The results of experiments comparing the virulence in animals of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus with seasonal strains have spawned the headline Study Suggests H1N1 Virus More Dangerous Than Suspected. In my view, the best experiment is now being done in humans: infection of millions with the pandemic virus. The ...

The plaque assay is a terrific method for determining virus titers, but it doesn't work for all viruses. Fortunately there are several alternative methods available, including the end-point dilution assay. The end-point dilution assay was used to measure virus titer before the development of the plaque assay, and is still ...

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, and Alan Dove On episode #40 of the podcast "This Week in Virology", Vincent, Dick, and Alan consider Reston ebolavirus in swine, historical perspective of H1N1 influenza virus emergence and circulation, Tamiflu-resistant H1N1, Tamiflu in Japanese river waters, transmission of H1N1 virus in ferrets, and pneumonia ...

Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) is one of the few antiviral drugs available for treatment of influenza. Use of the drug has increased substantially because of the emergence of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic strain, against which no vaccine is yet available. A recent study has shown that low levels of oseltamivir can be ...

The plaque assay is an essential tool for determining virus titers. The concept is simple: virus infection is restricted to neighboring cells by a semisolid overlay. By counting the number of plaques, the virus titer can be calculated in PFU per ml. A key question is: how many viruses are ...