The lungs of young German soldiers, which appeared on June 27, 1918, are housed in the Berlin History Museum in Germany. The deceased young men were between 18 and 17 years old and died from a strain of influenza virus that emerged at the beginning of the year mentioned above.
However, researchers have followed up on parts of what infected the two young men. Science Mag is still analyzing these two and other human genomes that died from the virus. On the other hand, Henrik Poinar directs compliments to the creators of this finding, being a former head of the McMaster University DNA lab.
There are remains of the deceased that have been studied, including the remains of the two soldiers mentioned above and one woman, which are spread out in the Medical Museum in Berlin and in a collection in Vienna in Austria.
RNA sequencing Spain (in spanish: secuenciación ARN España) continues with much more advanced examinations of all the studies that have been done previously. It is hard work, but the technology has allowed the virus strain to be investigated more thoroughly and effectively.
Is it an impossible task?
Among the studies carried out, the presence of the flu virus among the three deceased is revealed in the RNA fragments. RNA Laboratories Spain (Laboratorios ARN España) notes that it happens with SARS-CoV-2, better known as Covid-19, being a genome composed of RNA, and not DNA.
The decomposition of those fragments has been inevitable, but the researchers managed to reconstruct the remains of the woman mentioned above. It may be curious that these three deceased are part of the research, since they were related according to their genetic material.
The RNA remains found in the woman match 90% and 60% with each of the men also deceased. Calvignac-Spencer has assured that the work is not impossible, due to the fact that, to sequence the genetic material with formalin-fixed tissue is much more difficult in this type of samples than in others.
We must highlight the great work of Calvignac-Spencer, for managing to materialize what many scientists have called a «feat», being a clear example of some hidden data that can provide valuable information about the 1918 pandemic.
Having information about previous strains is crucial to understand and prevent the current consequences. Taking into account that technology and science are great allies for researchers in charge of this work, in ancient times diseases were very unknown compared to today.
The professionals, by taking better samples of the 1918 influenza virus strain from fragments of deceased people that rest in institutions as valuable objects related to science.
Can the two pandemics be linked?
As mentioned above, identifying a virus in that year was very difficult, due to the limited resources we have today. Although the virus was detected in 1918, it was actually known that it was in 1933, since there was no knowledge or possibility of developing vaccines.
The 1918 flu is considered the worst catastrophe at that time, when the continent was at war and a pandemic killed many sick people. Years later, when the world was at peace again, studies on this event were reinforced.
The onset of the current pandemic by Covid-19, it is inevitable not to look back to the popular Spanish flu of 1918. Looking for similarities has prevented the worst episodes from repeating themselves, thanks to technology, science and the internet we have greater access to history and studies by professionals.
By understanding certain similarities of contagion, it is possible to understand what is happening today and prevent its spread. The combination of World War I, economic crisis and terrible pandemic, it is possible to associate today.
As a difference, and advantage, at present, is the possible reinforcement of sanitary measures around the world, taking into account economic inequalities to improve or not worsen the living and working conditions of each person. What was not possible in 1918 with the pandemic.