Avian virus in Mexico

[mperdue at]

Not much evidence that could happen.  There have been artificial mixtures 
(recombinants) of avian and horse influenza strains generated in the 
lab.  There was also apparent recombination involving H7 hemagglutinin 
with seal strains and avian strains, but to my knowledge there is NO 
evidence that anything other than the H1-3 subtypes of Influenza A have 
ever been in humans.  The change in the HA cleavage site allows 
replication in a wider range of avian tissues not necessarily all 
tissue.  Flu also has 7 other genes with which to contend to make species 
jumps!

MIke Perdue


On 9 Feb 1995, Eric John Nute wrote:

> In regard to the influenza outbreak-
> 	If the HA protein has been modified to permit proliferation in a 
> wider range of tissues, has there been any isolation of either the new 
> strain or of recombinant strains in horses (in which H5 HA proteins 
> circulate) or of a species jump of H5 to humans?
> 
> 
> --
> ---Eric J. Nute <ejnute at sccs.swarthmore.edu>
> 	My name is my address.
> 
> 
>