The recent emergence of H1N1 (swine flu) illustrates the ability of the influenza virus to create antigens new to the human immune system, even within a given hemagglutinin and neuraminidase subtype. This new H1N1 strain is sufficiently distinct, for example, from the A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus strain of influenza in the 2008/09 Northern hemisphere vaccine that protection is not expec...

70 The severity of novel influenza A virus subtype H1N1 in young adults was initially described by the Mexican Health Ministry in April 2009 (1). The number of previously healthy patients progressing to respiratory and multisystem organ failure was common (2,3). Worldwide, hospitals reported surges in intensive care admissions during the initial phase of the pandemic (4–6). In Canada, 17% of al...

Higher and prolonged viral replication is critical for the increased pathogenesis of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype of H5N1 influenza A virus (IAV) over the lowly pathogenic H1N1 IAV strain. Recent studies highlighted the considerable roles of cellular miRNAs in host defence against viral infection. In this report, using a 3'UTR reporter system, we identified several putat...

Resistance to infection with an influenza A virus conferred by previous infection with an influenza A virus belonging to another subtype is called heterosubtypic immunity. Heterosubtypic immunity is demonstrable in laboratory animals but is believed to be weak in humans. The present study examined whether heterosubtypic immunity from previous influenza virus infection induced resistance to infe...

Influenza has been recognized as a respiratory disease in swine since its first appearance concurrent with the 1918 „„Spanish flu‟‟ human pandemic. All influenza viruses of significance in swine are type A, subtype H1N1, H1N2, or H3N2 viruses. Swine Influenza is a respiratory disease of pig caused by Type A influenza viruses. Influenza A causes moderate to severe illness and affects all age gro...

INTRODUCTION The influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus arrived in Vietnam in May 2009 via the United States and rapidly spread throughout the country. This study provides data on the viral diagnosis and molecular epidemiology of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus isolated in Thua Thien Hue Province, central Vietnam. METHODOLOGY Nasopharyngeal swabs and throat swabs from 53 clinically infected patients in th...

There are two major classes of antivirals available for the treatment and prevention of influenza, the M2 inhibitors and the neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs). The M2 inhibitors are cheap, but they are only effective against influenza A viruses, and resistance arises rapidly. The current influenza A H3N2 and pandemic A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses are already resistant to the M2 inhibitors as are many H5N1...

Influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections are the most common infectious diseases of our time, causing a significant harm to human health as well great economic damage. At least five groups viruses, including more than 300 subtypes, currently related ARVI pathogens. Such agents characterized by high degree variability resulting in replaced virus antigenic characteristics augmenting...

BACKGROUND Influenza infections may result in different clinical presentations. This study aims to determine the clinical differences between circulating influenza strains in a young healthy adult population in the tropics. METHODS A febrile respiratory illness (FRI) (fever ≥ 37.5°C with cough and/or sore throat) surveillance program was started in 4 large military camps in Singapore on May 2...

A real time RT-PCR, using the LightCycler, was developed and compared with rapid antigen enzyme immunoassay (AgEIA) and enhanced virus culture for rapid detection of influenza A viruses in stored and prospectively collected respiratory specimens. Specific hybridization probes were used for simultaneous detection and differentiation between H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes. The sensitivity of the RT-PCR f...