The influenza A virus has been responsible for three global pandemics in the last century: the Spanish Flu in 1918, Asian Flu in 1957 and the Hong Kong Flu in 1968. These pandemics were responsible for a large number of fatalities, the Spanish Flu being the most severe and caused severe pneumonias, particularly among pregnant women (Table 1) . A recently published epidemiological study about cohorts born in and around the pandemic estimated that the individuals born had a[20% excess cardiovascular disease at 60-82 years of age, relative to those born without exposure to the influenza epidemic, thus suggesting that prenatal exposure to even uncomplicated maternal influenza may have lasting consequences later in life [3] .