Back to HOMEPAGE "Swine Flu" virus:
phylogenetic analysis and reassortment
Comment
Dr James Irvine
Teviot Scientific
Filed 01 May 09
©James Irvine
What is urgently needed with regard to tackling the imminent threat of a "Swine Flu" pandemic is collaboration amongst scientists working in specialised laboratories throughout the world: sharing their their research. In the same manner as achieved in the SARS outbreak in 2003 (1).
A most encouraging step in this direction is the work of Dr Andrew Rambaut, Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Edinburgh University, and his colleagues in Oxford, Hong Kong and Arizona, who have produced the temporary website:
http://tree.bio.ed.ac.uk/groups/influenza
The website describes the research findings as they develop in the effort to get a handle on this new strain of H1N1 virus: which they refer to as
Human/Swine A/H1N1 Influenza virus
It is exciting stuff. It illustrates the pace at which knowledge can be acquired, and hopefully effectively used, when scientists collaborate in such an open manner.
To quote from the website:
"There has been confusion about the origin of the virus and whether it should be called swine flu. Obviously it is now a human flu in that it is spreading from person to person but it is clear from the analyses here and elsewhere that it has its immediate origins in swine flu. More specifically it is the product of a reassortment event between at least 2 swine flu variants. One of these variants (the 'Triple reassortant') has some genes with their own unique histories including links to avian strains and human H3N2 (one of the circulating season forms). The problem is that these genes entered pig flu at least 10 years ago (first isolation) but probably longer. Given such a long time (at flu's evolution rate) it seems unlikely that this has a direct bearing on the emergence of the current outbreak".
To quote further from the website:
"By far the most parsimonious explanation for the phylogenetic results here is that the final reassortment between classic swine flu and Eurasian swine flu occurred in a pig infected with both variants."
On the website, Dr Gavin Smith, State Key Laboratories of Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Hong Kong, has provided a useful schematic showing our current understanding of the reassortment history of the new strain.
Detailed genetic sequencing of the virus is the way forward to the rapid development of an effective vaccine and diagnostic testing that is sensitive, specific and rapid. Hopefully, such collaborative research will be given maximum and urgent support.
©James Irvine
Reference
1. Irvine, James (2003). SARS virus: just look at the speed of scientific progress. If it can be done for SARS, why not for FMD?
See SCIENCE HOMEPAGE, filed 16 Apr 03, www.land-care.org.uk Click Here to View
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