CH 105 - Chemistry and Society

Influenza: The Questions

04/04/2005

Here is a list of some of the questions that you wanted to explore as we study Influenza:

Has the type of flu in the movie been found since then in any cases?
How frequently to people now die for the flu?
I have heard the older you are the more likely you are to die from the flu, is this true?
Did the flu in the movie spread across the whole country like into CA and WA? Did it make it to Mexico and Canada?

Were human beings the only species infected with the epidemic or did animals get the disease too?
How did some people survive the flu if there was no vaccine for it? Did they take medicine that worked, if so what was the medicine and how did it fight the virus?
When did researchers finally figure out that influenza was really a virus not bacteria? How could they tell?
How many people did influenza end up killing (what was the death count)? Could something like this ever happen again?
Did influenza spread overseas since American soldiers had the virus and traveled overseas, or was it only a major problem in America?

What are the chances that a Influenza epidemic could occur again in the future?
Since Influenza is a virus, are there any ways to combat this virus once a person has it?
With the technology of the 21st century what do scientists now about this virus, Influenza?
If people would not have been in denial about the chances of influenza becoming a epidemic would many more people have been spared in 1918?
If an influenza epidemic did break out in the United States in 2005, would United States officials, scientists and the president be able to contain the virus from further destruction of innocent lives?

First of all, I don't know the difference between a bacteria and a virus. What are each of these and what are the differences in how they affect the body? Also, the movie talked about how the microscopes weren't strong enough to see a virus-what is the scale difference?
How does the virus mutate and what does that mean to the human body?
How does the body build up immunities to the viruses?
Are there any ways to prevent or cure viruses or are we completely vulnerable to the next flu epidemic?
How did the virus cause fluids to flood the lungs?
Is there any reason that this event is so low profile-is it because we are helpless to these things and it is pointless to worry people?

Are all flu viruses mutations of one original strain?
Why were young, healthy people more susceptible?
Why did some people die while others got better?
Do people remain contagious after death and if so, how long?

What's the difference between the flu that caused the epidemic and the flu people get today? Or is it simply that doctors have learned more about it and vaccines to help prevent it.
Were many doctors and nurses effected by influenza or did many doctors and nurses die. If no, why not?
Where did the influenza epidemic originate and how was it spread? Was it mainly spread by soldiers?
Why were young 21-29 year olds most vulnerable? (because they were the most common age of soldiers)
Was this mainly spread by breathing others germs and if so does it mainly attack the lungs

Are we able to predict at all if and when another epidemic will occur? Is it likely to happen in our lifetime?
What are the preventative measure we should take to protect ourselves?
Was SARS as epidemic?
Why aren't we taught about the epidemic in 1918 in our history classes? Wouldn't it be benificial to learn about it?
How does the Flu, or a virus, get into and affect your body?

What caused the influenza gene to mutate?
If an influenza outbreak were to reappear today, would it be as deadly, or would we be able to treat it with medicine.
Why did this disease spread so rapidly, while the noro outbreak on campus didn't spread like this one even though they were both extremely contagious and airborne?
Does the antibacterial soap that has been placed at McGlynn's or the caf. do anything to prevent against the norovirus since the soap is anti-bacterial and the noro is a virus?
If the influenza outbreak of 1918 came back, how would it start/ what would cause it to reappear?

After speaking with some friends, I was amazed how none of them have heard of the 1918 influenza pandemic. So, how is it possible that no one knew about such a huge event in American and even world history?
What was the real cause of the pandemic? The video explained that the initial cases started in Kansas from burning manure, but is this the true cause?
As stated in the beginning of the video, this could happen again. Is this true? How would it be handled today?
Why exactly did the disease attack those who were young and healthy? Is there scientific research for the reasons why?
Are there cases today like those of 1918, or are they different?

Was it determined that it was actually the burning of the manure that caused the initial strain of the virus? And just the random question of what were they burning manure?
If it was the smoke left after the manure was burned, is it known what exactly in it triggered the virus?
How does the immune system work to build immunity to a virus after a period of time?
What caused some to die and others who got influenza to live? Was it just the age factor?
What about the flu made the strongest most susceptible?

Why was the virus so contagious?
What would happen if it ever came back?
How is a virus different from bacteria?

*Is the virus only passed between people by breathing?
*How long does it affect a person?
*Can the virus still live inside a dear person? if so, how long?
*Why do some people die from it and others don't?
*Can you become immunedto it?
*Why does it just stop affecting people?

Are there different types of influenza? Lots of times people say they have the stomach flu, but I also know that the flu can come in a form similar to a cold.
What makes the flu so easy for people to spread and catch? What are the reasons the flu cannot be cured?
What causes the body to feel so bad when it has been attacked by the flu?

In 1918, how did people build immunity to fight influenza and what then happened to the virus, did it just die?
How is it possible that people on the brink of death from this disease, came out alive whereas 600,000 people died that were also infected? example: the reporter, the speakers who were diagnosed as children
feel safe saying we live in a society of fear, so I am surprised that the issue of an international pandemic that would kill millions has not surfaced with mainstream society. Why not?

In the movie it stated that the pandemic of 1918 was different in that it targeted the strongest of the population as opposed to most which targeted the old and the young. What made this particular influenza different from the others?
In the movie, particularly during the Salt Lake City portion, it talked about how the influenza lay dormant in those who seemed healthy. It was shown in the movie by talking about the mailman who entered into the quarantined city. Does this mean that the mailman would inevitably come down with the influenza, or would it be passed through people without affecting everyone? If so, how is this the case.
In the movie it alluded to the fact that it could have been started by the burning of manure in a certain area. How could this cause such a pandemic and through what means?

How many soldiers did the flu end up killing in and around 1918 as we were in World War I?
How was it possible that people could die so quickly (such as within one day) from the flu?
How does the flu keep morphing every year (we’ve had a flu vaccine, but still, every year, people get the flu. I can only assume that some of these people have had the vaccine and it has either run out or the flu has morphed to become more powerful and would thus require a new vaccine. Why, and how?)?
Honestly now, how could it have been forgotten so damn easily? Before I saw this movie, the only (and I mean only thing I associated with 1918 was the Red Sox winning the World Series. I would think that this flu that wiped out a large portion of the country (and world) in only 10 months would deserve some exposure, and I can’t understand how it could just go away like it did (the news and remembrance of it, anyway).
What are the odds that something like this happens again, with a sickness that we know of already (and seemingly have a vaccine for), but it still becomes extremely powerful and manages to cause severe damage? Like they said in the movie, it would appear that we have taken on an air (sic?) of invincibility when it comes to sickness and disease and cures and whatnot, so how likely do you think it is that something that we think we have under control manages to overwhelm us unsuspectingly, as the flu did in 1918?

Of the total number of people that got the flu, how many died?
Why would some people survive and others die?
What is the difference between this flu and the common one we see today?
Are there any more theories as to how this flu epidemic started?
How did it mutate?

Why was the flu virus so deadly during the pandemic in the video? Why aren't as many people dying from the flu today as did during the pandemic?
Why was the virus so deadly to those that were supposed to be the strongest/healthiest in our society (20-29 year old healthy people, soldiers, etc)?
Is there a difference between the flu virus that we so often deal with today and the virus in the video?
Are some people inherently more prone to getting the flu and others more resistant?
Does the flu vaccine really work?

How do people gain immunity to diseases?
How do strands of viruses mutate?
How was the flu of 1918 different from other flu’s in that it killed people in the prime of life?
How did this virus come to life?
Are there any viruses similar to this in today’s culture? (Possible mutations)
Is there ever going to be an end to all diseases? (Micro Vs. Macro parasitism)
What is a VIRUS?