title: Unique features of influenza viruses, and their implications.
abstract: Despite 50 years in intense research, influenza remains unique as the only truly pandemic viral infection of humans. In addition, although vaccines against this disease have been developed and used for the past four decades, they remain less effective than those used against other viral infections. Many of the reasons for this are now known, and depend on our understanding of the unique events that occur during virus replication. In particular, our understanding of virus variation following single infection, and the emergence of reassortant virus following double infection of cells, offers an explanation for many of the features of epidemic infection and forms a starting point for future scientific enquiry. Features of virus replication are discussed in this review, and the implications for the nature of epidemic infection and vaccine development are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Sheffield Medical School, England.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Potter
mesh_terms: D000940:Antigenic Variation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines