tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
MBio. 2014 Oct 14;5(5). pii: e01882-14. doi: 10.1128/mBio.01882-14.
An Avian H7N1 Gain-of-Function Experiment of Great Concern.
Wain-Hobson S.
Author information
Abstract
Inappropriately named gain-of-function influenza research seeks to confer airborne transmission on avian influenza A viruses that otherwise cause only dead-end infections in humans. A recent study has succeeded in doing this with a highly pathogenic ostrich H7N1 virus in a ferret model without loss of virulence. If transposable to humans, this would constitute a novel virus with a case fatality rate ~30 greater than that of Spanish flu. A commentary from three distinguished virologists considered the benefits of this work to outweigh potential risks. I beg to disagree with conclusions in both papers, for the underlying science is not as strong as it appears.
Copyright ? 2014 Wain-Hobson.
PMID:
25316697
[PubMed - in process]
Free full text
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25316697
An Avian H7N1 Gain-of-Function Experiment of Great Concern.
Wain-Hobson S.
Author information
Abstract
Inappropriately named gain-of-function influenza research seeks to confer airborne transmission on avian influenza A viruses that otherwise cause only dead-end infections in humans. A recent study has succeeded in doing this with a highly pathogenic ostrich H7N1 virus in a ferret model without loss of virulence. If transposable to humans, this would constitute a novel virus with a case fatality rate ~30 greater than that of Spanish flu. A commentary from three distinguished virologists considered the benefits of this work to outweigh potential risks. I beg to disagree with conclusions in both papers, for the underlying science is not as strong as it appears.
Copyright ? 2014 Wain-Hobson.
PMID:
25316697
[PubMed - in process]
Free full text
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25316697