Variable Mortality From the 1918?1919 Influenza Pandemic During Military Training
COL G. Dennis Shanks , MC USA (Ret.)*?; 1LT Steven Burroughs , IN USA?; ENS Joshua D. Sohn , MC USN?; LTC Norman C. Waters , MSC USA?; Virginia F. Smith , PhD?; Michael Waller , MSc?; COL John F. Brundage , MC USA (Ret.)∥
*Australian Army Malaria Institute, Gallipoli Barracks, Weary Dunlop Drive, Enoggera, QLD 4051, Australia.
?University of Queensland, 288 Herston Road, Centre for Australian Military and Veterans' Health, School of Population Health, Brisbane, QLD 2006, Australia.
?Department of Chemistry, US Military Academy, 646 Swift Road, West Point, NY 10996.
?Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, 572M Holloway Road, MS-9B, Annapolis, MD 21402.
∥Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC), 11800 Tech Road, Suite 220, Silver Spring, MD 20904.
ABSTRACT
During the 1918?1919 pandemic, influenza mortality widely varied across populations and locations. Records of U.S. military members in mobilization camps (n = 40), military academies, and officer training schools were examined to document differences in influenza experiences during the fall 1918. During the fall?winter 1918?1919, mortality percentages were higher among soldiers in U.S. Army mobilization camps (0.34?4.3%) than among officer trainees (0?1.0%). Susceptibility to infection and clinical expressions of 1918 pandemic influenza varied largely based on host epidemiological characteristics rather than the inherent virulence of the virus.
COL G. Dennis Shanks , MC USA (Ret.)*?; 1LT Steven Burroughs , IN USA?; ENS Joshua D. Sohn , MC USN?; LTC Norman C. Waters , MSC USA?; Virginia F. Smith , PhD?; Michael Waller , MSc?; COL John F. Brundage , MC USA (Ret.)∥
*Australian Army Malaria Institute, Gallipoli Barracks, Weary Dunlop Drive, Enoggera, QLD 4051, Australia.
?University of Queensland, 288 Herston Road, Centre for Australian Military and Veterans' Health, School of Population Health, Brisbane, QLD 2006, Australia.
?Department of Chemistry, US Military Academy, 646 Swift Road, West Point, NY 10996.
?Department of Chemistry, United States Naval Academy, 572M Holloway Road, MS-9B, Annapolis, MD 21402.
∥Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC), 11800 Tech Road, Suite 220, Silver Spring, MD 20904.
ABSTRACT
During the 1918?1919 pandemic, influenza mortality widely varied across populations and locations. Records of U.S. military members in mobilization camps (n = 40), military academies, and officer training schools were examined to document differences in influenza experiences during the fall 1918. During the fall?winter 1918?1919, mortality percentages were higher among soldiers in U.S. Army mobilization camps (0.34?4.3%) than among officer trainees (0?1.0%). Susceptibility to infection and clinical expressions of 1918 pandemic influenza varied largely based on host epidemiological characteristics rather than the inherent virulence of the virus.
Comment