title: [Molecular biology and ecology of influenza].
abstract: Modern molecular biological techniques permit to analyze the development of great viral influenza epidemics back to 1918. Especially influenza virus A and B are responsible for the regular epidemics, moving round all over the world. During the spreading of an epidemic viruses are undergoing changes of their antigenic structure by exchange of genes and the altered antigenic structure is the reason for defective immunity in the persons fallen ill of influenza. The analysis of the genetic composition of viruses, the identification of antigen shifts and of the variants of shift make evident the close ecologic relationship of human and animal influenza viruses.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001208:Asia; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology; D005060:Europe; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history / Q000276:immunology*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral
vernacular_title: Molekularbiologie und Okologie der Virusgrippe.