|
What is an Influenza Pandemic?
A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza A virus emerges for which there is a little or no immunity in the human population, begins to cause serious illness and then spreads easily person-to-person worldwide.
How do pandemic viruses occur?
New influenza viruses emerge as a result of a process called antigenic shift, which causes a sudden and major change in influenza A viruses. These changes occur when proteins on the surface of the virus combine in new ways as a result of mutation or exchange of genetic material between multiple influenza viruses. If such changes result in a new influenza A virus subtype that can infect humans and spread easily from person to person, an influenza pandemic can occur.
What are the consequences of an Influenza Pandemic?
Pandemics can be very serious, causing illness, deaths, and disruption in every day life. This is why it is so important to try to prevent the spread of flu.
Have there been any global pandemics in the past?
Global pandemics have been reported for many hundreds of years. The best documented pandemics occurred in 1918 (H1N1, the Spanish Flu), 1957 (H2N2, the Asian flu) and 1968 (H3N2, the Hong Kong Flu).
Will an Influenza Pandemic Occur? If so, when?
Many scientists believe it is a matter of time until the next influenza pandemic occurs. However, the timing and severity of the next pandemic cannot be predicted.
Is there a vaccine that will protect me against an Influenza Pandemic?
Right now, there is not a vaccine to protect humans against pandemic flu because no one knows what type of virus will become the pandemic virus. Most experts think it would take about 6 months to make a vaccine for a new type of flu virus. Currently, a vaccine has been developed and is being tested for the bird flu virus in Asia. However, pandemic flu viruses have the ability to easily change types, so no one knows if the vaccine that is currently being tested would work against a new strain of the virus. Most experts agree that you will need two doses one month apart in order to protect you against developing flu.
Additional Links One-stop access to U.S. Government avian and pandemic flu information:
www.pandemicflu.gov Texas Department of State Health Services Pandemic Preparedness information:
http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/influenza/pandemic/ World Health Organization Pandemic Preparedness information:
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/influenza/pandemic/en/ CDC: Latest Information on Avian Flu:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/ Information if you are traveling:
CDC: Latest Avian Flu Travel Information
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentAvianFluInformation.aspx | 
