title: Initial genetic characterization of the 1918 "Spanish" influenza virus.
abstract: The "Spanish" influenza pandemic killed at least 20 million people in 1918-1919, making it the worst infectious pandemic in history. Understanding the origins of the 1918 virus and the basis for its exceptional virulence may aid in the prediction of future influenza pandemics. RNA from a victim of the 1918 pandemic was isolated from a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, lung tissue sample. Nine fragments of viral RNA were sequenced from the coding regions of hemagglutinin, neuraminidase, nucleoprotein, matrix protein 1, and matrix protein 2. The sequences are consistent with a novel H1N1 influenza A virus that belongs to the subgroup of strains that infect humans and swine, not the avian subgroup.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Pathology, Department of Cellular Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington DC 20306-6000, USA. taubenbe@email.afip.osd.mil
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Taubenberger
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Krafft
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Bijwaard
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Fanning
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001483:Base Sequence; D005814:Genes, Viral; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000235:genetics; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000266:history / Q000821:virology*; D008168:Lung / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000235:genetics; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D009698:Nucleoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; C031540:M-protein, influenza virus; C048842:NP protein, Influenza A virus; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D009698:Nucleoproteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; D009439:Neuraminidase