Answers on the Pandemic

Here is some question and answer on influenza pandemics from the Toronto Public Health site and the CDC offering background on the Swine Influenza (swine flu), "a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs" that is now affecting human in an imminent pandemic.

On a mildly interesting note, the CDC question and answer references a case in Wisconsin from 1988.

Can humans catch swine flu?

Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred. Most commonly, these cases occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs (e.g. children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry). In addition, there have been documented cases of one person spreading swine flu to others. For example, an outbreak of apparent swine flu infection in pigs in Wisconsin in 1988 resulted in multiple human infections, and, although no community outbreak resulted, there was antibody evidence of virus transmission from the patient to health care workers who had close contact with the patient.

And from the Toronto Public Health site:

What is Pandemic Influenza?

An influenza pandemic occurs when there is an abrupt and major change in the protein structure of the Influenza A virus resulting, in a new strain. Because people have little or no immunity to this new strain, it can spread quickly, causing outbreaks in one or more countries or worldwide. This is called a pandemic.

How often do flu pandemics occur?

Flu pandemics have historically occurred three or four times each century. There were three flu pandemics in the last century (1918, 1957 and 1968).