Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Volume 108, Issue 7 , Pages 526-532, July 2009

Novel Swine-origin Influenza Virus A (H1N1): The First Pandemic of the 21st Century

  • Luan-Yin Chang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Luan-Yin Chang and Shin-Ru Shih contributed equally to this work.
    • ,
  • Shin-Ru Shih

      Affiliations

    • Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Clinical Virology Laboratory, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Luan-Yin Chang and Shin-Ru Shih contributed equally to this work.
    • ,
  • Pei-Lan Shao

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Daniel Tsung-Ning Huang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Li-Min Huang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Graduate Institute of Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Li-Min Huang, Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan

Received 5 June 2009; received in revised form 13 June 2009; accepted 14 June 2009.

An influenza epidemic was detected in April 2009 at the border between the United States and Mexico. The virus was identified soon after to be a swine-origin influenza virus A (S-OIV A) (H1N1). This virus has an HA gene that is derived from the 1918 swine influenza virus and other genes from human, avian, and Eurasian swine influenza viruses. Clinically, it behaves similarly to seasonal influenza. The only differentiating characteristics are vomiting and diarrhea in a quarter of infected patients, which are rare in seasonal influenza. On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization declared the first pandemic of the 21st century, caused by S-OIV A (H1N1). Vaccination is the only way to dampen this pandemic. Many questions await answers, including the clinical impact of the pandemic, optimal doses of vaccine, and the future destiny of the virus. A breakthrough in vaccinology against influenza is needed to address the recurring influenza pandemic.

Key Words:  influenza vaccine , influenza , pandemic , reassortment , swine influenza

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PII: S0929-6646(09)60369-7

doi:10.1016/S0929-6646(09)60369-7

Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Volume 108, Issue 7 , Pages 526-532, July 2009

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