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Characterization of the 1918 influenza virus polymerase genes

Author

Listed:
  • Jeffery K. Taubenberger

    (Armed Forces Institute of Pathology)

  • Ann H. Reid

    (Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
    Board on Life Sciences, The National Academies)

  • Raina M. Lourens

    (Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
    University of Iowa, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine)

  • Ruixue Wang

    (Armed Forces Institute of Pathology)

  • Guozhong Jin

    (Armed Forces Institute of Pathology)

  • Thomas G. Fanning

    (Armed Forces Institute of Pathology)

Abstract

Flu viruses decoded Understanding the origin and virulence of the virus that caused 1918–19 influenza pandemic is vital, not least because of the risk that a similar virus could arise in the human population. No isolates of the virus were made in 1918, so direct study was not possible, but a project to sequence its genome was begun in 1995, using RNA fragments from autopsy tissues of victims of the pandemic. Now, with the coding sequences of the viral polymerase complex established, that sequence is complete. These data and other recent results suggest that the 1918 virus was an avian strain that adapted to humans, a sobering thought at a time when human cases of the H5N1 avian virus have been reported in Indonesia. Also out this week (on Nature online) is the first report from a large US project that is using novel sequencing techniques to capture the entire genome of modern influenza virus isolates. The first batch of data, to be made publicly available as a baseline for future studies, includes the genomes of 209 influenza isolates. Already the data point to mutations and segment exchanges that might lead to new viruses.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffery K. Taubenberger & Ann H. Reid & Raina M. Lourens & Ruixue Wang & Guozhong Jin & Thomas G. Fanning, 2005. "Characterization of the 1918 influenza virus polymerase genes," Nature, Nature, vol. 437(7060), pages 889-893, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:437:y:2005:i:7060:d:10.1038_nature04230
    DOI: 10.1038/nature04230
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    Cited by:

    1. Arnstein Aassve & Guido Alfani & Francesco Gandolfi & Marco Le Moglie, 2021. "Epidemics and trust: The case of the Spanish Flu," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(4), pages 840-857, April.
    2. Noymer, Andrew, 2009. "Testing the influenza-tuberculosis selective mortality hypothesis with Union Army data," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1599-1608, May.
    3. Amber M Smith & Frederick R Adler & Julie L McAuley & Ryan N Gutenkunst & Ruy M Ribeiro & Jonathan A McCullers & Alan S Perelson, 2011. "Effect of 1918 PB1-F2 Expression on Influenza A Virus Infection Kinetics," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(2), pages 1-12, February.
    4. Cristina Possas & Ernesto T. A. Marques & João Baptista Risi & Akira Homma, 2021. "COVID-19 and Future Disease X in Circular Economy Transition: Redesigning Pandemic Preparedness to Prevent a Global Disaster," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(4), pages 1463-1478, December.
    5. Majumder, Rajarshi, 2020. "Extreme Events and Resilience in the times of Pandemic: A Case Study," MPRA Paper 110078, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Hou, Wenxuan & Li, Mao & Main, Brian G.M. & Liu, Xiaofan, 2023. "Pandemics and financial development: A lesson from the 1918 influenza pandemic," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).

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