That is interesting information, but I think what I said was correct though. I don’t mean to say that the strain takes over and doesn’t mutate thereafter.
For sure, that’s what I said off the rip. But the flu variant which takes over isn’t the initial variant, as the high mortality rate coincides with low transmissibility. It’s the result of various point mutations and genetic reassortments to the first version which humans were susceptible to. But ya, potato potatoe, I’m just a nerd when it comes micro.
Okay I see what you mean. I suppose I meant, “if the pandemic is H5N1, then the seasonal flu becomes H5N1. If it’s H3N2, etc…” – what would be the right noun for this? strain? variant?
When I did 4+ months of research into avian influenza a year ago, most the literature I sourced used variants as the term, but I don’t see why strain wouldn’t work as well. Also, you’re comment about if H5N1 or H3N2 doesn’t cover the fact that the H5N1 variant would likely uptake aspects of H3N2 genome (or whatever was the prior most common variant) into it’s genetic makeup.
Virology is an insanely intricate field as no two viral families have much in common at all. Viruses are fascinating as while they are truly as simplistic as it gets, they still have highly specific task they each evolve to ensure their future reproduction.
Fun fact about viral infections, both the human placenta and myelin sheath are results of an ancient ancestor of ours having a retroviral infection!
That is interesting information, but I think what I said was correct though. I don’t mean to say that the strain takes over and doesn’t mutate thereafter.
For sure, that’s what I said off the rip. But the flu variant which takes over isn’t the initial variant, as the high mortality rate coincides with low transmissibility. It’s the result of various point mutations and genetic reassortments to the first version which humans were susceptible to. But ya, potato potatoe, I’m just a nerd when it comes micro.
Okay I see what you mean. I suppose I meant, “if the pandemic is H5N1, then the seasonal flu becomes H5N1. If it’s H3N2, etc…” – what would be the right noun for this? strain? variant?
When I did 4+ months of research into avian influenza a year ago, most the literature I sourced used variants as the term, but I don’t see why strain wouldn’t work as well. Also, you’re comment about if H5N1 or H3N2 doesn’t cover the fact that the H5N1 variant would likely uptake aspects of H3N2 genome (or whatever was the prior most common variant) into it’s genetic makeup.
Virology is an insanely intricate field as no two viral families have much in common at all. Viruses are fascinating as while they are truly as simplistic as it gets, they still have highly specific task they each evolve to ensure their future reproduction.
Fun fact about viral infections, both the human placenta and myelin sheath are results of an ancient ancestor of ours having a retroviral infection!