H1N1 Pandemic Influenza Virus Collections
In February 2009 a novel human influenza appeared in Mexico and the United States. The virus, currently named Swine Origin Influenza (S-OIV) or Novel A/H1N1, has rapidly spread throughout the world and was declared a pandemic virus by the WHO in June 2009.
Because of the potential threat of an influenza pandemic causing significant human mortality, health authorities worldwide have mobilized a response to monitor the evolution and epidemiology of the novel H1N1 virus.
Through the Influenza Genome Project funded by the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), JCVI has sequenced thousands of human, swine and avian influenza isolates from collections around the world to enable the development of new therapeutics, diagnostics, and vaccines. The sequencing data is rapidly delivered to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) influenza virus resource. JCVI has been funded by NIAID to do this work as one of their Genomic Sequencing Centers for Infectious Diseases.
NIAID and JCVI are collaborating with groups worldwide to monitor the evolution of S-IOV as it enters the human population. Genomic sequence information and epidemiological data will be used to address critical scientific questions of virus adaptation including changes in virulence, drug resistance and reassortment of S-OIV with current circulating human seasonal influenza strains.