The Spanish Flu

• The best-known--and most deadly--flu pandemic spread during the winter of 1918-19. This pandemic occurred before vaccines were available and before flu transmission vectors were thoroughly understood. It's estimated the Spanish flu pandemic killed 20 million to 50 million people worldwide. About 500,000 people died from this flu in the U.S. alone.
  
  

The Asian Flu

• The Asian flu outbreak occurred during the winter of 1957-58. Flu vaccines were available, and public health systems implemented lessons learned during the Spanish flu outbreak. The global death toll from this outbreak is estimated at 2 million, with 70,000 deaths in the U.S. A better understanding of influenza is credited with the reduced death toll.
  
  

Hong Kong Flu

• The Hong Kong flu hit in 1968. Better management of public health systems and better vaccines resulted in reducing global deaths from the previous Asian flu pandemic by about half. An estimated 1 million people died worldwide, with 34,000 deaths in the U.S.
  
  

Swine Flu

• A potential flu epidemic in 1976 was called the swine flu of 1976. This flu was, in fact, not as virulent, deadly or widespread as anticipated. Fear of this influenza virus resulted in the vaccination of all people in the United States. Because of problems with the vaccine, more people were sickened by the vaccine than by the virus itself.
  
  

The H1N1 Flu

• The winter of 2008-09 saw the most recent influenza virus that was feared to be the cause a global pandemic. The H1N1, which originated in pigs and was commonly called the swine flu, originated in Mexico, where many of the deaths from this strain have occurred. Unlike other flu viruses, the H1N1 virus continued to infect people during the summer of 2009 and caused a number of deaths. A vaccine has been developed to fight the H1N1 flu.
  
  

Vaccines

• Annual influenza vaccines have done more than anything else to reduce deaths from influenza over time. Even so, an estimated 36,000 people die from various forms of influenza in the United States every year.
  
  

Flu Symptoms

• The flu is usually accompanied by a high fever, muscle aches, chills, fatigue, a dry cough and sometime a runny nose. Vomiting and diarrhea may also be present. If you have several of these symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention.