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  • Exposure Science Digests
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Exposure Science Digest

Exposure science for viral diseases: 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 21, pages 1–2 (2011)Cite this article

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Infection with a new swine-origin influenza virus in two patients living 130 miles apart raised concern that a novel swine-origin influenza virus had made its way into the human population and was spreading. There had previously been sporadic reports of human infection with North American–lineage swine influenza viruses in the United States, most often associated with close contact with infected pigs. However, human-to-human spread of swine influenza viruses is rare, and these viruses had not caused large community, regional, or global outbreaks. In June 2009, the World Health Organization declared that the novel 2009 H1N1 viruses were causing a pandemic. By the end of 2009, an estimated 57 million people worldwide had been infected with 2009 H1N1, and over 14,000 people had died (Bell et al. 2009; Reed et al., 2009). Within the United States alone, 22 million had contracted the disease, resulting in about 4,000 deaths, including those of 500 children (Reed et al., 2009).

Early detection and identification of emerging influenza viruses are critical for the implementation of appropriate public health interventions. In addition, identification of variant viruses is crucial for the selection of seasonal influenza viruses to be included in the influenza vaccines that are necessary to prevent influenza epidemics and pandemics. Exposure science plays an essential role in both efforts. Several laboratory diagnostic tests can be used to detect the presence of influenza viruses in respiratory specimens (Boggild and McGeer, 2010). However, these tests differ in their sensitivity and specificity in detecting influenza viruses as well as in their commercial availability, the amount of time needed between specimen collection and availability of results, and their ability to distinguish between different influenza virus types (A versus B) and influenza A subtypes (e.g., novel H1N1 versus other seasonal H3N2 viruses). Blood tests can help to establish a diagnosis of influenza virus infection for research studies, but such testing is not routinely available through clinical laboratories. More advanced methods were rapidly developed for diagnosis of 2009 pandemic influenza H1N1 viruses. Further characterization of novel influenza 2009 H1N1 infection may be necessary for surveillance purposes and for special situations, e.g., for analyzing specimens from severely ill patients and immunocompromised patients.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Nancy Cox & Ruben Donis

  2. Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    John R Barr

Authors
  1. Nancy Cox
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  2. Ruben Donis
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  3. John R Barr
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to John R Barr.

Additional information

Early detection of novel influenza viruses can enable interventions to reduce their transmission, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality through deployment of antivirals and vaccines.

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Cox, N., Donis, R. & Barr, J. Exposure science for viral diseases: 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza virus. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 21, 1–2 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2010.52

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