Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-11
Fighting Flu
Epiderics

in virulence and rate of spreading Some years more
active strain OF given virus turns just as there can be
both doce and vicious dogs of the breed. Or the
virus can be very mild by blood tests found flu cpl
demic had been in full stride in large mental hospital but
no one had any signs symptoms that could be recognized
The speed at which epidemic travels is determined by
the number of carriers Since it can't be passed until
after the incubation PERIOD the diseases which ncubae
fastest travel fastest Flu for example, has incubation
period of only two days. This explains the explosive
nature Of the disease which like fire through
community and the whole nation in six weeks.
Mumps which has incubation period of from two to
three weeks, of course travels much slower.
What do you by "strains' Of vlrsss7 AS men
toned there be different kinds of vrSes called by the
same general name. To picture the relationship imagine
that man is the general name Of the virus. The virus
type might be the Smith family and the strain would be
John or Mary Smith.
Polio for example, has three basic types The flu virus
which to be pretty clever organism distinctive
for its multiplicity Of strains Its three basic types
called A. and c. The last has caused epidemcs
but has caused epdemcs on an average of every five to
The type them much frequently
This may be due to AS many sub-types.
Avaccne was developed to prevent the and types of
flu. This effective in 1913 and 945. But in 1947
variant Of the virus appeared and made it appear the
vaccine Ineffective. The variant, called "A prime
added to the vaccine which effective was
first shown to BE- Therefore this incident victory
rather than defeat 1t taught medical researchers the
necessity of constantly watching for such variants until the
vaccine encompasses all the combinations that could
Both before and since l947 controlled studies have
shown that the flu vaccine gives from IS per better
than 90 cent protection for number of years against
the known epidemic types BY vaccinatng groups, from
family to an army, epidemcs can be prevented.
Do virssses play part IN either respiratory infections?
They certainly do Another group Of vses causes symp
toms indstngushable from influenza. This is because
after ALL the respiratory tract has just many ways can
respond to infection. The apo (adenoda pharyngeal-
conjunctva vrses, laboratory examination are as
different from flu dogs from CATS but they give rise to
identical flu and grippe symptoms. Neither the principal
apo viruses the flu viruses incidentally often
responsible for gastro-inestinal symptoms. vaccine
against the apo group being worked on and prom
isng results have already been reported
The common cold another virus disease also has
deceptive aspects In instances may actually be
suffering from bacterial infection, Sinsitis or aergy
Because the cold doesn't make very sick the elaborate
job of determining the real of symptoms sell
dom performed Colds and flu too have the reputation of
not providing long period of immunity. Part of this might
be due to the fact that each attack of colds influenza you
get is caused by different strain of virus but there are
other factors which have yet been reckoned with
Whist be done TO protect against virus dlseases7
First bear in mind that diseases be controlled in two