title: Molecular basis of a pandemic of avian-type influenza virus.
abstract: Despite heroic efforts to prevent the emergence of an influenza pandemic, avian influenza A virus has prevailed by crossing the species barriers to infect humans worldwide, occasionally with morbidity and mortality at unprecedented levels, and the virus later usually continues circulation in humans as a seasonal influenza virus, resulting in health-social-economic problems each year. Here, we review current knowledge of influenza viruses, their life cycle, interspecies transmission, and past pandemics and discuss the molecular basis of pandemic acquisition, notably of hemagglutinin (lectin) acting as a key contributor to change in host specificity in viral infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nongluk
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sriwilaijaroen
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000821:virology; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D058873:Pandemics
chemical_list: D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases