Specialization among infectious disease experts has worked against an in depth understanding of the complexities of different pathogens working cooperatively to cause serious and even fatal human infections. The anticipated human epidemic of an avian derived strain of H5N1 influenza should be a wake up call to address this important question. Influenza can render the body particularly susceptible to certain types of bacteria that can thereby flourish; and could potentially become the driving force of a continuing worldwide pandemic. Prominent among these bacteria, are toxin producing Staphylococcus aureus, some of which can be resistant to various antibiotics, including methicillin.
Pioneering research during the 1918 influenza epidemic clearly identified a virus component as the initiating cause of illness. Yet there are ample indications that bacteria were responsible for “the gravity of the secondary pulmonary complications,” and the “common causes of death.” The idea of a mixed infection is contained in the oft quoted letter written by a military physician in 1919.
“Camp Devens is near Boston, and has about 50,000 men, or did have before this epidemic broke loose
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