title: Ferretting out the facts behind the H5N1 controversy.
abstract: Recent recommendations by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) to redact key methodological details of two studies involving mammal-to-mammal transmission of the H5N1 (H5) subtype influenza viruses, has led to a temporary moratorium on all research involving live H5N1 or H5 HA reassortant viruses shown to be transmissible in ferrets. Herein, I review the events which led to this impasse and comment on their impact.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Cork Institute of Technology, Cork, Ireland. roy.sleator@cit.ie
authors.forename: Roy D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Sleator
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005289:Ferrets / Q000821:virology*; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*