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May 22, 2013 ? As the world prepares for what may be the next pandemic strain of influenza virus, in the H7N9 bird flu, a new UC Irvine study reveals that the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic was deadliest for people under the age of 65, while those 65 and over had greater immunity due to previous exposure to similar viruses.
Deaths from flu pandemics tend to skew younger than those from seasonal flu because of "antigenic recycling," or the fact that some parts of flu viruses have already made the rounds. Between 1918 and 1957, all flu viruses in circulation fell into the H1N1 category, so in 2009, older adults had some protection stemming from their prior experience with viruses of this type, said Andrew Noymer, UC Irvine associate professor of public health and the study's co-author.
"The swine flu pandemic was relatively mild in the extent to which flu-related deaths were above normal, seasonal levels," he said. "Excess death rates were highest among 25- to 64-year-olds." The findings appear in the journal PLOS ONE.
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Deaths from flu pandemics tend to skew younger than those from seasonal flu because of "antigenic recycling," or the fact that some parts of flu viruses have already made the rounds. Between 1918 and 1957, all flu viruses in circulation fell into the H1N1 category, so in 2009, older adults had some protection stemming from their prior experience with viruses of this type, said Andrew Noymer, UC Irvine associate professor of public health and the study's co-author.
"The swine flu pandemic was relatively mild in the extent to which flu-related deaths were above normal, seasonal levels," he said. "Excess death rates were highest among 25- to 64-year-olds." The findings appear in the journal PLOS ONE.
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