Influenza Virus : Science World Report

Jun 12, 2014 09:01 AM EDT

Avian Influenza Viruses May Have the Genetic Ingredients for a Pandemic: 1918-Like Outbreak

A certain virus may just have pandemic potential. Scientists have found that circulating avian influenza viruses contain all of the genetic ingredients necessary to underpin the emergence of a virus similar to the deadly 1918 influenza virus.

May 01, 2014 07:48 AM EDT

Origins of Deadly Pandemic Flu Virus of 1918 Discovered: Why it Targeted Young Adults

In 1918, a pandemic flu virus swept across the nation. This unusually severe flu resulted in the death of about 50 million people. Now, researchers have found the origin of this flu virus and the reason behind its unusual severity.

Apr 02, 2014 04:39 PM EDT

Tamiflu-Resistant Influenza: Parsing the Genome for the Culprits

It doesn’t take long for the flu virus to outsmart Tamiflu. Scientists have developed a tool that reveals the mutations that make the virus resistant, and they have identified new mutations that may render ineffective one of the few treatments currently available on the market.

Jan 21, 2014 02:59 PM EST

Internet Surveillance Predicts Infectious Disease Outbreaks Weeks Earlier

The habit of Googling for an online diagnosis before visiting a GP can provide early warning of an infectious disease epidemic.

Jan 17, 2014 10:55 PM EST

Evolving Flu Strains Need Global Vigilance as Increasing H7N9 Bird Flu Toll Shows

A wave of H7N9 bird flu cases and deaths in China since the start of 2014 shows emerging flu strains need constant surveillance if the world is not to be caught off guard by a deadly pandemic.

Jun 20, 2013 04:01 PM EDT

Vital Software Simulates and Provides Critical Data to Public Health Policy Makers

A large-scale modeling program, known as FRED (Framework for Reconstructing Epidemiological Dynamics), enables researchers to investigate and understand the possible courses of future epidemics – and how they might control and alleviate them.

Jun 04, 2013 05:56 PM EDT

H1N1, H5N1, H7N9 Flu? What On Earth Does It All Mean

Ever wondered what flu classifications mean? The pandemic influenza strain, or swine flu, that spread globally in 2009 was referred to as H1N1 and the new bird flu currently spreading in China is A H7N9. Most of us can probably understand what is meant by bird or swine in this context but what do th...

May 31, 2013 05:28 PM EDT

Gene Therapy Gives Mice Broad Protection to Many Pandemic Flu Strains

Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania have developed a new gene therapy to thwart a potential influenza pandemic.

May 13, 2013 09:23 PM EDT

Influenza Virus Genome Even More Adaptable Than Thought

The influenza virus has an amazing inherent ability to mutate, thereby changing its properties and its pathogenicity. European researchers have discovered that sequence variations in the virus genome alter virus pathogenicity by affecting the function of the virus genome itself.