Host defense mechanisms are imperfect because the genomes of every known virus encodes proteins that can block nearly every step of the immune response. For every host defense, there is a viral offense. Let’s consider the different ways that viruses are known to evade the early, or innate, host defenses. The illustration depicts in a …
The World Health Organization has declared that the world is now at the start of an influenza pandemic. WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said today: I have conferred with leading influenza experts, virologists, and public health officials. In line with procedures set out in the International Health Regulations, I have sought guidance and advice from …
Scientists and philosophers have long debated the trajectory of evolution. Some of the questions they consider include: is there a predictable direction for evolution, and if there is, what is the pathway? Are there evolutionary dead ends? Viruses are excellent subjects for the study of evolution: they have short generation times, high yields of offspring, …
While perusing the cleaning items at the supermarket last night, I spotted the words ‘Kills Flu Virus’ on a bottle of toilet bowl cleaner. Do toilets play a role in transmission of influenza? Influenza is an infection of the respiratory tract. The virus enters the tract in aerosols or by contact with saliva or other …
Many virologists, including myself, believe that the threat of avian H5N1 influenza is not only overestimated, but also distracts from serious consideration of other potential pandemic strains. In early 2005 I wrote about this problem (“Should we worry about avian influenza?) and suggested that we should pay attention to H2N2 strains as a potential pandemic …
This Week in Virology listener Raphael D. Fernandez, M.D. has kindly transcribed my conversation with Dr. Peter Palese that was aired on the podcast on 6 May 2009. You can download the transcript from the show notes page. Many thanks to Dr. Fernandez for the transcript!
