Talk:Spanish flu

Semi-protected edit request on 13 April 2020

In two places you state that the Spanish flu infected a quarter of the population (in the into paragraph, and in the first paragraph of the Mortality section)

[intro paragraph] Change from

it infected 500 million people – about a quarter of the world's population at the time. The death toll is estimated to have been anywhere from 17 million to 50 million

Change to

it infected 500 million people – about one-third of the world's population at the time. The death toll is estimated to have been anywhere from 17 million to 50 million

1st paragraph in the Mortality section Change From

″The Spanish flu infected around 500 million people, about a quarter of the world's population.[1] Estimates as to how many infected people died vary greatly, but the flu is regardless considered to be one of the deadliest pandemics in history.″

Change to "The Spanish flu infected around 500 million people, about one-third of the world's population.[1] Estimates as to how many infected people died vary greatly, but the flu is regardless considered to be one of the deadliest pandemics in history."

I would just like to see consistency between information cited in the footnotes at the bottom of the Spanish Flu entry and what is actually written on the Wikipedia page for the Spanish Flu. It is very misleading to have that inconsistency. If the cited references state that it was one-third of the population, how do you get one-fourth (quarter of the population) being infected? There is more evidence for the one-third number whereas one-fourth is not documented in the references

Reasons why the change is requested

This last item ( in the mortality section) has a reference to footnote number 1 --- by Taubenberger and Morens, 2006. If you look at that cited reference document it states:

″An estimated one third of the world's population (or ≈500 million persons) were infected and had clinically apparent illnesses (1,2) during the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic. The disease was exceptionally severe. Case-fatality rates were >2.5%, compared to <0.1% in other influenza pandemics (3,4). Total deaths were estimated at ≈50 million (5–7) and were arguably as high as 100 million (7).″ [3]

The CDC states that one-third, not a quarter, of the world's population was infected by the Spanish flu. [4]

"It is estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the world’s population became infected with this virus. The number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States. Mortality was high in people younger than 5 years old, 20-40 years old, and 65 years and older. The high mortality in healthy people, including those in the 20-40 year age group, was a unique feature of this pandemic."

Zitap123 (talk) 22:12, 15 April 2020 (UTC)

References

 Done {{replyto}} Can I Log In's (talk) page 06:09, 22 April 2020 (UTC)

Chronology

I do not see in the article a clear chronology of the phases of this flu. Surely there should be a section on "Chronology" that discusses what appear to be the waves of infection. I would like it to clearly state what we know about the severity of the flu in, let's say, 1918 vs. 1919 vs. 1920. As an example of poor chronology, the proposed title "1918 flu epidemic" would misrepresent the actual chronology. Zaslav (talk) 04:51, 23 April 2020 (UTC)

I agree, this article needs to be reorganized with a clear chronology. I'm actively working on a new section about the Third Wave in 1919 (which is hardly mentioned here) and I'm also looking up information about the events between summer 1919 and December 1920 (good reliable sources are very difficult to find). After I add this information I'm in favor of a reorganization of this page with clear chronology. Curious to hear what others think. DallasFletcher (talk) 23:02, 23 April 2020 (UTC)

Secondary bacterial infection not bacterial super infection

Most influenza outbreaks disproportionately kill the very young and the very old, with a higher survival rate for those in between, but the Spanish flu pandemic resulted in a higher than expected mortality rate for young adults.[4] Scientists offer several possible explanations for the high mortality rate of the 1918 influenza pandemic. Some analyses have shown the virus to be particularly deadly because it triggers a cytokine storm, which ravages the stronger immune system of young adults.[5] In contrast, a 2007 analysis of medical journals from the period of the pandemic found that the viral infection was no more aggressive than previous influenza strains.[6][7] Instead, malnourishment, overcrowded medical camps and hospitals, and poor hygiene promoted secondary bacterial infection. These infections killed most of the victims, typically after a somewhat prolonged death bed.[8][9] — Preceding unsigned comment added by Pbvet007 (talk • contribs)

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. Do you have a proposal on how to improve the article? El_C 00:12, 26 April 2020 (UTC)

Timeline

Beginning of the articles states, "Lasting from spring 1918 through spring or early summer 1919" Then in the Etymology section it states: "Nearly a century after the Spanish flu struck in 1918–1920" Obviously both of these statements cannot be true. My independent research has suggest the flu lasted for 4 years into 1921. Either way something needs to change. SChalice (talk) 20:38, 5 May 2020 (UTC)