Clinical evidence that the pandemic from 1889 to 1891 commonly called the Russian flu might have been an earlier coronavirus pandemic.

This research suggests that the pandemic known as Russian Flu that occurred between 1889 and 1891 might have actually been an early outbreak of a coronavirus, due to similarities in symptoms and pathology between the Russian Flu and COVID-19.

Similarities between Russian Flu and COVID-19

The paper notes that medical reports from Britain and Germany during the years 1889 to 1891, when the Russian flu pandemic was prevalent, reveal similar characteristics between this disease and the present-day COVID-19.

• Just like the current coronavirus, patients infected with the so-called Russian flu exhibited multisystem afflictions, involving respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological symptoms. This included a loss of taste and smell perception, which has been frequently reported in COVID-19 patients.
• The recovery process was lengthy, similar to the ‘long covid’ phenomenon observed in COVID-19 patients which involves symptoms persisting for weeks or even months after the acute illness.
• The pathology reports of patients suffering from the 1889 pandemic highlighted the presence of thrombosis in multiple organs, inflammation, and rheumatic issues. These conditions are also seen in COVID-19 patients.

Epidemiologic Similarities

The research also points out shared epidemiological traits between the two pandemics.

• The Russian flu, similar to COVID-19, was particularly fatal for elderly individuals, whereas children were minimally affected. This pattern contrasts with the typical influenza, where both the elderly and children are susceptible to severe disease.
• Reports from the 1889 period noted incidents of trans-species infection, where the disease was seen to spread between animals like pets and horses and humans. Recently, instances of human-to-animal transmission of the novel coronavirus have also been documented.

Evidence of Coronavirus

The researchers suggest that these collective observations support the hypothesis that the Russian flu might have been a result of a broad host range bovine coronavirus. Using molecular clock arguments that rely on the mutation rates of viruses, the paper suggests that this bovine coronavirus could have jumped species around the year 1890. This could potentially be the underlying cause of the unprecedented pandemic in the 1889-1891 period, thereby positing it as a possible early instance of a coronavirus pandemic.