title: Potential strategies and biosafety protocols used for dual-use research on highly pathogenic influenza viruses.
abstract: Influenza A viruses (IAVs), particularly the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, have posed a substantial threat to public health worldwide. Although the laboratory generation of the mutant influenza virus H5N1 with airborne transmissibility among mammals, which has been considered as a dual-use research, may benefit the development of effective vaccines and therapeutics against the emerging infectious agents, it may also pose threats to national biosecurity, laboratory biosafety, and/or public health. This review introduces the classification and characterization of IAVs, pinpoints historic pandemics and epidemics caused by IAVs, emphasizes the significance and necessity of biosafety, summarizes currently established biosafety-related protocols for IAV research, and provides potential strategies to improve biosafety protocols for dual-use research on the highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses and other emerging infectious agents.
authors.affiliation: Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Lanying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jimin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yusen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Shibo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D016272:Occupational Health; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D011634:Public Health; D012106:Research / Q000592:standards