The 1918-19 influenza pandemic in Boyacá, Colombia

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 48 - 56
• Main Authors: Chowell, Gerardo, Viboud, Cécile, Simonsen, Lone, Miller, Mark A, Acuna-Soto, Rodolfo, Díaz, Juan M Ospina, Martínez-Martín, Abel Fernando
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01-01-2012; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: 1918–19 pandemic; Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Boyacá; Child; Colombia; Colombia - epidemiology; Development and progression; Disease susceptibility; Disease transmission; Epidemics; excess deaths; Health aspects; History, 20th Century; Humans; influenza; Influenza viruses; Influenza, Human - epidemiology; Influenza, Human - history; Influenza, Human - mortality; Mexico; Mortality; Pandemics - history; Public health; Swine influenza; Taiwan; transmissibility; Colombia; Mexico; Taiwan
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid1801.101969

To quantify age-specific excess-mortality rates and transmissibility patterns for the 1918-20 influenza pandemic in Boyacá, Colombia, we reviewed archival mortality records. We identified a severe pandemic wave during October 1918-January1919 associated with 40 excess deaths per 10,000 population. The age profile for excess deaths was W shaped; highest mortality rates were among infants (<5 y of age), followed by elderly persons (>60 y) and young adults (25-29 y). Mean reproduction number was estimated at 1.4-1.7, assuming 3- or 4-day generation intervals. Boyacá, unlike cities in Europe, the United States, or Mexico, experienced neither a herald pandemic wave of deaths early in 1918 nor a recrudescent wave in 1920. In agreement with reports from Mexico, our study found no death-sparing effect for elderly persons in Colombia. We found regional disparities in prior immunity and timing of introduction of the 1918 pandemic virus across populations.