The Asian Flu was a pandemic outbreak of influenza that originated in China in 1957 and spread worldwide that same year. This virus pandemic lasted until 1958. Jump to: navigation, search A pandemic, or global epidemic, is an outbreak of an infectious disease that affects people or animals over an extensive geographical area (from Greek pan all + demos people). ... Jump to: navigation, search Negatively stained flu virions. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search A virus is a nonliving small particle that infects cells in biological organisms. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Asian Flu was of the H2N2 strain (a notation that refers to the configuration of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins in the virus) of type A influenza, and a flu vaccine was developed in 1957 to contain its outbreak. Estimates of the worldwide casualty level vary widely, from one to four million people. Hemagglutinin (HA) is an antigenic glycoprotein found on the surface of the Influenza virus and is responsible for binding the virus to the cell that is being infected. ... Jump to: navigation, search Neuraminidase ribbon diagram Neuraminidase is an antigenic glycoprotein enzyme (EC 3. ... Jump to: navigation, search A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ... Jump to: navigation, search Influenza A virus, the virus that causes Avian flu. ... The flu vaccine is a vaccine to protect against the highly variable Influenza virus. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Asian Flu strain later evolved via antigenic shift into H3N2, the so-called Hong Kong Flu which caused a milder pandemic from 1968 to 1969. Antigenic shift is the process by which two different strains of influenza combine to form a new subtype having a mixture of the surface antigens of the two original strains. ... The Hong Kong Flu was a pandemic outbreak of influenza that began in Hong Kong in 1968 and spread to the United States of America that year. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1969 was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ...

From October 2004 to February 2005, some 3,700 test kits of the 1957 virus were accidentally spread around the world from the College of American Pathologists (CAP). CAP assists laboratories in accuracy by providing unidentified samples of viruses; private contractor Meridian Bioscience in Cincinnati, U.S., chose the 1957 strand instead of one of the newer Influenza A strands. The flu is considered deadly and the U.S. government called for the vials containing the strain to be destroyed. Cincinnati, Ohio viewed from the SW, across the Ohio River from Kentucky. ... ...

External links

• New Scientist: Bird Flu
• Pandemic-causing 'Asian flu' accidentally released
• Asian Lab Opens 'Accidental' Parcel With Deadly Flu