TWiV 557: Congress in Rotterdam
From the European Congress of Virology in Rotterdam, Vincent and local co-host Ben Berkhout speak with Ron Fouchier, Rosina Girones, and Marie-Paule Kieny about their careers and their work on influenza virus, environmental virology, and developing an Ebola virus vaccine during an epidemic. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 557 (41 MB .mp3, 67 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google […] (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - July 22, 2019 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology antigenic drift ebola virus environmental virology epidemic global health H2N2 influenza virus pandemic vaccine viral viruses viruses in water Source Type: blogs
Unusual mortality pattern of 1918 influenza A virus
The 1918 influenza pandemic was particularly lethal, not only for the very young and the very old (as observed for typical influenza), but unexpectedly also for young adults, 20 to 40 years of age (pictured). It has been suggested that the increased lethality in young adults occurred because they lacked protective immunity that would be conferred by previous infection with a related virus. Reconstruction of the origins of the 1918 influenza virus provides support for this hypothesis.
Analysis of influenza virus genome sequences using a host-specific molecular clock together with seroarchaeology (analysis of stored sera fo...
Source: virology blog - May 2, 2014 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information 1918 pandemic H1N1 H2N2 H3N8 HA influenza seroarchaeology vaccine viral virus Source Type: blogs
A single amino acid change switches avian influenza H5N1 and H7N9 viruses to human receptors
Two back-to-back papers were published last week that provide a detailed analysis of what it would take for avian influenza H5N1 and H7N9 viruses to switch to human receptors.
Influenza virus initiates infection by attaching to the cell surface, a process mediated by binding of the viral hemagglutinin protein (HA) to sialic acid. This sugar is found on glycoproteins, which are polypeptide chains decorated with chains of sugars. The way that sialic acid is linked to the next sugar molecule determines what kind of influenza viruses will bind. Human influenza viruses prefer to attach to sialic acids linked to the second sugar...
Source: virology blog - June 11, 2013 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information avian influenza evolution H5N1 h7n9 mutation pandemic receptor binding site sialic acid viral virus Source Type: blogs
Avian influenza H7N9 viruses isolated from humans: What do the gene sequences mean?
There have been over 60 human infections with avian influenza virus H7N9 in China, and cases have been detected outside of Shanghai, including Beijing, Zhejiang, Henan, and Anhui Provinces. Information on the first three cases has now been published, allowing a more detailed consideration of the properties of the viral isolates.
The first genome sequences reported were from the initial three H7N9 isolates: A/Shanghai/1/2013, A/Shanghai/2/2013, and A/Anhui/1/2013. These were followed by genome sequences from A/Hongzhou/1/2013 (from a male patient), A/pigeon/Shanghai/S1069/2013), A/chicken/Shanghai/S1053/2013), and A/en...
Source: virology blog - April 17, 2013 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information China H5N1 h7n9 H9N2 influenza pandemic poultry viral virus zoonosis zoonotic Source Type: blogs
