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Swine reassortant suggests 2009 H1N1 virus could cause more trouble:


Scientists have found a hybrid influenza virus in swine that combines elements of the pandemic 2009 H1N1 virus and a Eurasian swine flu virus, suggesting that continued circulation of the pandemic virus in pigs could lead to novel viruses with the ability to infect humans, according to a report published yesterday in the Journal of Virology. The detection of the pandemic virus in pigs prompted a flu virus surveillance program for pigs at slaughterhouses in southern China, according to the report by Chinese and American researchers. More than 50% of the pigs tested were found to be seropositive for one or more H1 flu viruses. Among 36 isolates detected, one group had surface genes from a Eurasian avian-like H1N1 virus and internal genes from the 2009 H1N1 strain. Experiments showed that the virus could spread among pigs and from pigs to ferrets, and it could grow in human lung tissue in a laboratory. Also, ferrets that were immunized against the 2009 H1N1 virus had only partial protection against the reassortant strain. The authors say the continuing prevalence 2009 H1N1 virus in pigs "could lead to the genesis of novel swine reassortant viruses with the potential to infect humans."

http://jvi.asm.org/cgi/content/short/JV ... 11v1?rss=1