Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
05:59
Nasal Wipes for Influenza A Virus Detection and Isolation from Swine
Published on: December 4, 2015
Perspective: Swine-origin influenza: 1976 and 2009
1djud@mindspring.com
Summary
Two novel swine-origin influenza A(H1N1) virus outbreaks in 1976 and 2009 presented unique public health challenges. This commentary compares the US response to both swine flu epidemics, offering valuable historical context.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Virology
Background:
- The author has direct experience with two major US public health events involving novel swine-origin influenza A(H1N1) viruses.
- The 1976 event involved an outbreak at Fort Dix, leading to a mass vaccination campaign and subsequent identification of Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases.
- The 2009 event involved a novel H1N1 virus, prompting the author to serve as an advisor to the CDC Director.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a personal commentary on the similarities and dissimilarities between the 1976 and 2009 swine-origin influenza A(H1N1) outbreaks and their respective US responses.
- To leverage historical experience in informing contemporary public health emergency decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Personal reflection and commentary based on direct involvement in both public health events.
- Comparative analysis of the two distinct influenza A(H1N1) outbreaks and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) responses.
Main Results:
- The 1976 swine flu vaccination program was halted due to Guillain-Barré Syndrome concerns and limited viral spread.
- The 2009 H1N1 outbreak response benefited from historical context provided by the author's prior experience.
- Both events highlight the complexities of novel influenza virus emergence and public health response.
Conclusions:
- Comparative analysis of historical outbreaks provides crucial context for managing novel infectious disease threats.
- Decision-making during public health emergencies requires careful consideration of past experiences, vaccine safety, and epidemiological data.
- Effective public health strategies evolve based on lessons learned from previous outbreaks.
More Related Videos
08:10Production of High-Titer Infectious Influenza Pseudotyped Particles with Envelope Glycoproteins from Highly Pathogenic H5N1 and Avian H7N9 Viruses
Published on: January 15, 2020
12:18Expression of Functional Recombinant Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidase Proteins from the Novel H7N9 Influenza Virus Using the Baculovirus Expression System
Published on: November 6, 2013
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...