H1N1 Flu's Genes Undetected For A Decade

(AP)  Genes included in the new H1N1 (swine) flu have been circulating undetected in pigs for at least a decade, according to researchers who have sequenced the genomes of more than 50 samples of the virus.

Researchers led by Rebecca Garten of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied samples of the flu isolated in Mexico and the United States.

The findings suggest that in the future pig populations will need to be closely monitored for emerging influenza viruses, according to the report, released Friday by the journal Science.

First detected last month, the H1N1 flu has sickened more than 11,000 people in 41 countries and killed 85, according to the World Health Organization, whose figures often trail those of individual countries. Mexico has reported 75 swine flu deaths, the United States 10, and there has been one death each in Canada and Costa Rica.

Garten's team said the exact combination of the virus' eight gene segments has not previously been reported among swine or human influenza viruses.

They said all of the segments originated in bird hosts and then began circulating in pigs at various times in history, from 1918 through 1998. Infected pigs might not have shown signs of illness, but gave the viruses an opportunity to mix with other viruses and create more dangerous strains.

Six of the eight segments include genetic material from human, avian and swine viruses as the result of these viruses' tendency to swap pieces of their genomes with each other, the researchers said. These have been circulating since at least 1998.

The other two segments originated from Eurasian swine viruses, they reported.

The sequences for the gene segments did not reveal the signatures of high transmissibility or virulence that have been found in other influenza A viruses, suggesting that other, yet-unknown sequences are responsible for the new virus' ability to replicate and spread in humans.

The H in H1N1 stands for the protein hemagglutinin, which is responsible for the virus' ability to bind to and infect its host cell. The researchers focused on that protein in experiments and say they will need to continue to look for changes in the hemagglutinin protein in the new virus, which may affect the selection of vaccine candidates, the authors say.

While the journal Science normally publishes on Thursday, the new study was released immediately because of the widespread interest in the topic.

[gaye5]

stn_sage, I agree with you, next we will have the cat or dog flu, after all we live closer to them than pigs, and so why havent they mutated..

I think we should have more fear from Dr's and pharmeceutical drugs than animal flu's mutating. eg.. acording to the Journal American Medical Association Vol 284 July 26, 2000 ..... ............ .........
Doctors Are The Third Leading Cause of Death in the US, Causing 250,000 Deaths Every Year..... and this was for deaths from perscribed drugs, and does not include reactions or wrong drugs given to patients.. scarry eh..

[stn_sage]

To Itgranny:

First, I disagree with your example! I'm not so sure if your had an infinite amount of monkeys AND you gave them an infinite amount of time, that you WOULD eventually get Shakespeare!?
THAT, may be nothing more than wishful thinking---there certainly is NO guarantee that would result! This is to say nothing about the practicality of your example. Which, it is not!

Second, it is not likely to have occurred naturally because the factors that would have caused it---are not likely to have occurred!

Third, there most definitely have been pandemics of CERTAIN viruses through the ages like plague, smallpox, and measles; however; many flu-type viruses ARE the result of biological research and lab engineering---H1N1 is most likely one of these!

Fourth, you are correct! This isn't anything that was thought up over the last several weeks!
The U.S.A. has a lengthy history going back DECADES of research and development in bacteriological production! And some of these people are quite good at it, too!

Fifth, you sound desperate to believe whatever someone from the government tells you!
That's fine! If it makes you feel better---I'm not trying to stop you! Believe what you like!
But, extend to me the same privilege!

Finally, the TRUTH will NOT "always set one free OR make one feel better", but in spite of
that, I'd rather know what the truth really IS! Even when it's bad---it usually only hurts for a
minute or two anyway! But, at least I know!

[itgranny]

stn_sage-
You take an infinate amount of monkeys and give them all typewriters and an infinate amount of time, eventually you'll end up with Shakespeare.

Why is it so hard to believe that this stuff evolved? Flu epidemics have been around for centuries (perhaps milleniums). This isn't something a handful of evil scientists thought up a few weeks ago. Normal human reproduction can produce a Down's Syndrome child approximately once in a thousand babies, why is it so hard to believe that something gets goofed up in virus reproduction with the ability to reproduce thousand/millions of times in a single host in a single day?

[stn_sage]

In summary: the article is attempting to suggest to us that this current strain of H1N1 evolved "naturally" in the environment!

WRONG! Nice attempt at histrionics---but, it won't "fly"!

From, what I've read about it---composed of human, swine, AND bird material---the chances it evolved naturally are a near impossibility! Your chances of winning the powerball lottery three weeks in a row are MORE likely than that this virus occurred naturally!

In short, it WAS developed in a lab somewhere---as the majority of many deadly viruses have been---and released in to the public---for whatever reason(s)! That's the reality!

[dedakuz1]

opusdomus search and translate in googles God the land say´s the clean is nesesary meditation news realty true your feel inside need to talk you can to learn
Go learn spanish!! nice day