Figure 2.

Origin of antigenic shift and pandemic influenza

The segmented nature of the influenza A genome, which has eight genes, facilitates reassortment; up to 256 gene combinations are possible during coinfection with human and non-human viruses. Antigenic shift can arise when genes encoding at least the haemagglutinin surface glycoprotein are introduced into people, by direct transmission of an avian virus from birds, as occurred with H5N1 virus, or after genetic reassortment in pigs, which support the growth of both avian and human viruses.