Research gives clues why Spanish flu was so deadly

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An experiment to reconstruct the deadly “Spanish flu” that claimed about 20,000,000 lives in 1918, has provided clues on why it was so fatal. US scientists reveal the virus triggered a severe immune system reaction when mice were infected with it. Experts believe, the body started killing its own cells, which made the flu more dangerous.

Data of the survey published in Nature may help in searching for new methods of treating influenza, particularly, bird flu, BBC reports.

Paul Hunter, professor of health protection from the University of East Anglia, says the Spanish flu and avian flu both kill by “an extraordinarily unpleasant death.”