Webby On H7N9: `Clear Evidence Of Mammalian Adaptation’

 

Site of recent H7N9 infections

 

# 7059

 

 

Helen Branswell has an important report overnight which includes comments from world renown influenza researcher Richard J. Webby, CIDRAP director Michael T. Osterholm, Gregory Hartl of the World Health Organization, and   Dr. Barbara Raymond, director for pandemic preparedness at PHAC.

 

Dr. Richard Webby -  who became director of the World Health Organization’s Collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee in 2008 - has been highlighted often in this blog.

 

A few recent examples include:

1. Dr. Richard Webby Lecture: Emerging Flu Viruses In The Animal World

2. PLoS Pathogens: A New Influenza C Virus Detected In Swine

3. Egypt: A Paltry Poultry Vaccine

4. PNAS: Virulence & Transmissibility Of H1N2 Influenza Virus In Ferrets

5. Interspecies Transmission Of Canine H3N2 In The Laboratory

 

Webby sees worrying signs of adaptation of the H7N9 virus to mammals – an indication that the virus may now be hosted by non-avian species – like pigs, or humans.

 

Since no one does a flu report better than Helen, at this point I will wisely step aside and invite you to read:

 

New flu virus in China shows signs it has adapted to mammals: Will it take off?

By: Helen Branswell, The Canadian Press