Volume 5, Number 2—April 1999
Perspective
The Next Influenza Pandemic: Lessons from Hong Kong, 1997
René Snacken*
, Alan P. Kendal†, Lars R. Haaheim‡, and John M. Wood
, Alan P. Kendal†, Lars R. Haaheim‡, and John M. WoodTable
Influenza landmarks in humans this century
| Year | Colloquial Name (Subtype) | Source | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pandemics | |||
| 1918 (1) | Spanish flu (H1N1 viruses like swine flu) | Possible emergence from swine or an avian host of a mutated H1N1 virus | Pandemic with >20 million deaths globally |
| 1957 (2) | Asian flu (H2N2) | Possible mixed infection of an animal with human H1N1and avian H2N2 virus strains in Asia | Pandemic, H1N1virus disappeared |
| 1968 (2) | Hong Kong flu (H3N2) | High probability of mixed infection of an animal with human H2N2 and avian H3Nx virus strains in Asia | Pandemic, H2N2 virus disappeared |
| 1977 (3) | Russian flu (H1N1) | Source unknown but virus is almost identical to human epidemic strains from 1950. Reappearance detected at almost the same time in China and Siberia | Benign pandemic, primarily involving persons born after the 1950s. H1N1 virus has cocirculated with H3N2 virus in humans since 1977 |
| Incidents with limited spread | |||
| 1976 (4) | Swine flu (H1N1) | United States/New Jersey. Virus enzootic in U.S. swine herds since at least 1930 | Localized outbreak in military training camp, with one death |
| 1986 (5) | (H1N1) | The Netherlands. Swine virus derived from avian source | One adult with severe pneumonia |
| 1988 (6) | Swine flu (H1N1) | United States/Wisconsin. Swine virus | Pregnant woman died after exposure to sick pig |
| 1993 (7) | (H3N2) | The Netherlands. Swine reassortant between old human H3N2 (1973/75-like) and avian H1N1 | Two children with mild disease. Fathers suspected to have transmitted the virus to the children after having been infected by pigs. |
| 1995 (8) | (H7N7) | United Kingdom Duck virus | One adult with conjunctivitis |
| 1997 (9) | Chicken flu (H5N1) | Hong Kong Poultry virus | 18 confirmed human case, 6 deaths |
