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Influenzavirus A

Influenzavirus A is a genus of a family of viruses called Orthomyxoviridae in virus classification. Influenzavirus A has only one species in it; that species is called "influenza A virus". Influenza A virus causes "avian influenza" (also known as bird flu, avian flu, influenzavirus A flu, type A flu, or genus A flu). It is hosted by birds, but may infect several species of mammals. It was first identified in Italy in the early 1900s and is now known to exist worldwide. [1]

Variants are sometimes also labeled according to:

  • species it is endemic in
    • human flu
    • swine flu
    • horse flu
    • dog flu
  • deadliness
    • Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI)
    • Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) (also called: deadly flu or death flu)

Subtypes

The avian flu virus subtypes are labeled according to an H number (for hemagglutinin) and an N number (for neuraminidase). Each subtype virus has mutated into a variety of strains with differing pathogenic profiles; some pathogenic to one species but not others, some pathogenic to multiple species. Most known strains are extinct strains. For example, the annual flu subtype H3N2 no longer contains the strain that caused the Hong Kong Flu.

The avian influenzavirus subtypes that have been confirmed in humans, ordered by the number of known human deaths, are: H1N1 caused "Spanish Flu", H2N2 caused "Asian Flu", H3N2 caused "Hong Kong Flu", H5N1 is the current pandemic threat, H7N7 has unusual zoonotic potential, H1N2 is currently endemic in humans and pigs, H9N2, H7N2, H7N3, H10N7.

Avian influenza viruses are negative sense, single-stranded, segmented RNA viruses. "There are 16 different HA antigens (H1 to H16) and nine different NA antigens (N1 to N9) for influenza A. Until recently, 15 HA types had been recognized, but a new type (H16) was isolated from black-headed gulls caught in Sweden and the Netherlands in 1999 and reported in the literature in 2005." [2]

Annual flu

The annual flu (also called "seasonal flu" or "human flu") kills an estimated 36,000 people in the United States each year. The annually updated trivalent flu vaccine consists of hemagglutinin (HA) surface glycoprotein components from influenza H3N2, H1N1, and B influenza viruses. [3] The dominant strain in January 2006 is H3N2. Measured resistance to the standard antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine in H3N2 has increased from 1% in 1994 to 12% in 2003 to 91% in 2005. [4] [5] "[C]ontemporary human H3N2 influenza viruses are now endemic in pigs in southern China and can reassort with avian H5N1 viruses in this intermediate host." [6]

Electron micrograph of avian flu viruses (Source: Dr. Erskine Palmer, CDC).

Genetics

Influenza A viruses contain their genome in eight separate linear segments of negative-sense RNA, which code for ten proteins (eleven for type A if including the novel PB1-F1 protein). Each segment contains a single gene, but some can be read twice at different starting points to create two distinct proteins. The segmented nature of the genome also allows for the exchange of entire genes between different viral strains when they cohabitate the same cell. The 8 genes are:

  • HA gene encoding hemagglutinin (about 500 molecules of hemagglutinin are needed to make one virion) "The extent of infection into host organism is determined by HA. Influenza viruses bud from the apical surface of polarized epithelial cells (e.g. bronchial epithelial cells) into lumen of lungs and are therefore usually pneumotropic. The reason is that HA is cleaved by tryptase clara which is restricted to lungs. However HAs of H5 and H7 pantropic avian viruses subtypes can be cleaved by furin and subtilisin-type enzymes, allowing the virus to grow in other organs than lungs." [7]
  • NA gene encoding neuraminidase (about 100 molecules of neuraminidase are needed to make one virion)
  • NP gene encoding nucleoprotein. Influenza A, B, and C are distinguished by their nucleoproteins
  • M gene encoding two matrix proteins (the M1 and the M2) by using different reading frames from the same RNA segment (about 3000 matrix protein molecules are needed to make one virion)
  • NS gene encoding two distinct non-structural proteins by using different reading frames from the same RNA segment
  • PA gene encoding an RNA polymerase
  • PB1 gene encoding an RNA polymerase and PB1-F2 protein (induces apoptosis) by using different reading frames from the same RNA segment
  • PB2 gene encoding an RNA polymerase

The genome segments have common terminal sequences, and the ends of the RNA strands are partially complementary, allowing them to bond to each other by hydrogen bonds. After transcription from negative-sense to positive-sense RNA the +RNA strands get the cellular 5' cap added, allowing its processing as messenger RNA by ribosomes. The +RNA strands also serve for synthesis of -RNA strands for new virions.

The RNA synthesis and its assembly with the nucleoprotein takes place in the cell nucleus, the synthesis of proteins takes place in the cytoplasm. The assembled virion cores leave the nucleus and migrate towards the cell membrane, with patches of viral transmembrane proteins (hemagglutinin, neuraminidase and M2 proteins) and an underlying layer of the M1 protein, and bud through these patches, releasing finished enveloped viruses into the extracellular fluid.

In nonhumans

Wild fowl act as natural asymptomatic carriers of avian flu virus. Prior to the current H5N1 epizootic, strains of avian influenza virus had been demonstrated to be transmitted from wild fowl to only birds, pigs, horses, seals, whales and humans; and only between humans and pigs and between humans and domestic fowl; and not other pathways such as domestic fowl to horse. [8] H5N1 has been shown to be also transmitted to tigers, leopards, and domestic cats who were fed uncooked domestic fowl (chickens) with the virus. H3N8 viruses from horses have crossed over and caused outbreaks in dogs. Laboratory mice have been successfully infected with a variety of avian flu genotypes. [9]

Avian influenza virus spreads in the air and in manure and survives longer in cold weather. It can also be transmitted by contaminated feed, water, equipment and clothing; however, there is no evidence that the virus can survive in well cooked meat. The incubation period is 3 to 5 days. Symptoms in animals vary, but virulent strains can cause death within a few days.

"Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is on every top ten list available for potential agricultural bioweapon agents". [10]

Avian influenza viruses that the OIE and others test for in order to control poultry disease include: H5N1, H7N2, H1N7, H7N3, H13N6, H5N9, H11N6, H3N8, H9N2, H5N2, H4N8, H10N7, H2N2, H8N4, H14N5, H6N5, H12N5 and others. [11]

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza
Year Area Affected Strain
---------------------------------------------------------
1959 Scotland chicken H5N1
1963 England turkey H7N3
1966 Ontario (Canada) turkey H5N9
1976 Victoria (Australia) chicken H7N7
1979 Germany chicken H7N7
1979 England turkey H7N7
1983 Pennsylvania (USA)* chicken,turkey H5N2
1983 Ireland turkey H5N8
1985 Victoria (Australia) chicken H7N7
1991 England turkey H5N1
1992 Victoria (Australia) chicken H7N3
1994 Queensland (Australia) chicken H7N3
1994 Mexico* chicken H5N2
1994 Pakistan* chicken H7N3
1997 New South Wales (Australia) chicken H7N4
1997 Hong Kong (China)* chicken H5N1
1997 Italy chicken H5N2
1999 Italy* turkey H7N1
2002 Hong Kong (China) chicken H5N1
2002 Chile chicken H7N3
2003 Netherlands* chicken H7N7
---------------------------------------------------------
*Outbreaks with significant spread to numerous farms,
 resulting in great economic losses. Most other outbreaks
 involved little or no spread from the initially infected
 farms.

1979: "More than 400 harbor seals, most of them immature, died along the New England coast between December 1979 and October 1980 of acute pneumonia associated with influenza virus, A/Seal/Mass/1/180 (H7N7)." [12]

1995: "[V]accinated birds can develop asymptomatic infections that allow virus to spread, mutate, and recombine (ProMED-mail, 2004j). Intensive surveillance is required to detect these “silent epidemics” in time to curtail them. In Mexico, for example, mass vaccination of chickens against epidemic H5N2 influenza in 1995 has had to continue in order to control a persistent and evolving virus (Lee et al., 2004)." [13]

1997: "Influenza A viruses normally seen in one species sometimes can cross over and cause illness in another species. For example, until 1997, only H1N1 viruses circulated widely in the U.S. pig population. However, in 1997, H3N2 viruses from humans were introduced into the pig population and caused widespread disease among pigs. Most recently, H3N8 viruses from horses have crossed over and caused outbreaks in dogs." [14]

2000: "In California, poultry producers kept their knowledge of a recent H6N2 avian influenza outbreak to themselves due to their fear of public rejection of poultry products; meanwhile, the disease spread across the western United States and has since become endemic." [15] [16]

2003: In Netherlands H7N7 influenza virus infection broke out in poultry on several farms. [17]

2004: In North America, the presence of avian influenza strain H7N3 was confirmed at several poultry farms in British Columbia in February 2004. As of April 2004, 18 farms had been quarantined to halt the spread of the virus. CDC detailed analysis

2005: Tens of millions of birds died of H5N1 influenza and hundreds of millions of birds were culled to protect humans from H5N1. H5N1 is endemic in birds in southeast Asia and represents a long term pandemic threat.

"[C]ontemporary human H3N2 influenza viruses are now endemic in pigs in southern China and can reassort with avian H5N1 viruses in this intermediate host." [18]

Swine flu
Horse flu
Dog flu
H3N8

In humans

"Human influenza virus" usually refers to those subtypes that spread widely among humans. H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 are the only known avian flu virus subtypes currently circulating among humans. [19]

Genetic factors in distinguishing between "human flu viruses" and "avian flu viruses" include:

In humans, avian flu viruses cause similar symptoms to other types of flu. [21] These include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, conjunctivitis and, in severe cases, severe breathing problems and pneumonia that may be fatal. The severity of the infection will depend to a large part on the state of the infected person's immune system and if the victim has been exposed to the strain before, and is therefore partially immune. In one case, a boy with H5N1 experienced diarrhea followed rapidly by a coma without developing respiratory or flu-like symptoms, suggesting non-standard symptoms. [22]

The avian influenza subtypes that have been confirmed in humans, ordered by the number of known human deaths, are: H1N1 caused "Spanish Flu", H2N2 caused "Asian Flu", H3N2 caused "Hong Kong Flu", H5N1 is the current pandemic threat, H7N7 has unusual zoonotic potential, H1N2 is currently endemic in humans and pigs, H9N2, H7N2, H7N3, H10N7.

All avian influenza (AI) viruses are type A influenza virus in the virus family of Orthomyxoviridae and all known strains of influenza A virus infect birds. Influenzavirus type A is subdivided into subtypes based on hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) protein spikes from the central virus core. There are 16 H types, each with up to 9 N subtypes, yielding a potential for 144 different H and N combinations.

In addition, avian influenza viruses may fall into one of 2 pathotypes: low (LPAI) and high (HPAI) pathogenicity, based on their virulence in poultry populations. Avian influenzavirus H5 and H7 strains are found in both "low pathogenic” or “high pathogenic” forms; influenza H9 virus has been identified only in a “low pathogenic” form.

It is feared that if a strain of avian influenza virus to which humans have not been previously exposed undergoes antigenic shift to the point where it can cross the species barrier from birds to humans, the new subtype created could be both highly contagious and highly lethal in humans. If a human infected with influenzavirus also acquires H5N1, a mutant strain of bird flu that can be transmitted from human to human could form. Such a subtype could cause a global pandemic similar to the Spanish Flu that killed up to 50 million people in 1918.

H1N1
H2N2
H3N2
H5N1
H7N7
H1N2
H9N2
H7N2
H7N3
H10N7

Sources

  • Gibbs, W. Waut & Soares, Christine (Nov. 2005). "Preparing for a Pandemic". Scientific American, p. 23–31.
  • "Reining in bird flu: Answer may lie with reverse engineering". (Nov. 6, 2005). New Sunday Times, p. F18.
  • "Three million Asians may die". (Nov. 5, 2005). New Straits Times, p. 28.
  • "Avian Influenza Factsheet". World Health Organization. Retrieved November 16th, 2005.

Further reading

Official sources (also see H5N1)
  • Avian influenza and Influenza Pandemics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Avian influenza FAQ from the World Health Organization
  • U.S. Government's avian influenza information website
General information (also see Flu)
  • Special issue on avian flu from Nature
  • Overview of H5N1 from New England Journal of Medicine
  • A guide to bird flu and its symptoms from BBC Health
  • A Variety of Avian Flu Images and Pictures
  • Avian flu, bioterror, animals (page in an online book) "Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is on every top ten list available for potential agricultural bioweapon agents"
  • 'The Threat of Bird Flu' : HealthPolitics.com
  • Is a Global Flu Pandemic Imminent? from Infection Control Today.
  • Bird Flu is a Real Pandemic Threat to Humans by Leonard Crane, author of Ninth Day of Creation.
  • Links to Bird Flu pictures (Hardin MD/Univ of Iowa)
News
  • Current status (Google news of avian+OR+bird+flu+OR+influenza)
  • Flu Breaking News Avian flu, common symptom, flu vaccine and flu shot and latest news
  • Global Pandemic News : 24 X 7 online news feeds on the threat of Bird Flu and a Global Pandemic

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Such a subtype could cause a global pandemic similar to the Spanish Flu that killed up to 50 million people in 1918. The company's loftiest efforts have been in the supercar market. If a human infected with influenzavirus also acquires H5N1, a mutant strain of bird flu that can be transmitted from human to human could form. The later Testarossa remains one of the most famous Ferraris. It is feared that if a strain of avian influenza virus to which humans have not been previously exposed undergoes antigenic shift to the point where it can cross the species barrier from birds to humans, the new subtype created could be both highly contagious and highly lethal in humans. Ferrari entered the mid-engined 12-cylinder fray with the Berlinetta Boxer in 1971. Avian influenzavirus H5 and H7 strains are found in both "low pathogenic” or “high pathogenic” forms; influenza H9 virus has been identified only in a “low pathogenic” form. The company has also produced front-engined 2+2 cars, culminating in the current 612 Scaglietti.

In addition, avian influenza viruses may fall into one of 2 pathotypes: low (LPAI) and high (HPAI) pathogenicity, based on their virulence in poultry populations. Although they looked quite different from their 2-seat counterparts, both the GT4 and Mondial were very closely-related to the 308 GTB. There are 16 H types, each with up to 9 N subtypes, yielding a potential for 144 different H and N combinations. For a time, Ferrari built 2+2 versions of its mid-engined V8 cars. Influenzavirus type A is subdivided into subtypes based on hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) protein spikes from the central virus core. Ferrari quickly moved into the Gran Turismo market, and the bulk of the company's sales remain in this area. All avian influenza (AI) viruses are type A influenza virus in the virus family of Orthomyxoviridae and all known strains of influenza A virus infect birds. V6 and V8 Ferrari models make up well over half of the marque's total production.

The avian influenza subtypes that have been confirmed in humans, ordered by the number of known human deaths, are: H1N1 caused "Spanish Flu", H2N2 caused "Asian Flu", H3N2 caused "Hong Kong Flu", H5N1 is the current pandemic threat, H7N7 has unusual zoonotic potential, H1N2 is currently endemic in humans and pigs, H9N2, H7N2, H7N3, H10N7. This layout would go on to be used in most Ferraris of the 1980s and 1990s. [22]. The Dino was the first mid-engined Ferrari. In one case, a boy with H5N1 experienced diarrhea followed rapidly by a coma without developing respiratory or flu-like symptoms, suggesting non-standard symptoms. Ferrari's earliest models were pure sports cars, not the exotics we know today. The severity of the infection will depend to a large part on the state of the infected person's immune system and if the victim has been exposed to the strain before, and is therefore partially immune.
.

[21] These include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, conjunctivitis and, in severe cases, severe breathing problems and pneumonia that may be fatal.
. In humans, avian flu viruses cause similar symptoms to other types of flu.
. Genetic factors in distinguishing between "human flu viruses" and "avian flu viruses" include:.
. [19]. In the mid 1990s, Ferrari added the letter "F" to the beginning of all models (a practice quickly abandoned after the F512M and F355, but recently picked up again with the F430).

H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 are the only known avian flu virus subtypes currently circulating among humans. The various Dino models were named for Enzo's son. "Human influenza virus" usually refers to those subtypes that spread widely among humans. This was probably to avoid confusion with the multiple 250 models produced before the GTO. "[C]ontemporary human H3N2 influenza viruses are now endemic in pigs in southern China and can reassort with avian H5N1 viruses in this intermediate host." [18]. As well, the 250 GTO's famous acronym, which means Gran Turismo Omologato, was simply a name the Italian press gave the car which referred to the way Ferrari had, in a sense, avoided the rules and successfully homologated the car for racing purposes (Somehow, Ferrari had convinced the FIA, the 250 GTO was the same car as previous 250's). H5N1 is endemic in birds in southeast Asia and represents a long term pandemic threat. (North American Racing Team, who raced Ferrari's in America) won the famous 24 hour race of the same name.

2005: Tens of millions of birds died of H5N1 influenza and hundreds of millions of birds were culled to protect humans from H5N1. The 365 GTB4 model only became known as a Daytona after racing variants run by N.A.R.T. CDC detailed analysis. Many such names are actually not official factory names. As of April 2004, 18 farms had been quarantined to halt the spread of the virus. Many Ferraris also had other names affixed (like Daytona) to identify them further. 2004: In North America, the presence of avian influenza strain H7N3 was confirmed at several poultry farms in British Columbia in February 2004. This naming system can be confusing, as some entirely different vehicles used the same engine type and body style.

[17]. In general, the following conventions were used:. 2003: In Netherlands H7N7 influenza virus infection broke out in poultry on several farms. Most Ferraris were also given designations referring to their body style. 2000: "In California, poultry producers kept their knowledge of a recent H6N2 avian influenza outbreak to themselves due to their fear of public rejection of poultry products; meanwhile, the disease spread across the western United States and has since become endemic." [15] [16]. Until the mid-1990s, Ferrari followed a three-number naming scheme based on engine displacement:. Most recently, H3N8 viruses from horses have crossed over and caused outbreaks in dogs." [14]. This was done as a protest concerning arguments between Ferrari and the Italian Racing Authorities regarding the homologation of a new mid-engined Ferrari race car.

However, in 1997, H3N2 viruses from humans were introduced into the pig population and caused widespread disease among pigs. Curiosly, Ferrari won the 1964 World championship with John Surtees by competing the last two races in cars painted white&blue, as these were not entered by the Italian factory themselves, but the US-based NART team. pig population. When BMW re-entered F1 in 2000, they also made sure that the cars of WilliamsF1 were painted white and blue. For example, until 1997, only H1N1 viruses circulated widely in the U.S. the green Jaguar Racing in F1 as well as the blue on current Renault F1 cars, which was originally contributed by a tobacco sponsor. 1997: "Influenza A viruses normally seen in one species sometimes can cross over and cause illness in another species. In recent years, these traditional colors have resurfaced in some cases, eg.

In Mexico, for example, mass vaccination of chickens against epidemic H5N2 influenza in 1995 has had to continue in order to control a persistent and evolving virus (Lee et al., 2004)." [13]. Since 1996, the Ferrari F1 cars are said to be painted in a brighter, nearly orange red, in order to fit better to their tobacco sponsor. Intensive surveillance is required to detect these “silent epidemics” in time to curtail them. The shade of the color varies, though. 1995: "[V]accinated birds can develop asymptomatic infections that allow virus to spread, mutate, and recombine (ProMED-mail, 2004j). These national colors were mostly replaced by sponsor liveries since 1968, but unlike most other teams, Ferrari always kept the traditional red. 1979: "More than 400 harbor seals, most of them immature, died along the New England coast between December 1979 and October 1980 of acute pneumonia associated with influenza virus, A/Seal/Mass/1/180 (H7N7)." [12]. For example, a yellow Ferrari 156 was entered and driven in the 1961 Belgian Grand Prix by Olivier Gendebien from Belgium, scoring 4th behind 3 other Ferrari 156 painted in red, as they were entered by the Scuderia Ferrari itself, but driven by Americans Phil Hill&Richie Ginther as well as German Wolfgang von Trips.

[11]. The color was not determined by the country the car was made in, nor by the nationality of the driver(s), but by the nationality of the team that entered the vehicle. Avian influenza viruses that the OIE and others test for in order to control poultry disease include: H5N1, H7N2, H1N7, H7N3, H13N6, H5N9, H11N6, H3N8, H9N2, H5N2, H4N8, H10N7, H2N2, H8N4, H14N5, H6N5, H12N5 and others. In that scheme, French cars like Bugatti were blue, German like BMW and Porsche white (since 1934 also Silver Arrows), British racing green etc. [10]. This was the customary national racing color of Italy, as recommended between the World Wars by the organisations that later would become the FIA. "Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is on every top ten list available for potential agricultural bioweapon agents". Since the 1920s, Italian race cars of Alfa Romeo, Maserati and later Ferrari and Abarth were (and often still are) painted in "race red" (Rosso Corsa).

Symptoms in animals vary, but virulent strains can cause death within a few days. One example is quite prominent next to roads in Austria and Eastern European countries, as an Austrian company, named "avanti" (http://www.avanti.at) since 1972, operates over 100 filling stations marked with a prancing horse logo which is nearly identical to Ferrari's. The incubation period is 3 to 5 days. Yet, other companies use similar logos. It can also be transmitted by contaminated feed, water, equipment and clothing; however, there is no evidence that the virus can survive in well cooked meat. The prancing horse is now a trademark of Ferrari. Avian influenza virus spreads in the air and in manure and survives longer in cold weather. But, as Ferrari's fame grew, Ducati abandoned the horse; this may have been the result of a private agreement between the two brands.

[9]. Taglioni's father was, in fact, a companion of Baracca's and fought with him in the 91st Air Squad. Laboratory mice have been successfully infected with a variety of avian flu genotypes. The prancing horse has not always been uniquely identified with the Ferrari brand: Fabio Taglioni used it on his Ducati motorbikes. H3N8 viruses from horses have crossed over and caused outbreaks in dogs. Ever since, the cavallino was shown on the Alfas that were competing against the Silver Arrows of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union, among others. [8] H5N1 has been shown to be also transmitted to tigers, leopards, and domestic cats who were fed uncooked domestic fowl (chickens) with the virus. The first race at which Alfa Romeo would let Ferrari use the horse on the Alfas entered by his Scuderia Ferrari was eleven years later at Spa 24 Hours in 1932, which the Ferrari-led Alfa team won.

Prior to the current H5N1 epizootic, strains of avian influenza virus had been demonstrated to be transmitted from wild fowl to only birds, pigs, horses, seals, whales and humans; and only between humans and pigs and between humans and domestic fowl; and not other pathways such as domestic fowl to horse. Baracca using the Stuttgart horse from a shot-down plane ties in with the fact that his family owned many horses. Wild fowl act as natural asymptomatic carriers of avian flu virus. This is supported by the evidence Barraca's horse looks more similar to the one of Stuttgart (not changed since 1938) than the current Ferrari design, especially as the legs of the horses are concerned. The assembled virion cores leave the nucleus and migrate towards the cell membrane, with patches of viral transmembrane proteins (hemagglutinin, neuraminidase and M2 proteins) and an underlying layer of the M1 protein, and bud through these patches, releasing finished enveloped viruses into the extracellular fluid. Another theory suggests Baracca copied the rampant horse design from a shot-down German pilot who had the emblem of the city of Stuttgart on his plane. The RNA synthesis and its assembly with the nucleoprotein takes place in the cell nucleus, the synthesis of proteins takes place in the cytoplasm. It has been supposed the choice of a horse was perhaps partly because his noble family was known for having many horses on their estates at Lugo di Romagna.

The +RNA strands also serve for synthesis of -RNA strands for new virions. Ferrari left the horse black as it had been on Baracca's plane; however, he added a canary yellow background as this is the color of the city of Modena, his birthplace. After transcription from negative-sense to positive-sense RNA the +RNA strands get the cellular 5' cap added, allowing its processing as messenger RNA by ribosomes. The Countess asked Enzo to use this horse on his cars, suggesting that it would grant him good luck. The genome segments have common terminal sequences, and the ends of the RNA strands are partially complementary, allowing them to bond to each other by hydrogen bonds. On June 17, 1923, Enzo Ferrari won a race at the Savio track in Ravenna where he met the Countess Paolina, mother of Count Francesco Baracca, a legendary asso (ace) of the Italian air force and national hero during World War I, who used to paint a horse on the side of his planes. The 8 genes are:. Enzo Ferrari met these competitors many times since the 1920s while competing for Alfa.

The segmented nature of the genome also allows for the exchange of entire genes between different viral strains when they cohabitate the same cell. Stuttgart, called Stoccarda by the Italians, is the home of Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari's rival Porsche, which also uses the Stuttgart sign in its corporate logo, centered in the emblem of the state of Württemberg just like the city is placed within the state. Each segment contains a single gene, but some can be read twice at different starting points to create two distinct proteins. This name is derived from Stutengarten, an ancient form of the modern German word Gestüt, which translates into English as stud farm and into Italian as scuderia. Influenza A viruses contain their genome in eight separate linear segments of negative-sense RNA, which code for ten proteins (eleven for type A if including the novel PB1-F1 protein). Curiously, a similar black horse on a yellow shield is the Coat of Arms of the German city of Stuttgart. [4] [5] "[C]ontemporary human H3N2 influenza viruses are now endemic in pigs in southern China and can reassort with avian H5N1 viruses in this intermediate host." [6]. The road cars have a rectangular badge on the front hood (see picture above).

Measured resistance to the standard antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine in H3N2 has increased from 1% in 1994 to 12% in 2003 to 91% in 2005. The famous symbol of the Ferrari race team is a black prancing horse on yellow shield-shaped background, usually with the letters S F for Scuderia Ferrari, and with three stripes of the Italian national colors green-white-red on top. [3] The dominant strain in January 2006 is H3N2. Famous drivers include Tazio Nuvolari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Alberto Ascari, Phil Hill, Mike Hawthorn, John Surtees, Niki Lauda, Jody Scheckter, Gilles Villeneuve, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher. The annually updated trivalent flu vaccine consists of hemagglutinin (HA) surface glycoprotein components from influenza H3N2, H1N1, and B influenza viruses. As of 2004, the team's records include fourteen World Drivers Championship titles (1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1975, 1977, 1979, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004), fourteen World Constructors Championship titles (1961, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004), 179 grand prix victories, 3445 and a half points, 544 podium finishes, 174 pole positions, 11,182 laps led, and 180 fastest laps in 1622 grands prix contested. The annual flu (also called "seasonal flu" or "human flu") kills an estimated 36,000 people in the United States each year. Ferrari is the oldest team left in the championship, not to mention the most successful: the team holds nearly every Formula One record.

Until recently, 15 HA types had been recognized, but a new type (H16) was isolated from black-headed gulls caught in Sweden and the Netherlands in 1999 and reported in the literature in 2005." [2]. Alberto Ascari gave Ferrari its first World Championship a year later. "There are 16 different HA antigens (H1 to H16) and nine different NA antigens (N1 to N9) for influenza A. José Froilán González gave the team its first victory at the 1951 British Grand Prix. Avian influenza viruses are negative sense, single-stranded, segmented RNA viruses. The Scuderia joined the Formula One World Championship in the first year of its existence, 1950. The avian influenzavirus subtypes that have been confirmed in humans, ordered by the number of known human deaths, are: H1N1 caused "Spanish Flu", H2N2 caused "Asian Flu", H3N2 caused "Hong Kong Flu", H5N1 is the current pandemic threat, H7N7 has unusual zoonotic potential, H1N2 is currently endemic in humans and pigs, H9N2, H7N2, H7N3, H10N7. After Ferrari's departure from Alfa, he began to design and produce cars of his own; the Ferrari team first appeared on the European grand prix scene after the end of World War II.

For example, the annual flu subtype H3N2 no longer contains the strain that caused the Hong Kong Flu. His Scuderia started as an independent sponsor for drivers in various cars, but soon became the Alfa Romeo in-house racing team. Most known strains are extinct strains. Enzo Ferrari's true passion, despite his extensive road car business, was always auto racing. Each subtype virus has mutated into a variety of strains with differing pathogenic profiles; some pathogenic to one species but not others, some pathogenic to multiple species. Main article: Scuderia Ferrari. The avian flu virus subtypes are labeled according to an H number (for hemagglutinin) and an N number (for neuraminidase). As of 2004, FIAT owns 56% of Ferrari, Mediobanca 15%, Commerzbank 10%, Lehman Brothers 7%, and Enzo's son Piero Ferrari 10%.

. Other design houses that have done work for Ferrari over the years include Scaglietti, Bertone, Touring, Ghia, and Vignale. Variants are sometimes also labeled according to:. Ferrari road cars, noted for nice styling by design houses like Pininfarina, have long been one of the ultimate accessories for the rich. [1]. While his beautiful and blazingly fast cars quickly gained a reputation for excellence, Enzo maintained a famous distaste for his customers, most of whom he felt were buying his cars for the prestige and not the performance. It was first identified in Italy in the early 1900s and is now known to exist worldwide. Image:Ferrarimascot.jpg The first Ferrari road car was the 1947 125 S, powered by a 1.5 L V12 engine; Enzo reluctantly built and sold his automobiles to fund the Scuderia.

It is hosted by birds, but may infect several species of mammals. "Scuderia Ferrari" literally means "Ferrari Stable" in keeping with the prancing horse emblem; the name is figuratively translated as "Team Ferrari." (It is correctly pronounced "skoo dee ry ah".). Influenza A virus causes "avian influenza" (also known as bird flu, avian flu, influenzavirus A flu, type A flu, or genus A flu). Right up to Il Commendatore's death, this would remain little more than a source of funding for his first love, racing. Influenzavirus A has only one species in it; that species is called "influenza A virus". The factory was bombed in 1944 and rebuilt in 1946 to include a works for road car production. Influenzavirus A is a genus of a family of viruses called Orthomyxoviridae in virus classification. In 1943 the Ferrari factory moved to Maranello, where it has remained ever since.

Global Pandemic News : 24 X 7 online news feeds on the threat of Bird Flu and a Global Pandemic. Because he was prohibited by contract from racing for several years, the Scuderia briefly became Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari, which ostensibly produced machine tools and aircraft accessories.Also known as SEFAC Ferrari did in fact produce one racecar, the Tipo 815, in the non-competition period; it was thus the first actual Ferrari car (it debuted at the 1940 Mille Miglia), but due to World War II it saw little competition. Flu Breaking News Avian flu, common symptom, flu vaccine and flu shot and latest news. In 1940, upon learning of the company's plan to absorb his beloved Scuderia and take control of his racing efforts, he quit Alfa. Current status (Google news of avian+OR+bird+flu+OR+influenza). Ferrari prepared and successfully raced various drivers in Alfa Romeo cars until 1938, when he was officially hired by Alfa as head of their racing department. Links to Bird Flu pictures (Hardin MD/Univ of Iowa). Enzo Ferrari never intended to produce road cars when he formed Scuderia Ferrari in 1929 as a sponsor for amateur drivers headquartered in Modena.

Bird Flu is a Real Pandemic Threat to Humans by Leonard Crane, author of Ninth Day of Creation. . Is a Global Flu Pandemic Imminent? from Infection Control Today. The company is based in Maranello, near Modena, Italy. 'The Threat of Bird Flu' : HealthPolitics.com. At first, Scuderia Ferrari sponsored drivers and manufactured racecars; the company went into independent car production in 1946, eventually became Ferrari S.p.A., and is now controlled by the Fiat group. Avian flu, bioterror, animals (page in an online book) "Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is on every top ten list available for potential agricultural bioweapon agents". Ferrari is an Italian manufacturer of high-end race cars and high-performance sports cars formed by Enzo Ferrari in 1929.

A Variety of Avian Flu Images and Pictures. 1996 F50 GT. A guide to bird flu and its symptoms from BBC Health. 1994 333 SP. Overview of H5N1 from New England Journal of Medicine. 1971 312 PB. Special issue on avian flu from Nature. 1969 512 S and 512 M.

Government's avian influenza information website. 1969 312 P. U.S. 1967 412 P. Avian influenza FAQ from the World Health Organization. 1967 330 P4. Avian influenza and Influenza Pandemics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1966 330 P3.

Retrieved November 16th, 2005. 1965 330 P2. World Health Organization. 1964 330 P. "Avian Influenza Factsheet". 1964 250 LM. 28. 1963 250 P.

New Straits Times, p. 1963 P/LM series

    . 5, 2005). 1963 330 LMB. (Nov. 1962 250 GTO. "Three million Asians may die". 1962 GTO
      .

      F18. 1960 250 TR60/61. New Sunday Times, p. 1956 250 Testa Rossa. 6, 2005). 1954 250 Monza. (Nov. 1954 750 Monza.

      "Reining in bird flu: Answer may lie with reverse engineering". 1953 375 MM. 23–31. 1953 340 MM. Scientific American, p. 1952 250MM. "Preparing for a Pandemic". 1951 340 America.

      2005). 1949 125 F1. Waut & Soares, Christine (Nov. 1948 166. Gibbs, W. 1947 125 Sport. PB2 gene encoding an RNA polymerase. FXX.

      PB1 gene encoding an RNA polymerase and PB1-F2 protein (induces apoptosis) by using different reading frames from the same RNA segment. 575 GTC. PA gene encoding an RNA polymerase. 360 Challenge. NS gene encoding two distinct non-structural proteins by using different reading frames from the same RNA segment. 360 GTC. M gene encoding two matrix proteins (the M1 and the M2) by using different reading frames from the same RNA segment (about 3000 matrix protein molecules are needed to make one virion). 2003 Enzo.

      Influenza A, B, and C are distinguished by their nucleoproteins. 1995-1997 ( till 1999 with the introduction of the F50 GT) F50. NP gene encoding nucleoprotein. 1988-1992 F40. NA gene encoding neuraminidase (about 100 molecules of neuraminidase are needed to make one virion). 1984 288 GTO. However HAs of H5 and H7 pantropic avian viruses subtypes can be cleaved by furin and subtilisin-type enzymes, allowing the virus to grow in other organs than lungs." [7]. 1962 250 GTO.

      The reason is that HA is cleaved by tryptase clara which is restricted to lungs. 1994-1996 F512M. bronchial epithelial cells) into lumen of lungs and are therefore usually pneumotropic. 1992-1994 512TR. Influenza viruses bud from the apical surface of polarized epithelial cells (e.g. 1984-1992 Testarossa. HA gene encoding hemagglutinin (about 500 molecules of hemagglutinin are needed to make one virion) "The extent of infection into host organism is determined by HA. 1984-1996 Testarossa

        .

        Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) (also called: deadly flu or death flu). 1981 512iBB. Low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI). 1976 512BB. deadliness

          . 1971 365 GT4 BB. dog flu. 1971-1984 512 Berlinetta Boxer
            .

            horse flu. 2004-2005 612 Scaglietti. swine flu. 1998-2003 456M GT Coupe. human flu. 1992-1997 456 GT/GTA Coupe. species it is endemic in

              . 1992-2003 456/456M
                .

                1985 412. 1979 400i. 1976 400 Automatic. 1976-1989 400/412

                  .

                  1972-1976 365 GT4 2+2. 1971-1972 365 GTC4. 1968-1973 365 Daytona

                    . 1967-1971 365 GT 2+2.

                    1967-1971 365

                      . 1964-1967 330 GT 2+2. 1964-1967 330
                        . 1960-1963 250 GT 2+2.

                        1960-1963 250

                          . 1989 Mondial T. 1985 3.2 Mondial/3.2 Cabriolet. 1983 Mondial Cabriolet.

                          1982 Mondial Quattrovalvole. 1980 Mondial 8. 1980 Mondial

                            . 1975 208 GT4.

                            1976-1980 308GT4. 1974-1975 Dino 308GT4. 1974-1980 208/308 GT4

                              . 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB.

                              2005 Superamerica. 2004 Barchetta. 2002-2006 575M Maranello

                                . 2001 550 Barchetta.

                                1996-2000 550 Maranello Coupe. 1996-2001 550 Maranello

                                  . 1968 365 GTB4/365 GTS4. 1968-1973 Daytona
                                    .

                                    1969-1970 365 GTS Spider. 1968-1969 365 GTC Coupe. 1968 365

                                      . 1966-1968 275 GTB/4.

                                      1964-1965 275 GTB/GTS. 1964-1968 275

                                        . 1966 330 GTS Spider. 1966 330 GTC Coupe.

                                        1964 330

                                          . 1957-1960 250 GT Berlinetta/Cabriolet/California Spyder/SWB. 1954-1963 250 GT Europa/Boano/Ellena/Coupe Pininfarina/Lusso. 1953 250 Export/Europa.

                                          1952 250S/250MM. 1953-1962 250

                                            . 1966 365 California. 1964 500 Superfast.

                                            1960 400 superamerica. 1957 410 superamerica III. 1956 410 superamerica. 1953 375 America.

                                            1952 340 America. 1952-1967 America

                                              . 2005 F430. 2003-2004 Challenge Stradale.

                                              1999-2004 360 Modena/Spider. 1999-2004 Ferrari 360

                                                . 1997 355 F1. 1994 F355/GTS.

                                                1995-1998 F355

                                                  . 1993 348 GTB/GTS. 1989 348 TB/TS. 1989 348
                                                    .

                                                    1986 GTB/GTS Turbo. 1985 328 GTB Berlinetta. 1982 308 GTB/GTS Quattrovalvole. 1982 208 GTB/GTS Turbo.

                                                    1980 308 GTBi/GTSi. 1980 208 GTB/GTS. 1975 308 GTB/GTS. 1975-1989 208/308/328 GTB/GTS

                                                      .

                                                      1968-1973 Dino 246GT/GTS. 1968-1973 Dino 206GT. 1968-1975 Dino

                                                        . 1952 340 MM Berlinetta/Spider.

                                                        1951-1952 212 Coupe/Cabriolet. 1951 195 Coupe. 1948-1950 166. The convertible models now use the suffix "Spider" (see F355 Spider, and Ferrari 360 Spider).

                                                        GTS models, in older models, are convertibles (see 365 GTS4); however, in late models, this suffix is used for targa top models (see 348 GTS, and F355 GTS; exception being the 348 TS, which is the only targa named differently). GTB models are closed Berlinettas, or coupes. M standing for "Modificata," this suffix is placed to the end of a model's number designation to denote that it is a modified version of its predecessor and not a complete evolution (see F512M and 575M Maranello). Therefore, the 512BB was five liter flat 12 (a Berlinetta Boxer, in this case).

                                                        Flat twelve (boxer) models used the displacement in liters. Therefore, the famed 365 Daytona had a 4380 cc V12. V12 models used the displacement (in cubic centimeters) of one cylinder. Thus, the 206 was a 2.0 L V6-powered vehicle, while the 348 used a 3.4 L V8.

                                                        V6 and V8 models used the total displacement (in deciliters) for the first two digits and the number of cylinders as the third.