NIMR scientist discuss swine-like human influenza A (H1N1)
1 May 2009
Dr Alan Hay, Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Influenza at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) said:
“Yesterday we received virus isolates of the swine-like human influenza A H1N1 from the Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
The virus from Atlanta, Georgia was originally isolated from a patient sample in California.
We are growing the virus in a high containment laboratory here at the Medical Research Council’s National Institute for Medical Research.
We know the virus is quite unusual as it possesses genes derived from swine influenza viruses, and which has not been previously recognised.
The virus will be used to prepare antisera which will be used to understand the antigenic relationships between the viruses isolated in different locations. This is important for development of an effective vaccine.
The virus will also be used to prepare reagents to assist other laboratories in detecting and diagnosing infection by this virus.
There is a close collaboration with colleagues around the world and in the UK, notably with the Health Protection Agency as part of a concerted international effort to understand the nature of the epidemic and work with the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control in developing a vaccine.
The World Health Organisation raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to phase 5 on 29 April 2009.
Phase 5, which is characterised by human to human spread in at least two countries indicates that a development into a pandemic is becoming more likely, however it is important people remain calm.
People affected by swine-like human influenza A H1N1 in the UK and elsewhere are experiencing mild symptoms of the virus and are being treated with antivirals Tamiflu and Relenza.
Influenza viruses, such as the swine-like human influenza A H1N1, can mutate rapidly. It’s therefore important that we monitor the characteristics of the virus as it may spread around the globe.
We need to monitor for changes in its sensitivity to antiviral medicines and also see whether, like seasonal human influenza viruses, the virus changes such that the vaccine has to be updated.
We will be analysing the virus over the next few days and weeks but it will be some months, before a vaccine is available.”
Phone: 020 7637 6011
Email: press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
