![]() ![]() The resulting new virus would likely be able to infect humans and spread from person to person, but it would have surface proteins ( hemagglutinin and/or neuraminidase) not previously seen in influenza viruses that infect humans, and therefore to which most people have little or no immune protection. If this happens, it is possible for the genes of these viruses to mix and create a new virus.įor example, if a pig were infected with a human influenza virus and an avian influenza virus at the same time, the viruses could mix (reassort) and produce a new virus that had most of the genes from the human virus, but a hemagglutinin and/or neuraminidase from the avian virus. Because pigs are susceptible to avian, human and swine influenza viruses, they potentially may be infected with influenza viruses from different species (e.g., ducks and humans) at the same time. Infected pigs get symptoms similar to humans, such as cough, fever, and runny nose. Pigs can be infected with both human and avian influenza viruses in addition to swine influenza viruses. Infection with certain avian influenza A viruses (for example, some strains of H5 and H7 viruses) can cause widespread disease and death among some species of wild and especially domestic birds such as chickens and turkeys. ![]() Most influenza viruses cause asymptomatic or mild infection in birds however, the range of symptoms in birds varies greatly depending on the strain of virus. Wild birds are the primary natural reservoir for all subtypes of influenza A viruses and are thought to be the source of influenza A viruses in all other animals. There are 16 different hemagglutinin subtypes and 9 different neuraminidase subtypes, all of which have been found among influenza A viruses in wild birds. Influenza B viruses circulate widely principally among humans, (though it has recently been found in seals Seals pose influenza threat). Influenza A viruses are found in many different animals, including ducks, chickens, pigs, whales, horses, and seals. Role in transmission of influenza viruses from animals to people This antigenic shift could cause the formation of a highly virulent virus. One increasingly worrying situation is the possible antigenic shift between avian influenza and human influenza. Until recently, such combinations were believed to have caused the infamous Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918 which killed 40~100 million people worldwide however more recent research suggests the 1918 pandemic was caused by the antigenic drift of a fully avian virus to a form that could infect humans efficiently. Influenza viruses which have undergone antigenic shift have caused the Asian Flu pandemic of 1957, the Hong Kong Flu pandemic of 1968, and the Swine Flu scare of 1976. Because the human immune system has difficulty recognizing the new influenza strain, it may be highly dangerous. The host cell then forms new viruses that combine antigens for example, H3N2 and H5N1 can form H5N2 this way. When two different strains of influenza infect the same cell simultaneously, their protein capsids and lipid envelopes are removed, exposing their RNA, which is then transcribed to mRNA. Influenza B and C principally infect humans, minimizing the chance to mutate drastically.įlu strains are named after their types of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase surface proteins, so they will be called, for example, H3N2 for type-3 hemagglutinin and type-2 neuraminidase. Affected species include other mammals and birds, giving influenza A the opportunity for a major reorganization of surface antigens. ![]() Antigenic shift, however, occurs only in influenza A because it infects more than just humans. Antigenic drift occurs in all types of influenza including influenza A, B and C. ![]() What is the Correct Way to Check Repeatability in Balances?Īntigenic shift is contrasted with antigenic drift, which is the natural mutation over time of known strains of influenza (or other things, in a more general sense) which may lead to a loss of immunity, or in vaccine mismatch. ![]()
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