46 Cases of Swine Flu (H1N1) Reported in 2008; 50 Cases In Humans Reported From 1958 to 2005, According to GIDEON Informatics

The first recorded outbreak of influenza occurred in 1580, according to GIDEON (www.gideononline.com), the online infectious disease database used by medical professionals worldwide. As of 2003, an additional 31 pandemics had been documented, including 21 million deaths estimated from an H1N1 pandemic during 1918 to 1919. From 1958 to 2005, 50 cases of swine influenza virus infection (mostly H1N1) were reported in humans.

Los Angeles, Calif. (PRWEB) May 5, 2009 -- The first recorded outbreak of influenza occurred in 1580, according to GIDEON (www.gideononline.com), the online infectious disease database used by medical professionals worldwide. As of 2003, an additional 31 pandemics had been documented, including 21 million deaths estimated from an H1N1 pandemic during 1918 to 1919. From 1958 to 2005, 50 cases of swine influenza virus infection (mostly H1N1) were reported in humans (http://gideononline.com/swineflu).

GIDEON reports that up until 2006, a total of 46 cases of human infection by swine influenza viruses had been reported, including: 31 in the United States; six in Czechoslovakia; four in Netherlands; three in Russia; one in Canada and one in Hong Kong. These figures include an outbreak with 12 cases/1 fatal at a military facility in New Jersey, United States in 1976.

Dr. Stephen Berger, MD, cofounder and Medical Advisor for GIDEON, is available for interviews. He is regarded as one of the foremost experts on infectious diseases, and has published more than 180 articles and books, including Introduction to Infectious Diseases and The Healthy Tourist. Dr. Berger is currently affiliated with the Tel Aviv Medical Center as both Director of Geographic Medicine and of Clinical Microbiology.

GIDEON is a comprehensive, easy-to-use, interactive Web-based infectious disease knowledge management tool which helps medical personnel worldwide diagnose and treat infectious diseases. GIDEON is in use by hundreds of medical institutions, universities and public health departments worldwide including Children's Hospital Oakland, World Health Organization (WHO), Center for Disease Control (CDC), Yale University, Hong Kong University and the Los Angeles County Health Department. For additional information on GIDEON Informatics, visit www.gideononline.com or call 888-664-3366.

For more media information on swine flu, or for interviews, please contact:

Lisa Hendrickson

516-643-1642

lisa (at) lchcommunications (dot) com

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