Avian Influenza Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Avian Influenza, including details on bird flu, h5n1, risks, vaccines, prevention.

Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases: influenza as a prototype of the host-pathogen balancing act.

Fauci AS

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. afauci@niaid.nih.gov

To respond to emerging and re-emerging infections, it is necessary to understand the interactions between microbial pathogens and their hosts and the impact of environmental and social factors on these interactions. The importance of understanding host-pathogen interactions is underscored by the emergence of virulent H5N1 avian influenza viruses and their transmission to humans, and the potential pandemic threat they pose.

Published 24 February 2006 in Cell, 124(4): 665-70.
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