Influenza viral infections are a cause of major morbidity and mortality in humans as well as in wild and domesticated animal species. Influenza-related morbidity and mortality in humans is manifest on a yearly basis on the basis of ongoing genetic evolution of he virus in human and non-human species. Over the last several years, several strains of highly pathogenic Influenza A (H5N1) have arisen in wild and domestic bird populations. These viruses have already been transmitted to humans is a series sporadic predominantly bird-to-man transmission events. Infection with these highly pathogenic strains of H5N1 have been associated with mortality rates in man of 33 -100%. To date, cases of man-to-man spread have been difficult to document but there are substantial concerns that ongoing evolution of the virus might modify the transmissability of the agent over time. Accurate monitoring of circulating influenza strains in animal and human populations will greatly enhance our ability to anticipate and respond to the spread and/or evolution of both traditional and highly pathogenic strains of influenza and other retroviruses. In this application a collaborative group of virologists, microbial geneticists, genetic array experts, and physicists based at the University of California, San Diego and Precision Photonics in Boulder, Colorado propose to develop a novel and robust diagnostic platform that is capable of detecting respiratory virus nucleic acids in biological fluids at low cost, high sensitivity and rapid throughput. Refinements of the technology are proposed that will enable characterization of detected influenza viruses as to hemagglutinin and neuraminidase subtype, susceptibility to antiviral compounds and presence of targeted pathogenicity motifs. The platform can be expanded to include other respiratory viruses of man and could also be modified for veterinary use in either domestic or wild animal populations.
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