Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
08:52
Use of an Influenza Antigen Microarray to Measure the Breadth of Serum Antibodies Across Virus Subtypes
Published on: July 26, 2019
Proteomic Analysis of Influenza
1College of Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, FL, USA. tveenstra@lecom.edu.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|May 13, 2026
Summary
Pandemics, defined as worldwide disease outbreaks, are not rare, with 250 recorded throughout history. Six pandemics have occurred in the last two decades, highlighting their recurring nature and global impact.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Public awareness of virology terms like mRNA vaccines and coronaviruses (CoVs) has increased.
- Pandemics have a long history, with approximately 250 recorded since 1200 B.C., 20 causing over a million deaths.
- The Justinian plague (540 A.D.) is the earliest detailed pandemic, lasting two centuries and contributing to the Roman Empire's fall.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the term pandemic.
- To provide historical context on pandemics.
- To illustrate the frequency of recent pandemics.
Main Methods:
- Historical record review.
- Literature review of recorded pandemics.
- Analysis of recent pandemic occurrences.
Main Results:
- A pandemic is defined as a disease occurring worldwide and affecting many individuals.
- There have been 250 recorded pandemics in history.
- Six pandemics have occurred in the last 20 years, including SARS-CoV-1, swine flu, MERS-CoV, Ebola, Zika, and SARS-CoV-2.
Conclusions:
- Pandemics are not rare historical events.
- Recent history shows a significant number of pandemics.
- Understanding pandemics is crucial for public health preparedness.
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