The Spanish flu outbreak of 1918 killed between 30 and 50 million people. In the infected patients, the ultimate cause of death was acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This fatal condition is a massive reaction of the body during which the lung becomes severely damaged. ARDS can be induced by various bacterial and viral infections, but also by chemical agents.

U.S. carps at Indonesia for unwillingness to cooperate when it comes to production of lifesaving vaccines.

A woman in Egypt has died of bird flu, bringing the number of bird flu fatalities in that country to 22.

Authorities in eastern India say bird flu is spreading through poultry flocks in the same area of West Bengal state where the virus was thought to have been brought under control a month ago.

The World Health Organization says that while there have already been three deaths from bird flu in China this year, there are no signs the deadly disease is becoming a bigger problem.

Indonesia sent a dozen bird flu samples to a World Health Organization laboratory this week, the first time it has done so it more than a year.

Indonesian Health Ministry announced that a young woman died of bird flu Saturday, bringing the country's death toll from the disease to 103.

Indonesia's health ministry says a 31-year-old woman has died of bird flu, raising the national death toll from the disease to 102.

Pakistani authorities confirm that a deadly strain of the bird flu virus has been detected near the southern city of Karachi.

Chinese agricultural authorities have reported an outbreak of bird flu among poultry in Tibet.

Egypt's health ministry has announced a second bird flu death in less than a week.

An international team of researchers says it has discovered what makes the bird flu virus so deadly. It appears the disease affects a wide range of organs other than the lungs in adults and is capable of killing the fetus of pregnant women.