1976 Swine Flu Outbreak

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The 1976 Swine Flu outbreak caused widespread panic and many casualties in its wake. Permanent disability was the major result of what was thought to be to solution to the pandemic, vaccines. In early 1976, the swine flu or H1N1 caused severe respiratory illness in 13 soldiers and 1 death on the military base in Fort Dix, New Jersey (Gaydos, Top, Hodder, & Russell, 2006). This influenza outbreak resembled the fright and virulence of the 1918 Spanish Flu, which cause epidemiologist great concern. By month’s end the virus infected over 230 soldiers fueling the hysteria. At that time, it was assumed that new recruits were the source of the infection and all entering the Fort Dix based were placed on isolation for a total of six weeks (Gaydos, Top, Hodder, & Russell, 2006). …show more content…

Just like its namesake, Swine Influenza indeed was first discovered as a respiratory illness in pigs caused by influenza A (CDC.gov, 2016). However, variance in one or more genes in the virus, caused the mutation A/New Jersey/76, increasing the zoonotic effects of the virus (CDC.gov, 2016). The potential for humans to become infected now exist briefly perplexing immunologist and epidemiologist in its early stages. Transmission was linked to close respiratory contact with infected swine and or inhaling dust or hay infected with droplets of the

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