Norway D225G/N Publication Refutes WHO Position

[indigo girl]

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/03051001/D225GN_Norway_Refute.html

What does it mean and is it significant for swine flu? Don't know yet. Just watching it...

... just prior to the release of initial sequences by Mill Hill, the WHO put up a Ukraine update on Nov 17 stating that no significant changes had been found in the sequences from Ukraine patients, but the next day 10 HA sequences were released and D225G was found in all four fatal cases. Five other sequences from milder cases infected with the same sub-clade strongly suggested the linkage to fatal cases was significant.

The sequence data led to the examination of earlier sequences generated in several countries, including Norway. An alert was issued when Norway found 3 sequences with D225G, which were from two fatal cases and one severe case, which was the first severe cases reported in Norway.

The Norway study also found a statistically significant association of D225G and D225N with severe and fatal cases. They also found D225G on multiple genetic backbones, providing additional support by acquisition by recombination.

The Norway data, as well as sequences from Ukraine, Russia, the United States and other countries show clear clustering and decisively refute WHO claims of lack of significance as well as spontaneous appearances due to copy errors.

[indigo girl]

Referral: Virology Blog On D225G Mutation

There has been a lot of speculation regarding the D225G mutation first announced in Norway last November, suggesting that it may increase the virulence of the novel H1N1 virus.

This mutation, sometimes called D222G (or D225G in influenza H3 numbering) had actually been detected months earlier, and in many other countries. Norway was simply the first country to announce a possible connection between that mutation and greater virulence.

This mutation involves a single amino acid change in the HA1 gene at position 222 from aspartic acid (D) to glycine (G).

The World Health Organization's take on this mutation has been pretty consistent. It is worth following, and studying, but there is no evidence (as yet) that it poses a substantial public health hazard.

More at: http://afludiary.blogspot.com/2010/03/referral-virology-blog-on-d225g.html