Scientists recreate 1918 Flu Virus

[Henry]

Now here's something that sounds like it's straight out of the plot of a horror movie:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051005/ap_on_he_me/pandemic_flu

ATLANTA - Scientists have made from scratch the Spanish flu virus that killed as many as 50 million people in 1918, the first time an infectious agent behind a historic pandemic has ever been reconstructed.

Why did they do it? Researchers say it may help them better understand — and develop defenses against — the threat of a future worldwide epidemic from bird flu.

Like the 1918 virus, the current avian flu in Southeast Asia occurs naturally in birds. In 1918, the virus mutated, infected people and then spread among them. So far, the current Asian virus has killed at least 65 people but has rarely spread person-to-person.

But viruses mutate rapidly and it could soon develop infectious properties like those seen in the 1918 bug, said Dr. Jeffery Taubenberger of the U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.

"The effort to understand what happened in 1918 has taken on a new urgency," said Taubenberger, who led the gene-sequencing team.

The public health risk of resurrecting the virus is minimal, U.S. health officials said. People around the world developed immunity to the deadly 1918 virus after the pandemic, and a certain degree of immunity is believed to persist today. Also, in previous research, scientists concluded that modern antiviral medicines are effective against Spanish flu-like viruses.

According to this, They're storing all 10 vials they made at the CDC. Now all Diaglo has to do to enact his master plan is smuggle the stuff out, insert a drop into each 3rd edition PHB in stores, and...

Seriously, scary stuff, to think that after many years they found what they needed to do this, even if the stuff is not as dangerous to the populace as it once was...

 

[diaglo]

i know exactly what you mean.

diaglo "who used to work in the building where they stored the smallpox virus" Ooi

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

The whole idea that all those major viruses and such are kept in one building in Atlanta(just a half hour from where I used to live) was always at least slightly unnerving. Its almost asking for trouble, really. But, oh well, sacrifices must be made if we are to one day achieve a future of mutant ninja zombies.

 

[Black Omega]

Anytime a scientist says "This should be safe, we're pretty sure people are immune." I get nervous.

 

[Henry]

Anytime a scientist says "This should be safe, we're pretty sure people are immune." I get nervous.

Like I said, it practically writes itself.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I think what worries me more is the publishing of the information onto GenBank. Talk about your viruses on the web...

 

[Del]

So far, the current Asian virus has killed at least 65 people but has rarely spread person-to-person.

And 2 years ago I followed this at Cyberfry and the virus couldn't pass between humans at all. I give it a year and a half and I become a total recluse.

Being a Recluse made healthy with cable internet.

 

[Lady_Acoma]

I'm pretty sure I can catch it...I can catch anything. Time to move to Atlanta or something...

 

[Del]

I'm pretty sure I can catch it...I can catch anything. Time to move to Atlanta or something...

Well in the short term yer ok. You have to hug an infected chicken to catch it right now.

 

[The Shaman]

Anytime a scientist says "This should be safe, we're pretty sure people are immune." I get nervous.

Seriously.

Time to buy surgical masks and canned goods.