title: An avian H7N1 gain-of-function experiment of great concern.
abstract: Inappropriately named gain-of-function influenza research seeks to confer airborne transmission on avian influenza A viruses that otherwise cause only dead-end infections in humans. A recent study has succeeded in doing this with a highly pathogenic ostrich H7N1 virus in a ferret model without loss of virulence. If transposable to humans, this would constitute a novel virus with a case fatality rate ~30 greater than that of Spanish flu. A commentary from three distinguished virologists considered the benefits of this work to outweigh potential risks. I beg to disagree with conclusions in both papers, for the underlying science is not as strong as it appears.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, and Foundation for Vaccine Research, Washington, D.C. simon@pasteur.fr.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wain-Hobson
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057916:Influenza A Virus, H7N1 Subtype / Q000502:physiology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*