Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza

4.2 The pandemic in 1957–58

The influenza pandemic of 1957–58, called the Asian flu, resulted in fewer deaths and had milder effects. Although the proportion of people infected was high, the illness was relatively mild compared to the Spanish flu. The first wave of the pandemic was concentrated in school children and the second in the elderly. Infants and the elderly were more likely to die. It is estimated that the Asian flu caused two million deaths worldwide.

Studies show that the virus responsible for this pandemic arose by genetic reassortment and had both haemagglutinin and neuraminidase antigens derived from a bird virus.

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This information is current for 03 September, 2010
This information was issued on 05 December, 2008