title: Fitness of Pandemic H1N1 and Seasonal influenza A viruses during Co-infection: Evidence of competitive advantage of pandemic H1N1 influenza versus seasonal influenza.
abstract: On June 11, 2009 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a new H1N1 influenza pandemic. This pandemic strain is as transmissible as seasonal H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses. Major concerns facing this pandemic are whether the new virus will replace, co-circulate and/or reassort with seasonal H1N1 and/or H3N2 human strains. Using the ferret model, we investigated which of these three possibilities were most likely favored. Our studies showed that the current pandemic virus is more transmissible than, and has a biological advantage over, prototypical seasonal H1 or H3 strains.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, College Park;  University of Maryland;  Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine;  Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine-Maryland Campus and  Universidad Nacional De Colombia.
authors.forename: Daniel Roberto
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sorrell
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angel
authors.forename: Jianqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hickman
authors.forename: Lindomar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pena
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramirez-Nieto
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kimble
authors.forename: Yonas
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Araya