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A Virologist's Look at the Swine Flu Genome

Apr 30, 2009

ScienceInsider has an interview with the head of the CDC's molecular virology and vaccines branch, Ruben Donis. In the Q&A Donis talks about what's known about the swine flu genome -- it's 14 kb and is "almost equidistant to swine viruses from the United States and Eurasia." The new parts of the strain, Donis adds, are neuraminidase and matrix genes. "This reminds me of SARS. With avian there's very little transmission. And even with SARS, transmission was far less," Donis says.

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