Who Discovered the Influenza Virus?
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History
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The earliest record of a flu-like illness comes from Roman historian Titus Livius, who describes an epidemic dating back to 41 B.C., according to the International Actuarial Association.
Coining a Term
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According to Medical Ecology, an unnamed Italian in the mid-1700s coined the term "influenza," to describe "a disease resulting from miasma (bad air)."
Discovery
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Several experiments with pigs in the early part of the 20th century eventually led to the discovery that a virus causes influenza, according to Medical Ecology.
First Human Influenza
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Wilson Smith, Christopher Andrews and Patrick Laidrow isolated and identified the first case of human influenza in 1933 by finding a suitable host for propagation of the virus, reports Medical Ecology.
Seasonal Flu
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According to Flu.gov, the seasonal flu affects more than 200,000 people in the United States per year---about 36,000 die from flu-related causes.
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