WIKIMEDIA, GAVIN SCHAEFER (UXUD)
The novel H7N9 virus that has been infecting people in China since February likely got its genes from at least four different bird viruses, according to a paper published yesterday (May 1) in The Lancet. Chinese researchers determined the virus’s history by looking at sequences of four different viral isolates from infected patients.
The virus was first identified a little over a month ago and has infected 126 people and killed 24, according to the World Health Organization’s latest numbers. It has been found in chickens, ducks, and captive-bred pigeons at live animal markets, where it is suspected to have infected many of its victims.
The numbered Hs and the Ns in flu viruses’ names come from two proteins: hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). The ...
