Hello 

Create Profile

Creating your profile will enable you to submit photos and stories to get published on News24.


Please provide a username for your profile page:

This username must be unique, cannot be edited and will be used in the URL to your profile page across the entire 24.com network.

Settings

Location Settings

News24 allows you to edit the display of certain components based on a location. If you wish to personalise the page based on your preferences, please select a location for each component and click "Submit" in order for the changes to take affect.









Facebook Sign-In

Hi News addict,

Join the News24 Community to be involved in breaking the news.

Log in with Facebook to comment and personalise news, weather and listings.

 
 

New virus 'very unstable'

2009-05-12 18:25
line

Hong Kong - A leading virologist has described the new H1N1 influenza virus as "very unstable", meaning it could mix and swap genetic material when exposed to other viruses.

The new virus, which has infected 5 251 people in 30 countries and killed 61, has displayed great efficiency in spreading among people, said Guan Yi, a microbiologist with the University of Hong Kong.

"This virus has been around only a few months, it is very unstable ... and we know that its presence is dramatically increasing in human population, so the chance of it meeting with H5N1 is actually increased," Guan said in an interview on Tuesday.

"Both H1N1 and H5N1 are unstable so the chances of them exchanging genetic material are higher, whereas a stable (seasonal flu) virus is less likely to take on genetic material."

While H1N1 appears to be mild so far with many infected people recovering even without treatment, the H5N1 has a mortality rate of between 60 to 70%.

Experts are fearful about the emergence of a hybrid which combines the killing power of the H5N1 with the efficient transmissibility of H1N1.

H5N1 is believed to be endemic in countries like China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Egypt.

New H1N1 virus strain

Guan, an expert on both the H5N1 and Sars, has analysed the genetic sequences of the new virus, which is a triple reassortant containing genetic material from swine, human and bird.

He said there was a huge information gap due to a lack of regular surveillance on animal disease.

Each one of the eight gene segments in the new virus has been seen in pigs in the past 10 years, but experts have no clue when this new H1N1 virus strain first appeared and in which animal species it had been incubating, Guan said.

"We know when each gene segment appeared, but we don't know when this strain first appeared, there is an information gap of about five to 10 years, from 1999 to 2009. If there was regular surveillance, we would know when this virus came about," he said.

"We don't know if this reassortment happened in pigs or human ... It's likely to have come from pigs because all the segments have been found in pigs, but we can't be 100% sure."

'Fighting for time'

Guan backed stringent moves taken by some governments to keep the virus at bay, such as quarantining.

"They are useful because we are now fighting for time to develop vaccines and antivirals, which will then minimise its impact on people (over the longer term)," he said.

"Already it appears to more virulent than seasonal flu because it is killing younger people and it appears to have higher mortality than seasonal flu, so it doesn't make sense to treat this like seasonal flu."

Seasonal flu kills about 250 000 to 500 000 people annually with a fatality rate of less than 0.1%.

A study published in Science on Monday estimated that the new H1N1 flu virus has a case fatality ratio of 0.4% based on confirmed and suspected deaths.

inside news24

 
1 of 10

140
1

Latest comment in Sci-Tech

bruce.gast says... more small thinking. The reason the world is in depression caused by fuel prices. EV's are the answer, Duh the phase out of oil burning cars won't happen immediately, Duh the source for electric power to charge EVs won't be generated from solar immediately, both will take place on steps... First being having people pull their heads out of their butts to see the has to be done. Or, well we can drill more, ruin more oceans, continue to build 40 million gas cars per year (that's 400 million over the next 10 years)... and continue to ruin the planet and our economies waiting for "an immediate fix"... thankful more and more people are seeing, but not the lamos who right stories like this! Bruce Gast ElectricCars.com Read the article...

 
Traffic
Lottery
 
  • Friday Carletonville - 10:01 AM
    Road name: N14
    ROAD CLOSED due to a large sink-hole between the two Carletonville exits - traffic is diverted onto a local bypass route
  • Sunday Volksrust - 07:33 AM
    Road name: N11 Both Ways
    Stop / go controls for construction works at Majuba Pass - expect delays between Volksrust and Newcastle
  • Monday Centurion - 15:41 PM
    Road name: Jean Avenue
    ROAD CLOSED between Rabie Street and Gerhard Street for sink hole repair works
 
More traffic reports...
 

Jobs [change area]

Cars[change area]

ISUZU

KB250 c LWB Fleetside Dsl AC PU MY07
2009
R 146,995.00

MEIYA

Pickup 2.2 D-Cab Deluxe PU
2008
R 109,995.00

AUDI

Q7 3.0 TDi Quattro Tiptronic Dsl 8-sp MY11
2011
R 659,900.00

Property [change area]

Travel - Look, Book, Go!

Romance at the President

Spend two nights at the Protea Hotel President in Cape Town from R2601 per person sharing. Includes return flights, taxes, car hire and accommodation. Book Now!

Kalahari.com - shop online today

The Big Mama Sale

The Big Mama Sale is now on. Get up to 80% off Books, Music, DVDs, Games, Electronics, Toys & Gifts. Shop now.

Electronics on Sale

Up to 80% off electronics + 24hr delivery. Shop now.

50% Off Educo toys

Join the Big Mama Sale madness at kalahari.com and get 50% off all Educo toys for your kids. Terms and conditions apply. Shop now.

Books on Sale

Up to 80% off books & 1000s Of books to choose from. First come, first served. While stocks last. Shop now.

Blu-ray special offer

Buy 10 blu-rays and get a free Sony blu-ray player. Offer valid while stocks last. Shop now.

OLX Free Classifieds [change area]

Drain & Pipe Inspection System

For Sale, Garage Sale in South Africa, Gauteng, Johannesburg. Date January 21

2011 Mazda 2 1.5 Dynamic

Vehicles, Cars in South Africa, Gauteng, Johannesburg. Date January 22

Estimator

Jobs, Engineering Jobs - Architecture Jobs in South Africa, Gauteng, Johannesburg. Date January 21

Nokia N8

Take amazing photos and videos, connect to your favourite social...

From R3399.00

I'm shopping for:

A local community where you can meet people, upload photos, videos and loads more...
There are new stories on the homepage. Click here to see them.