One of two papers on avian influenza H5N1 virus that caused such a furor in the past six months was published today in the journal Nature. I have read it, and I can assure you that the results do not enable the construction of a deadly biological weapon. Instead, they illuminate important requirements for the …
Kawaoka paper published on aerosol transmission of H5 influenza virus in ferrets Read More »
Science magazine will be conducting a live chat on whether some scientific research is too dangerous to publish, and how governments are getting involved in regulating such studies. It will be moderated by Science writer David Malakoff and will include Gregory Viglianti of Boston University School of Medicine. The live chat begins at 3 PM …
This past February I was interviewed by the Australian Broadcasting Company on the topic of the Fouchier and Kawaoka experiments on avian influenza virus H5N1. The video, Building the Perfect Bug, has been released by Journeyman Pictures and includes interviews with S.T. Lai, Laurie Garrett, Michael Osterholm, and Ron Fouchier (transcript available). It is far too …
On episode #177 of the science show This Week in Virology, Vincent, Connor Bamford, Wendy Barclay, and Ron Fouchier discussed avian influenza H5N1 transmission experiments in ferrets and novel bunyaviruses at the 2012 Spring Conference of the Society for General Microbiology in Dublin, Ireland. You can find TWiV #177 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.
The National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) has re-examined two manuscripts on the transmissibility of influenza H5N1 virus in ferrets: After careful deliberation, the NSABB unanimously recommended that this revised Kawaoka manuscript should be communicated in full. The NSABB also recommended, in a 12 to 6 decision, the communication of the data, methods, and …
NSABB reverses decision on publication of H5N1 results Read More »
On episode #173 of the podcast This Week in Virology, the TWiVites discuss seroevidence for human infection with avian influenza H5N1, and the discovery of a new influenza virus in Guatemalan bats. You can find TWiV #173 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.
