1976 swine flu outbreak: Difference between revisions
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}}</ref> The outbreak is most remembered for the mass [[immunization]] that it prompted in the [[United States]]. The strain itself killed one person and hospitalized 13, however side-effects from the vaccine caused 25 deaths. |
}}</ref> The outbreak is most remembered for the mass [[immunization]] that it prompted in the [[United States]]. The strain itself killed one person and hospitalized 13, however side-effects from the vaccine caused 25 deaths. |
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On February 5, 1976, an army recruit at Fort Dix said he felt tired and weak. He died the next day and four of his fellow soldiers were later hospitalized. Two weeks after his death, health officials announced that [[swine flu]] was the cause of death and that this strain of flu appeared to be closely related to the strain involved in the [[1918 flu pandemic]]. Alarmed public-health officials decided that action must be taken to head off another major [[Influenza pandemic|pandemic]], and they urged President [[Gerald Ford]] that every person in the U.S. be vaccinated for the disease. The [[Influenza vaccine|vaccination]] program was plagued by delays and public relations problems, but about 24% of the population had been vaccinated by the time the program was canceled. Only one person, the Fort Dix army recruit, died from the flu.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518266,00.html|title=What Can We Learn From the 1976 Flu Debacle?|date=April 27, 2009|publisher=Glenn Beck Fox News|accessdate=2009-04-29}}</ref> |
On February 5, 1976, an army recruit at [[Fort Dix]] said he felt tired and weak. He died the next day and four of his fellow soldiers were later hospitalized. Two weeks after his death, health officials announced that [[swine flu]] was the cause of death and that this strain of flu appeared to be closely related to the strain involved in the [[1918 flu pandemic]]. Alarmed public-health officials decided that action must be taken to head off another major [[Influenza pandemic|pandemic]], and they urged President [[Gerald Ford]] that every person in the U.S. be vaccinated for the disease. The [[Influenza vaccine|vaccination]] program was plagued by delays and public relations problems, but about 24% of the population had been vaccinated by the time the program was canceled. Only one person, the Fort Dix army recruit, died from the flu.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518266,00.html|title=What Can We Learn From the 1976 Flu Debacle?|date=April 27, 2009|publisher=Glenn Beck Fox News|accessdate=2009-04-29}}</ref> |
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There were reports of [[Guillain-Barré syndrome]], a paralyzing [[neuromuscular]] disorder, affecting some people who had received swine flu immunizations. This syndrome is a rare side-effect of modern influenza vaccines, with an incidence of about one case per million vaccinations.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Vellozzi C, Burwen DR, Dobardzic A, Ball R, Walton K, Haber P |title=Safety of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines in adults: Background for pandemic influenza vaccine safety monitoring |journal=Vaccine |volume=27 |issue=15 |pages=2114–2120 |year=2009 |month=March |pmid=19356614 |doi=10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.01.125}}</ref> As a result, Di Justo writes that "the public refused to trust a government-operated health program that killed old people and crippled young people." In total, less than 33 percent of the population had been immunized by the end of 1976. The National Influenza Immunization Program was effectively halted on December 16. |
There were reports of [[Guillain-Barré syndrome]], a paralyzing [[neuromuscular]] disorder, affecting some people who had received swine flu immunizations. This syndrome is a rare side-effect of modern influenza vaccines, with an incidence of about one case per million vaccinations.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Vellozzi C, Burwen DR, Dobardzic A, Ball R, Walton K, Haber P |title=Safety of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines in adults: Background for pandemic influenza vaccine safety monitoring |journal=Vaccine |volume=27 |issue=15 |pages=2114–2120 |year=2009 |month=March |pmid=19356614 |doi=10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.01.125}}</ref> As a result, Di Justo writes that "the public refused to trust a government-operated health program that killed old people and crippled young people." In total, less than 33 percent of the population had been immunized by the end of 1976. The National Influenza Immunization Program was effectively halted on December 16. |
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Revision as of 14:36, 2 May 2009
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Swine influenza#1976 U.S. outbreak and Talk:Swine influenza#1976 Outbreak. (Discuss) Proposed since April 2009. |
The 1976 swine flu outbreak, also known as the swine flu fiasco, or the swine flu debacle, was a strain of H1N1 influenza virus that appeared in 1976. Infections were only detected from January 19 to February 9, and were not found outside Fort Dix.[1] The outbreak is most remembered for the mass immunization that it prompted in the United States. The strain itself killed one person and hospitalized 13, however side-effects from the vaccine caused 25 deaths.
On February 5, 1976, an army recruit at Fort Dix said he felt tired and weak. He died the next day and four of his fellow soldiers were later hospitalized. Two weeks after his death, health officials announced that swine flu was the cause of death and that this strain of flu appeared to be closely related to the strain involved in the 1918 flu pandemic. Alarmed public-health officials decided that action must be taken to head off another major pandemic, and they urged President Gerald Ford that every person in the U.S. be vaccinated for the disease. The vaccination program was plagued by delays and public relations problems, but about 24% of the population had been vaccinated by the time the program was canceled. Only one person, the Fort Dix army recruit, died from the flu.[2]
There were reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a paralyzing neuromuscular disorder, affecting some people who had received swine flu immunizations. This syndrome is a rare side-effect of modern influenza vaccines, with an incidence of about one case per million vaccinations.[3] As a result, Di Justo writes that "the public refused to trust a government-operated health program that killed old people and crippled young people." In total, less than 33 percent of the population had been immunized by the end of 1976. The National Influenza Immunization Program was effectively halted on December 16.
Overall, about 500 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), resulting in death from severe pulmonary complications for 25 people, were probably caused by an immunopathological reaction to the 1976 vaccine. Other influenza vaccines have not been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome, though caution is advised for certain individuals, particularly those with a history of GBS.[4][5]
See also
Notes
- ^ Gaydos JC, Top FH, Hodder RA, Russell PK (2006). "Swine influenza a outbreak, Fort Dix, New Jersey, 1976". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 12 (1): 23–8. PMID 16494712.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "What Can We Learn From the 1976 Flu Debacle?". Glenn Beck Fox News. April 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- ^ Vellozzi C, Burwen DR, Dobardzic A, Ball R, Walton K, Haber P (2009). "Safety of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines in adults: Background for pandemic influenza vaccine safety monitoring". Vaccine. 27 (15): 2114–2120. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.01.125. PMID 19356614.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^
Haber P, Sejvar J, Mikaeloff Y, Destefano F (2009). "Vaccines and guillain-barré syndrome". Drug Saf. 32 (4): 309–23. doi:10.2165/00002018-200932040-00005. PMID 19388722.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|doi_brokendate=ignored (|doi-broken-date=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Influenza / Flu Vaccine". University of Illinois at Springfield. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
References
- Sencer DJ, Millar JD (2006-01). "Reflections on the 1976 Swine Flu Vaccination Program". Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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