Influenza Life Cycle Host Interactions with Influenza Factors Influenza Infection Authored: Luo, F, Squires, B, Scheuermann, RH, 2006-01-05 15:13:12 Edited: D'Eustachio, P, Gillespie, ME, 2006-01-07 21:50:17 For centuries influenza epidemics have plagued man, and influenza was probably the disease described by Hippocrates in 412 BC. Today it remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide with large segments of the human population affected every year. Many animal species can be infected by influenza viruses, often with catastrophic consequences. A continuing threat is the possibility of a pandemic similar to that experienced in 1918, estimated to have been responsible for 50 million deaths worldwide.<p>Influenza viruses belong to the family of Orthomyxoviridae; viruses with segmented RNA genomes that are negative sense and single-stranded (Baltimore 1971).<p>Influenza virus strains are named according to their type (A, B, or C), the species from which the virus was isolated (omitted if human), location of isolate, the number of the isolate, the year of isolation, and in the case of influenza A viruses, the hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) subtype. For example, the virus of H5N1 subtype isolated from chickens in Hong Kong in 1997 is: influenza A/chicken/Hong Kong/220/97(H5N1) virus. Currently 16 different hemagglutinin (H1 to H16) subtypes and 9 different neuraminidase (N1 to N9) subtypes are known for influenza A viruses. Most human disease is due to Influenza viruses of the A type, so the events of Influenza infection have been annotated in Reactome with reference to this type. GENE ONTOLOGYGO:0019058 Pubmed0 Reactome Database ID Release 43168254 Reactome, http://www.reactome.org ReactomeREACT_6167 Reviewed: Garcia-Sastre, A, Squires, B, 2006-10-30 21:55:36 PathwayStep3761 PathwayStep3748