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Comment
. 2014 Oct 14;5(5):e01882-14.
doi: 10.1128/mBio.01882-14.

An avian H7N1 gain-of-function experiment of great concern

Simon Wain-Hobson  1
Affiliations
Comment

An avian H7N1 gain-of-function experiment of great concern

Simon Wain-Hobson. mBio. .

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.

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References

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