its devastating effects on the human respiratory system and the resultant reaction of the immunity system, and the bearing of infectious diseases today.
The influenza pandemic in 1981 recorded the highest death rate in the age group of individuals between age twenty-five and twenty-nine for both male and females. Age group thirty to thirty-four years recorded the second highest death rates, while individuals between age twenty and twenty-four were the third highest. This statistics highlight that all age groups can be affected by the pandemic and not only the very old or very young are prone to the infection
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Influenza flu virus infects a human body through a respiratory tract, binding itself to epithelial cells lining the lung airways. Ones in the body the virus hijack its own proteins to generate its own viral proteins and create more viral particles. The Symptoms are caused by the immune system response cells—macrophages and neutrophils, towards the virus which alert cytokines and chemokines to make the body sense that infection has been established. T Lymphocytes in the white blood cells are then called into action to fight the infection, which causes lymph nodes around the lungs and the throat thus swelling and pain in the lymph nodes. As the T cells fight the virus-infected cells, there is damage to the lungs cells and its advancement can lead to death.
The symptoms accompanying influenza include fever, headache, and muscle aches as cytokines and chemokines enter the bloodstream cascading into complications such as the high rise in body temperatures and other toxic effects.
The significance of the 1918 Influenza pandemic has made the present world to consider the effect of the virus and prepare for any other occurrences, to reduce the infection and lethality of such viruses, thus, Enhancing scientific efforts in vaccinations and the utilization of limited intensive care space when respiratory sufferings set in.
