NATS 1670 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Avian Influenza, Reassortment, Antigenic Shift
15 Mar 2017
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Document Summary
The viruses contained a unique combination of gene segments from four different virus sources. Effect a younger age group than that seen during seasonal epidemics. Increased risk of severe or fatal illess in pregnant women when infected with the h1n1 pandemic virus. Reassortment of the ha and na genes between human and avian influenza viruses through a third host (pig?) Occurred (probably) in the 1957 h2n2, the 1968 h3n2 and 2009 h1n1 pandemics. Unique set of mutations causes the adaption of avian influenza viruses to human-to-human transmission. Occurred (probably) in the 1918 h1n1 pandemic. Antigenic shift without reassortment a unique set of accumulated mutations (rna genome) H5n1 (and also in 1918 h1n1): no reassortment. At present no person to person transmission. Up until now h5n1 was not able to create such a set of mutations. The nature of those mutations is not known. However, theoretically, such a random process is possible. Capable of sustained person to person transmission.
