Yesterday Denise Grady wrote in the New York Times about the end of the moratorium on influenza H5N1 virus research. The story headline read: Research to resume on modified, deadlier bird flu The Minneapolis Star Tribune reprinted Ms. Grady’s story with the following headline: Studies will resume on deadly modified flu virus Where do these …
In early 2012 influenza virus researchers around the world decided to stop working on highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus. This decision came after work from the Fouchier and Kawaoka laboratories revealed the isolation of influenza H5N1 strains that can be passed among ferrets by aerosol. The moratorium on influenza H5N1 virus research has now …
I still wonder why the influenza virus H5N1 ferret transmission studies generated such fear and misunderstanding among the public, the press, and even some scientists. I still cannot fully explain what transpired, but now that the papers have been published some new clues have emerged. In my opinion, the main catalyst of the storm was …
On episode #190 of the science show This Week in Virology, Vincent, Alan, and Kathy review selection of influenza H5N1 viruses that can transmit among ferrets by aerosol. You can find TWiV #190 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.
The second of two papers on avian influenza H5N1 virus that caused such a furor in the past year was published today in the journal Science. I have carefully read the paper by Fouchier and colleagues, and I assure you that it does not enable the production of a deadly biological weapon. The results describe …
On episode #182 of the science show This Week in Virology, Michael Imperiale joins the TWiV crew to discuss the recently published influenza H5N1 transmission paper and how it was viewed by the NSABB. You can find TWiV #182 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.
