BiotechMashup

Current research suggests that pandemic H1N1 influenza of swine origin has distinct means of transmission from the seasonal flu, yet does not result in the pathogenic severity of avian flu viruses.

(Research Australia) When the first cases of H1N1 influenza (swine flu) were reported in Mexico in April, UQ researchers got to work developing a test to diagnose the virus.In less than two weeks, Dr. David Whiley and a team of five scientists were able to provide Pathology Queensland with two detection methods, one of which was used to diagnose Australia's first swine flu case.

New evidence shows immunization against "swine flu" in 1976 might provide individuals with some protection against the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus.

Almost half of adults surveyed in summer 2009 in Hong Kong say they would take up free swine flu vaccination. However, this figure drops to around 1 in 7 if the price they have to pay for the vaccine reaches $26. In the absence of proved efficacy and safety, the figure decreases to less than 1 in 20, according to one of the first studies on behavioral intentions and A/H1N1 vaccination.

Tracking and understanding the patterns of H1N1's spread is crucial to keeping a big-picture look at the disease. Says one expert, "Back in 1918 and 1919 when we had the great flu epidemic, it took six months or more to spread across the world. The new H1N1 swine flu spread across the world in six weeks."

(St. Jude Children's Research Hospital) New evidence shows immunization against "swine flu" in 1976 might provide individuals with some protection against the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, according to new research from St. Jude investigators.

(Wiley-Blackwell) A new technique for producing vaccines for H1N1, "swine flu," based on insect cells can meet global demand.

Although swine influenza viruses usually sicken only pigs, potentially one might also spark a pandemic in people, as occurred with the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. Because few long-term studies have surveyed flu viruses in swine, however, gaps exist in what is known about the evolution of swine influenza viruses and the conditions that enable a swine virus to infect humans and cause disease. Increased transportation of live pigs appears to have driven an increase in the diversity of swine influenza viruses found in the animals in Hong Kong over the last three decades, according to a new study.

(American Journal of Pathology) Current research suggests that pandemic H1N1 influenza of swine origin has distinct means of transmission from the seasonal flu, yet does not result in the pathogenic severity of avian flu viruses. The related report by Chan et al, "Tropism and Innate Host Responses of the 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Virus in ex Vivo and in Vitro Cultures of Human Conjunctiva and Respiratory Tract," appears published online ahead of print in the April 2010 issue of the American Journal of Pathology.