How pandemics begin
4 years, 11 months ago

How pandemics begin

The Hindu  

Over the last century, scientists have been quietly acknowledging increasing outbreaks of novel infectious diseases at regular intervals. Episodic reassortment of the genetic material of avian and human influenza viruses result periodically in a new virus to which humans may be non-immune. Later outbreaks of Nipah in Bangladesh revealed that bats whose natural habitats had been disturbed had started frequenting forest fringes to eat date palm sap. Degradation of their wild habitats due to climate change, excessive deforestation due to intensified agricultural practices and human settlements result in their migration to new habitats often near human habitation. Intensive animal husbandry such as poultry farming and pig farming increase the risk of spillover of new viruses from wild animals.

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History of this topic

The story of how the deadliest virus to humans was revived
1 year, 7 months ago

The story of how the deadliest virus to humans was revived

The Hindu  

This is part I of a two-part story on the virus that caused the Great Influenza epidemic. Meet H and N In 1995, molecular pathologist Jeffery Taubenberger, who was working on the influenza virus, was trying to understand why some strains of the virus caused pandemics while others didn’t. Taubenberger realised that in order to do that, he needed to …

Will avian flu be the next human pandemic?
2 years, 1 month ago

Will avian flu be the next human pandemic?

Live Mint  

THE LARGEST-EVER recorded outbreak of avian influenza is tearing through populations of poultry and wild birds across the world. Dr Tedros’s warning was prompted by the recent spread of H5N1, a subtype of the influenza virus, from birds to mammals. Before covid-19, it was widely believed that the next human pandemic would be caused by an influenza virus. In 1997, …

After COVID-19, these are the five virus families that could cause the next pandemic, according to the experts
2 years, 6 months ago

After COVID-19, these are the five virus families that could cause the next pandemic, according to the experts

ABC  

The CSIRO has delivered a comprehensive report on how we should prepare for future pandemics. Flaviviridae Dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, Zika, West Nile fever The flaviviridae family causes several diseases, including dengue, Japanese encephalitis, Zika, West Nile disease and others. Togaviridae Chikungunya fever, Ross River fever, Eastern equine encephalitis, Western equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalitis The most common disease symptoms …

Disease X: The next killer pandemic?
4 years, 2 months ago

Disease X: The next killer pandemic?

India Today  

A little over a year ago humanity learnt of a then small outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, China. Considering the reports of avian influenza in birds in India, here’s look at a new influenza virus as a potential future pandemic foe. While the virus is highly lethal, fortunately, it doesn’t spread easily from human to human, but as we have …

Covid-19: What makes coronavirus the most potent pathogen since Spanish Flu
4 years, 4 months ago

Covid-19: What makes coronavirus the most potent pathogen since Spanish Flu

India Today  

All past five pandemics have been flu-related Spanish Flu of 1918-20, Asian Flu of 1957-58, Hong Kong Flu of 1968-69, Swine Flu of 2009-10 and the ongoing Covid-19. Except Covid-19, the previous four pandemics were caused by one or the other variety of avian flu virus. A vast number of Covid-19 positive people don’t show any kind of discomfort allowing …

Viral Photo of a Disinfectant from the Last Pandemic is a Reminder That This Too Shall Pass
4 years, 8 months ago

Viral Photo of a Disinfectant from the Last Pandemic is a Reminder That This Too Shall Pass

News 18  

Six months into 2020, and we’ve added new words into our vocabulary, and life: Pandemic. Not so long ago in recent times, there was a pandemic in 2009 itself – less than 11 years ago, even though many seem to have forgotten it. The H1N1 pandemic of 2009, also called ‘swine flu’ was one of the descendants of the strain …

China study warns of possible new ’pandemic virus’ from pigs
4 years, 9 months ago

China study warns of possible new ’pandemic virus’ from pigs

Live Mint  

new flu virus found in Chinese pigs has become more infectious to humans and needs to be watched closely in case it becomes a potential "pandemic virus", a study said, although experts said there is no imminent threat. A team of Chinese researchers looked at influenza viruses found in pigs from 2011 to 2018 and found a "G4" strain of …

New swine flu-like virus with 'human pandemic potential' found in China, scientists worried
4 years, 9 months ago

New swine flu-like virus with 'human pandemic potential' found in China, scientists worried

India TV News  

A new strain of swine-flu like influenza virus with huge human pandemic potential has been found in China. Various test results have shown 10.4 per cent of swine workers and up to 4.4 per cent of general population may have already been exposed to the new virus. The G4 EA H1N1 possesses “all the essential hallmarks of being highly adapted …

Flu virus with ‘human pandemic potential’ discovered in pigs in China
4 years, 9 months ago

Flu virus with ‘human pandemic potential’ discovered in pigs in China

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “G4 viruses have all the essential hallmarks of a candidate pandemic virus,” wrote the researchers …

The mystery viruses far worse than flu
6 years, 5 months ago

The mystery viruses far worse than flu

BBC  

The mystery viruses far worse than flu Alamy Spanish flu was one of the most serious pandemics humanity has faced over the last century. These viruses are much harder to intervene upon, because breathing is an essential part of life and it’s very hard to stop people from breathing on each other - Amesh Adalja Many of the world’s most …

The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919
6 years, 11 months ago

The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919

ABC  

Annabelle Quince: A hundred years ago, as World War I was being fought in the trenches of France, a flu pandemic spread across the globe and claimed the lives of over 50 million people, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history. I'm a little sceptical myself about this one, because I'm not a scientist and I …

American scientists controversially recreate deadly Spanish Flu virus
10 years, 9 months ago

American scientists controversially recreate deadly Spanish Flu virus

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Scientists said the study involved infecting laboratory ferrets with close copies of the 1918 virus …

Scientists create flu virus that closely resembles 1918 strain that killed 50million
10 years, 9 months ago

Scientists create flu virus that closely resembles 1918 strain that killed 50million

Daily Mail  

Critics attack 'crazy' scientists who have created life-threatening flu virus that closely resembles 1918 strain which killed 50m Scientists research compares 1918 flu with those found in bird populations They find viral proteins making up the strain differ by only a few molecules A few key mutations would allow a 1918-like virus to spread between humans But experts say research …

Origins of new diseases: Zoonotic pandemics come from bats, birds, monkeys, cows, and other animals.
12 years, 3 months ago

Origins of new diseases: Zoonotic pandemics come from bats, birds, monkeys, cows, and other animals.

Slate  

Everybody knows that pestilences have a way of recurring in the world; yet somehow we find it hard to believe in ones that crash down on our heads from a blue sky. Other Wild Animals While bats appear to be responsible for a disproportionate amount of novel pathogens, every animal species carries its own unique microbiota—the collection of microbes that …

This threat is not just for the birds
13 years, 6 months ago

This threat is not just for the birds

The Hindu  

The bird flu known as ‘H5N1,' which the world had largely forgotten about, suddenly sprang back into the news when recently the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations issued a release warning of a ‘mutant strain' of the virus that was spreading in Asia and beyond “with unpredictable risks to human health.” Immediately afterwards, the World Health Organisation …

Video: How Swine Flu Spread
15 years, 6 months ago

Video: How Swine Flu Spread

Wired  

By analyzing the mutations in swine flu samples, scientists have assembled the most complete model to date of the pandemic's birth. But because flu viruses constantly pick up genetic mutations as they multiply, scientists can deduce a family tree by comparing the shared ancestry of their genomes. "This helps reveal hidden information about the spatial spread of the virus," said …

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