Open AccessInfluenza Gain-of-Function Experiments: Their Role in Vaccine Virus Recommendation and Pandemic Preparedness
Author(s) -
Stacey SchultzCherry,
Richard J. Webby,
Robert G. Webster,
Anne Kelso,
Ian Barr,
John W. McCauley,
Rod S. Daniels,
D. Wang,
Yuelong Shu,
Eri Nobusawa,
Shigeyuki Itamura,
Masato Tashiro,
Yu Harada,
Shinji Watanabe,
Takato Odagiri,
Z. Ye,
Gary Grohmann,
Ruth Harvey,
Othmar G. Engelhardt,
Derek J. Smith,
Keith Hamilton,
Filip Claes,
Gwenae͏̈lle Dauphin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
mbio
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.562
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 2161-2129
pISSN - 2150-7511
DOI - 10.1128/mbio.02430-14
Subject(s) - preparedness , pandemic , covid-19 , virology , function (biology) , influenza pandemic , pandemic influenza , virus , gain of function , computer science , medicine , biology , political science , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , outbreak , pathology , evolutionary biology , gene , law , biochemistry , mutation
In recent years, controversy has arisen regarding the risks and benefits of certain types of gain-of-function (GOF) studies involving avian influenza viruses. In this article, we provide specific examples of how different types of data, including information garnered from GOF studies, have helped to shape the influenza vaccine production process-from selection of candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) to the manufacture and stockpiling of safe, high-yield prepandemic vaccines for the global community. The article is not written to support a specific pro- or anti-GOF stance but rather to inform the scientific community about factors involved in vaccine virus selection and the preparation of prepandemic influenza vaccines and the impact that some GOF information has had on this process.