Forget Ebola-what about the flu?

[Steve Quan]

In <kfischer-1502952128210001 at duckter.glaxo.med.ualberta.ca> 
kfischer at gpu.srv.ualberta.ca (Karl Fischer) writes: 

>
>In article <3htmid$p4s at ixnews2.ix.netcom.com>, squan at ix.netcom.com 
(Steve
>Quan) wrote:
><Stuff deleted>
>
>>Isn't that a virus that mutates every year?  
>
>Not sure...let me check my calendar ;-) 
>
>Variations which arise to present as "new" or "novel" to one's immune
>system occurs all the time...not just on an annual cycle as you might
>imply.
>
>> Given enough time couldn't it mutate into something really new? 
>
>Define what you mean by "really new" - more pathogenic, broadened host
>range, new or different tissue tropism?????
>
>>Added to the enormous amount of modern travel it would certainly 
spread
>>quickly.
>
>Not just influenza but all infectious agents which do not require a
>specific vector for transmission (eg. insect, 
arthropod)....Ahhhh...better
>dissemination through technology.
>
>Cheers
>
>Karl
>
>-- 
>Karl Fischer
>kfischer at gpu.srv.ualberta.ca
>tyr-2 at bones.biochem.ualberta.ca
>

AAAAUUUUGGGGHHH!  Now I have even more questions.  Oh well.....
-Mo Quan