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Tropical reservoir for human influenza?
An analysis of more than 1300 complete influenza genomes shows different evolutionary patterns for two important viral subtypes (A/H1N1 and A/H3N2). Changes in diversity through time in northern and southern hemispheres suggest that for each of these subtypes, new strains arise from a reservoir in the tropics and move out to temperate regions.
- Read longer synopsis
- Go to paper on the journal website: The genomic and epidemiological dynamics of human influenza A virus, Nature (2008)
CIDD researchers invited to research retreat
This year's Penn State cross-campus infectious disease retreat will be held May 29-30 at the Hershey campus. It is an opportunity for anyone with infectious disease interests (broadly defined) to share these interests with the group and explore potential collaborations. The retreat will consist of short overview presentations by participants, break-out sessions to discuss issues of interest to infectious disease researchers, and a poster session.
Influenza A virus: history of reassortment
Genetic sequences collected between 1918 and 2005 indicate that reassortment happens frequently in the evolutionary history of the Influenza A virus, including in the emergence of epidemic viruses.
- Go to paper on journal website: Multiple reassortment events in the evolutionary history of H1N1 Influenza A Virus since 1918, PLoS Pathogens (2008)
Predicting the unpredictable: measles outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa
Strong seasonal variations in transmission mean it is difficult to predict the size of measles epidemics in Niger from year to year. The large variability in annual outbreaks has implications for efforts to control outbreaks by vaccination.
- Read longer synopsis
- Go to paper on the journal website: The dynamics of measles in sub-Saharan Africa, Nature (2008)
Bacterial wilt and herbivory
Squash plants that resisted herbivory by beetles were also more resistant to a bacterial pathogen vectored by the beetles, a new study finds. This confounds some common assumptions about trade-offs between resistance and tolerance to herbivory.
- Read longer synopsis
- Go to paper on the journal website: Resistance and tolerance to herbivory changes with inbreeding and ontogeny in a wild gourd (Cucurbitaceae), American Journal of Botany (2008)
Please remember to update your info
- Please can everyone in CIDD remember to email Catherine Williams with details of recently-published / upcoming papers, upcoming workshops and other news. Thanks.
- Wanted: volunteers to write short synopses of recent CIDD papers (for examples, see the Research section). Interested? Email Catherine Williams.