Influenza virus

The threat of an Avian Flu pandemic that may soon transmit from man to man is real. A strain of Avian Flu that had killed humans in the past has now appeared among domestic birds in the UK.

Avian flu virus is a segmented negative strand RNA virus. Eight segments of RNA code for 11 proteins. N and HA proteins are under intense selection for variation because each virus form creates life-long immunity upon infection. Viral antigens rapidly evolve to retain infectious property.

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