Thought this might interest you large-scale hog operation watchers
(i.e., as potential vectors or pools of viral activity, esp. given
the likelihood of immune system suppression in those animals).
peace
m
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
INFLUENZAVIRUSES, PORCINE INTERMEDIATION
****************************************
A ProMED-mail post
Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 07:32:59 -0400
Source: ANIMALNET
Via: Robert A. LaBudde
According to a report in the September 1998 issue of the Journal of
Virology [72:7367-7373], influenza viruses that originate in birds
can acquire the ability to recognize and bind to human cells while
they are in the respiratory tract of pigs. The findings support the
notion that pigs act as "mixing vessels" that alter avian virus
strains so that they can cause pandemics--worldwide influenza
epidemics that can be potentially life-threatening to susceptible
individuals. Influenza pandemics occurred in 1918, 1957, 1968 and
1977.
Dr. Toshihiro Ito, was quoted as saying, "These findings help to
explain the emergence of pandemic influenza viruses and support the
need for continued surveillance of swine for viruses carrying avian
virus genes."
Bird viruses are, according to this story, usually 100-fold less
efficient at replicating in humans and other primates, although a
variety of both human and avian viruses can infect pigs. In the new
study, the researchers found that cell receptors in the respiratory
tract of pigs bind to both human and avian influenza viruses.
The authors of the report were quoted as saying, "The evidence we
present supports the role of pigs as a source of potentially hazardous
influenza A viruses, arising through classical genetic re-assortment
or a novel adaptation to human virus receptors or perhaps through both
mechanisms. Thus, continued intensive monitoring of swine populations
for avian-like influenza viruses should be an integral part of global
health planning."
- --
ProMED-mail
To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with "unsubscribe sanet-mg".
To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
"subscribe sanet-mg-digest".