spread

10.08.08

Stopping Influenza at Its Source

A half-decade study to track the flu's travels could lead to better vaccines

By Dawn Stover Posted 04.16.2008 at 2:59 pm 1 Comment

Flu travel patterns: Seasonal influenza strains typically emerge in Asia and spread to the rest of the world along the routes shown here. Courtesy of NASA/University of Cambridge

Where does the flu come from? Scientists at the University of Cambridge and the World Health Organization's Global Influenza Surveillance Network tracked the migrations of flu viruses and discovered that the most common originate in East and Southeast Asia and spread in a distinctive pattern around the world. Understanding how these viruses evolve and travel will lead to better vaccines against flu epidemics that currently infect 5 to 15 percent of the world's population each year.

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READ MORE ABOUT > Asia, dawn stover, flu, influenza, spread, University of Cambridge, vaccine, virus, world health organization

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