Nipah virus, first identified in 1998, remains a deadly threat due to bat reservoirs, human practices, high fatality rates, ...

Because influenza viruses were not isolated and cultured until the 1930s, it was not possible to study the origin of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic at the time of this virus's outbreak; indeed, the ...

First U.S. detection of virulent H5N9 strain, at a California duck farm, draws scrutiny as evidence of genetic reassortment that could trigger human outbreaks.

This process — called reassortment — has resulted in pandemic strains of flu, including the 1918 influenza pandemic and 2009’s swine flu (SN: 5/22/09). Viruses can’t swap parts willy-nilly.

Reassortment has happened with other influenza viruses. In 2009 , H1N1 – which Shah described as “a close cousin” of H5N1 – was thought to have emerged because of genetic reassortment of ...

Some experts suspect that H5N9 may have emerged among the ducks in California due to genetic reassortment occurring between circulating H5N1 viruses and other flu viruses containing the N9 protein.

In both 1957 and 1968, a new influenza virus emerged because of reassortment events involving two influenza viruses. The segmented genome allows each influenza A virus to exchange genetic material ...

Another tool in an influenza virus’s kit is something known as reassortment. A flu virus’s genetic material is made up of eight RNA segments.

The University of Minnesota is stepping up efforts to identify biological threats that could trigger an epidemic, launching ...