NIH Report Notes Similarity Of New York City H1N1 Swine Flu Deaths With 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic

A shocking new report from the National Institutes For Health has noted the similarity between H1N1 swine flu deaths in New York City and deaths caused by the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. The scientists involved in this research examined autopsy reports, hospital records and other clinical data from 34 patients who died from the H1N1 swine flu between May 15th and July 9th, 2009.  All but two of the H1N1 deaths discussed in the report occurred within New York City. What the report found was that the H1N1 swine flu virus had attacked the protective cells that lined the respiratory system of these patients. That caused these patients to be much more susceptible to bacterial infections. According to the report, this is consistent with what happened to victims of the flu during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.  This new research is all the more disturbing considering the fact that many reports of similar H1N1 swine flu symptoms are now pouring in from all over the globe.

While some observers have been speculating on a link between the H1N1 swine flu and the 1918 Spanish flu for some time now, the truth is that this report is the first scientific research to openly come out and publicly declare a link between the two. The NIH report puts it this way....

In fatal cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza, the virus can damage cells throughout the respiratory airway, much like the viruses that caused the 1918 and 1957 influenza pandemics

We had previously reported on new research which shows that most victims of the 1918 Spanish flu actually died from bacterial pneumonia.  Now, this new report clearly states that these H1N1 swine flu victims in New York City experienced a similar attack on their respiratory systems which led to bacterial infections in many cases....

A microscopic examination of tissues throughout the airways revealed that the virus caused damage primarily to the upper airway—the trachea and bronchial tubes—but tissue damage in the lower airway, including deep in the lungs, was present as well. Evidence of secondary bacterial infection was seen in more than half of the victims.

Not only that, but the damage to the lungs of these New York City H1N1 victims sounds very comparable to the damage to the lungs of victims of the 1918 Spanish flu and to the damage to the lungs of patients in Ukraine....

The researchers examined tissue samples from the 34 deceased individuals to assess how 2009 H1N1 influenza virus damaged various parts of the respiratory system. “We saw a spectrum of damage to tissue in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts,” says Dr. Taubenberger. In all cases, the uppermost regions of the respiratory tract—the trachea and bronchial tubes—were inflamed, with severe damage in some cases. In 18 cases, evidence of damage lower down in the finer branches of the bronchial tubes, or bronchioles, was noted. In 25 cases, the researchers found damage to the small globular air sacs, or alveoli, of the lungs.

At the end of the report, one of the key doctors involved in the research makes it clear that the respiratory system damage found in the New York City H1N1 patients was consistent with patterns seen during the 1918 and 1957 flu pandemics that killed millions....

“This pattern of pathology in the airway tissues is similar to that reported in autopsy findings of victims of both the 1918 and 1957 influenza pandemics,” notes Dr. Taubenberger.

This report in incredibly sobering - especially considering what has been going on in Ukraine.

In Ukraine, hundreds of people have been dying of severe respiratory disease.  What has apparently been happening is that the H1N1 swine flu has been viciously attacking the protective cells lining the respiratory system, thus allowing bacterial infections to ravage the lungs.  Temperatures inside the lungs of some patients in Ukraine have reached as high as 135 degrees Fahrenheit, and as some of these victims near death their lungs begin to literally disintegrate and turn black as charcoal.

Ukrainian Professor Viktor Bachinsky recently described what symptoms he is seeing in patients with this virus....

"The virus, which causes death, is very aggressive, it does not strike the trachea, but immediately gets into the lungs and causes heavy swelling and solid hemorrhage. Mixed types of parainfluenza and influenza A/N1N1 lead to this state. This is a very toxic strain, which has not yet answered to the treatment of the Ministry of Health."

In Ukraine this H1N1 swine flu virus is causing the total destruction of the lungs of its victims.  Recombinomics recently posted a translation of an official announcement by the Ukraine Ministry of Health that graphically describes what is happening to these patients....

The symptoms are observed at different stages of disease - a fever with a temperature over 38 C, cough, respiratory disorders. When cough was characterized by negligible allocation phlegm or dry unproductive cough with blotches of blood. All the patients come to hospital on average by 3-7 days of onset, were in serious condition. Period of time from onset to death averaged from 4 to 7 days. In all patients during a hospital for signs of respiratory insufficiency of various degrees, which quickly rose and manifested accelerated respiration rate, shortness of breath and effectiveness of independent breathing. X-ray studies were performed on 1-2 day hospitalization. Most patients experienced a double-headed particles of lower lung lesion, followed by a trend towards total destruction.

It has been a truly frightening situation over there.

One doctor in Western Ukraine was quoted as saying the following about what the lungs of  people who have died there look like....

"We have carried out post mortems on two victims and found their lungs are as black as charcoal.  They look like they have been burned. It’s terrifying."

Now similar reports are coming in from Russia, China, Brazil, France and Norway.  There have even been reports of similar H1N1 symptoms in Iowa and Utah.

So what is causing the H1N1 virus to do this to some people?

Well, many health authorities are claiming that the "D225G" change in the receptor binding domain for the H1N1 influenza is associated with both bleeding in the lungs and a low reaction to the H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

For more about this H1N1 mutation, please check out our previous article on the matter.  The reality is that this D225G mutation does seem to be linked with more aggressive behavior by the virus.  It does seem to produce symptoms that are similar to what victims of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic experienced.

So will this outbreak of H1N1 become as bad as the 1918 Spanish flu?

Let us hope not.

The 1918 Spanish flu is estimated to have killed between 50 and 100 million people worldwide.  If that happened today, the consequences would be unimaginable.