Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026
05:59
Nasal Wipes for Influenza A Virus Detection and Isolation from Swine
Published on: December 4, 2015
A pandemic that's not bird flu? Pigs might fly
1Department of Microbiology, Canberra Hospital, Canberra, ACT, Australia. sanjaya.senanayake@act.gov.au
The Medical Journal of Australia
|July 8, 2009
Summary
The 2009 H1N1 swine flu outbreak caused significant illness and deaths in Mexico, with human-to-human transmission confirmed. Global health systems are better prepared for this pandemic than in 1918.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Virology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The 2009 H1N1 swine influenza outbreak presented a potential global pandemic threat.
- Mexico reported approximately 2000 hospitalizations and nearly 150 deaths due to respiratory illness.
- This novel influenza A virus (H1N1 subtype) demonstrated human-to-human transmission, primarily observed in Mexico.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the emergence and characteristics of the 2009 H1N1 swine influenza.
- To evaluate the global public health response and preparedness in light of the outbreak.
Main Methods:
- Surveillance of suspected and confirmed cases globally.
- Analysis of the virus's genetic makeup (H1N1 subtype, reassortment).
- Comparison of current pandemic response capabilities with historical events (e.g., 1918 pandemic).
Main Results:
- Sustained human-to-human transmission of swine influenza occurred, particularly in Mexico.
- Cases outside Mexico generally presented with mild influenza-like illness.
- The H1N1 virus showed sensitivity to available antiviral medications.
Conclusions:
- Despite initial severity in Mexico, the global impact of H1N1 swine flu was mitigated by robust public health systems and rapid medical advancements.
- Modern public health infrastructure, including rapid vaccine development and antiviral availability, enhances pandemic preparedness.
- Australia's investment in pandemic preparedness programs is crucial for managing future health crises.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
00:57Viral Recombination
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
01:27Influenza
Influenza is an acute, highly communicable viral disease that affects the respiratory tract and is responsible for seasonal epidemics worldwide. Influenza A is the most prevalent type associated with widespread outbreaks and is subtyped based on two surface glycoproteins: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), as in H1N1. These glycoproteins are essential for viral infectivity, transmission, and immune recognition. Transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets and contaminated...
01:28Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence
Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...
00:36Viral Mutations
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...
02:28Leaky Scanning
During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA. Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R stands for...
01:29Coronavirus
Coronaviruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), are enveloped viruses characterized by their single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome and helical nucleocapsid structure. The hallmark of these viruses is their club-shaped spike (S) glycoproteins that protrude from the viral envelope, facilitating attachment to host cells. Typically, coronaviruses infect the upper respiratory tract, often causing mild or asymptomatic disease. However, certain strains like...