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Molecular Basis of a Pandemic of Avian-Type Influenza Virus

Despite heroic efforts to prevent the emergence of an influenza pandemic, avian influenza A virus has prevailed by crossing the species barriers to infect humans worldwide, occasionally with morbidity and mortality at unprecedented levels, and the virus later usually continues circulation in humans...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Sriwilaijaroen, Nongluk, Suzuki, Yasuo
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: 2014
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7121456/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25117257
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1292-6_38
Descripción
Sumario:Despite heroic efforts to prevent the emergence of an influenza pandemic, avian influenza A virus has prevailed by crossing the species barriers to infect humans worldwide, occasionally with morbidity and mortality at unprecedented levels, and the virus later usually continues circulation in humans as a seasonal influenza virus, resulting in health-social-economic problems each year. Here, we review current knowledge of influenza viruses, their life cycle, interspecies transmission, and past pandemics and discuss the molecular basis of pandemic acquisition, notably of hemagglutinin (lectin) acting as a key contributor to change in host specificity in viral infection.