Epidemic+Hw+PK



(1) Why keep the 1918 flu virus in the freezer? - It is kept in the freezer to study for future virus prevention (for example: preventing the bird flu)

(2) Where do all fly viruses get their start? - Fly viruses begin within the intestines of birds.

(3) How does the avian flu and 1918 flu kill people? - The avian flu and the 1918 flu kill people through attacking the lower part of the lung, which is very vulnerable.

(4) Why can't the bird flu transfer from human to human? - The bird flu has not yet evolved into the right form with the correct hemaglutinin combination.



(5) Why would someone in the lab want to give the bird flu the ability to go from human to human? - The person would want to create that bird flu to figure out how to make a bird flu vaccine.

(6) How are they are trying to give bird flu that ability (in the lab)? - They are trying to give it the right hemaglutinin combination, so that it can pass from human to human.

(7) How many people were killed in th 1918 flu epidemic? - Fifty million people were killed in the 1918 Flu epidemic (wikipedia)



(8) How many people were killed by the plague-"The black death"? - About 30% of the European population.

(9) What is an epidemic? An epidemic occurs when a disease affects a great amount of people.

(10) What caused the plague and how did it spread? - The plague was caused by a bacteria named Yersina pestis. It is believed that it was spread by ship rats, which carried the plague all across Europe.