PATHOGENICITY AND TRANSMISSION OF THE RECONSTRUCTED 1918 SPANISH INFLUENZA PANDEMIC VIRUS IN FERRETS

Authors: TUMPEY, T - CDC - ATLANTA, GA; MAINES, T - CDC - ATLANTA, GA; BASLER, C - MT SINAI - NEW YORK, NY; AGUILAR, P - MT SINAI - NEW YORK, NY; VAN HOEVEN, N - CDC - ATLANTA, GA; SOLORZANO, A - MT SINAI - NEW YORK, NY; Swayne, David; COX, N - CDC - ATLANTA, GA; TAUBENBERGER, J - ARMED FORCES INST-MD; KATZ, J - CDC - ATLANTA, GA; PALESE, P - MT SINAI - NEW YORK, NY; GARCIA-SASTRE, A - MT SINAI - NEW YORK, NY

Submitted to: International Conference on Negative Strand Viruses
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2006
Publication Date: 6/17/2006
Citation: Tumpey, T.M., Maines, T.R., Basler, C.F., Aguilar, P.V., Van Hoeven, N., Solorzano, A., Swayne, D.E., Cox, N.J., Taubenberger, J.K., Katz, J.M., Palese, P., Garcia-Sastre, A. 2006. Pathogenicity and transmission of the reconstructed 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic virus in ferrets [abstract]. Abstracts of the 13th International Conference on Negative Strand Viruses. p. 199.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The pandemic influenza virus of 1918-1919 killed an estimated 20-50 million people worldwide. Through the use of reverse genetics, we recently generated an influenza virus bearing all eight gene segments of the pandemic virus. Here we evaluate the relative virulence and transmission of the 1918 pandemic virus in a ferret model. Rapid disease progression and lethality in ferrets distinguished the highly virulent 1918 virus from two control viruses that included a swine-lineage A/duck/Alberta/35/76 H1N1 virus and a contemporary human H1N1 virus. The 1918 virus replicated to high titers in respiratory secretions and was capable of efficient airborne transmission to contact ferrets. Additional H1N1 viruses are being tested in this model in an effort to identify gene segment(s) that enhance the virulence and transmissibility of influenza H1N1 viruses.