The document discusses Spanish flu and influenza A. Spanish flu first appeared in 1918 during World War I and was called Spanish flu because Spain was not engaged in the war and freely reported on the disease. It infected one third of the global population and killed around 50-100 million people, making it the deadliest pandemic in history. Influenza A is a type of flu that naturally infects birds but can also infect humans and pigs. The 2009 H1N1 pandemic was an influenza A virus that was declared a pandemic in June 2009 and ultimately killed over 18,000 people before ending in August 2010. Symptoms of influenza A include fever, sore throat, cough, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea.

1. Spanish flu and
influenza A
David Pender Villalvilla

2. Spanish flu, where and when
• Its name is due to the war. Spanish flu did
its appearance in 1918, when World War I
hadn’t finished yet. The countries that
were involved in this war suppressed its
press and didn’t allow publishing anything
about it. But Spanish press
could, so Spanish were the
first to notice the existence
of this disease. That’s why
it is called Spanish flu.

3. Spanish flu, consequences
• It’s a type of flu A.
• One third of the population in the whole
world was infected and around 15% of
them died. So it is thought that between
50 and 100 million people could have
died.
• The first 25 million died the first 25 weeks.
• It is known as the worst epidemic in
history.

4. Influenza A
• Family: Orthomyxoviridae.
• Group: V.
• Genera: Influenzavirus A.

5. Influenza A, origin
• This type of flu naturally affects birds, but
some mammals like pigs and humans can
also be infected. That’s why it is also
called avian (bird) flu and swine (pig) flu.

6. Influenza A, consequences
• It was declared the 30th April 2009, in
Miami.
• The 11th June 2009, the World Health
Organisation classified it as a pandemic.
• After 14 months, it finished the 10th
August 2010, leaving 18337 dead people.

7. Influenza A, symptoms
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Headache and fever.
Sore throat and intense caugh.
Difficulties to breathe well.
Runny nose.
Muscle pains.
Reduced hunger.
Sometimes, vomiting and diarrhoea.

8. Influenza A, transmission
Flu A can be transmitted by:
• Direct contact with people with the
disease.
• Small drops from coughing and sneezing.
• Touching contaminated surfaces that
infected people could have touched.
• Touching contaminated people or things
and touching our eyes, mouth or nose
afterwards.

9. Influenza A, prevention
We can prevent having the flu by:
• Covering mouth and nose when sneezing
and coughing.
• Throwing away tissues just after being used.
• Washing frequently our hands, specially after
coughing.
• Not touching our face with dirty hands.
• Not touching ill people.
• Using mask when infected people are near.
• Cleaning surfaces.

10. Influenza A, treatment
• There are two ways to avoid death by flu:
• One of them is taking antiviral medicine,
when you are already sick.
• The other one is used when you are not ill,
to prevent infection and it’s vaccination.