Influenza A (H1N1) Blog

Archive for the ‘evolution’ Category

1. October 19, 2010

   The pandemic Influenza keeps reassorting

   After more than a year of the Influenza A H1N1 episode, the virus is still being monitored all over the world, both the flu cases and genetics diversity of the virus. Following up the genetic diversity helps to understand if the vaccine is still efficient and helps identifying the possible appearance of new strains.
   In Hong [...]

2. June 22, 2010

   Pigs are reservoirs of Influenza

   Why were the older people less affected by the new flu?

   ©be_khe

   The elderly, especially those older than 65 years, that is, born before 1944, constitute the part of the population less affected by H1N1. It was suggested and later confirmed by CDC that it is about the prior immunity to the virus. These people probably have [...]

3. June 1, 2010

   Pandemic Influenza: the role of poultry birds

   Never in history of mankind have we reared as many pigs and chickens as now. The growing demand for meat, especially in developing countries like China, exerts a great pressure in the increase of the quantity of meat in commerce. Therefore, more wild birds are being caught and more domestic birds are being bred. The [...]

4. February 9, 2010

   Diversity of the Influenza and the reassortment

   One of the most important characteristics to be considered about the Influenza, in the preparation for pandemics, is the reassortment. A mixture of genes of two or more different viruses is able to generate a new variety. Such as the new Influenza A (H1N1).
   Although the mutations have an important role in the diversity of the [...]