**PANDEMIC FLU**

**General definitions (any may be used)**

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**\[From [http://www.pandemicflu.gov](http://www.pandemicflu.gov/) --
the US government's megasite on pandemic flu\]**

**Seasonal flu, avian flu, and pandemic flu are not the same.**

### Flu Terms Defined

*Seasonal (or common) flu* is a respiratory illness that can be
transmitted person to person. Most people have some immunity, and a
vaccine is available.

*Avian (or bird) flu (AI)* is caused by influenza viruses that occur
naturally among wild birds. Low pathogenic AI is common in birds and
causes few problems. Highly pathogenic H5N1 is deadly to domestic fowl,
can be transmitted from birds to humans, and is deadly to humans. There
is virtually no human immunity and human vaccine availability is very
limited.

*Pandemic flu* is virulent human flu that causes a global outbreak, or
pandemic, of serious illness. Because there is little natural immunity,
the disease can spread easily from person to person.

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**\[From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention**
http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2007/r070503.htm\]

**Pandemic Influenza**

A flu pandemic is a global outbreak caused by a new flu virus that
spreads around the world. The virus will spread easily from person to
person, mostly by close contact (within about 6 feet) with individuals
who are infected, and mostly through coughing and sneezing. Because the
virus will be new to people, everyone will be at risk of getting it.
Much of the transmission will most likely occur in non-healthcare
settings, such as schools, public gatherings, mass transit, and
households. The severity of the infection from an influenza virus in a
pandemic is not knowable in advance. Severity could range from a level
comparable to seasonal influenza to the level that occurred in the
pandemic of 1918.

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**\[From Safeguarding and Serving---VA Prepares for Pandemic Flu: A
Guide for VA Staff**

**August 2008\]**

Pandemic influenza (pandemic flu) is a global outbreak of disease. It
happens when a new flu

virus is introduced to humans and then spreads from person to person.
This flu can quickly

spread worldwide due to a lack of immunity to the new virus.

The threat of a pandemic is not new. It is estimated that flu pandemics
have been affecting the

world for the last four centuries, with three pandemic flu outbreaks
taking place in the 20th century.

In 1918 the world coped with the Spanish flu, a pandemic that caused 20
to 40 percent of the people

in the world to become ill and caused 50 million deaths. At least
675,000 deaths were in the United

States. In 1957, the Asian flu killed 69,800 people in the United States
alone, and one to two million

worldwide. In 1968, the Hong Kong flu spread worldwide, causing 33,800
deaths in the U.S. and

700,000 deaths worldwide.3

There is no way to guess when or where the next flu pandemic will begin.
However, once a new

strain of flu is introduced to humans, it is possible for the virus to
spread very quickly throughout

the rest of the world. The best way to prepare for this is through
education about pandemic flu.

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## \[From Pandemic Flu: General Information (brochure) -- Department of Veterans Affairs, October 2006\]

## What is Pandemic Influenza (Flu)?

-   Influenza is an illness from a virus that causes fever, coughing,
    muscle aches, and other symptoms, that we refer to as "flu."

-   A flu pandemic occurs when a new flu virus spreads to people all
    over the world.

-   "Pandemic flu" is not the same as "seasonal flu." Illness from
    seasonal flu occurs every year, usually in winter months. People can
    protect themselves from seasonal flu by getting flu vaccine (a "flu
    shot" or nasal spray as recommended by one's healthcare provider).

-   Pandemic flu might make people sicker than seasonal flu and might
    spread easily to others because there would be no vaccine at first.

In the past, flu pandemics were given names. You may have heard of the
1918 "Spanish flu," "Asian flu" in 1957, or "Hong Kong flu" in 1968.

***New information will become available -- stay informed by visiting
www.pandemicflu.gov.***

Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards (13)

(VA pandemic flu coordinating office)

Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

June 20008