The global outbreak of swine flu hovering just below the pandemic threshold could provide immunity for those already infected if the virus mutates into a more deadly form, scientists have told AFP.
That is what happened in 1918, when most people who fell ill with a mild spring flu were effectively inoculated from the far more lethal strains that roared back a few months later and killed at least 40 million worldwide, according to recent and upcoming studies.
The death rate among those infected during the first wave was 70% lower, according to groundbreaking research published in November in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
The findings suggest that going all-out to prevent exposure to the kind of non-seasonal flu sweeping across the world today may turn out to be counter-productive in the fight to reduce mortality.
full story from M&G here
Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.