Viral Reassortment.

Novel genomes arise from viral reassortment, the swapping of genes between viruses that infect a host at the same time

H1N1 influenza has a composite genome, with genes from a human flu virus, bird flu virus, and two swine flu viruses

Novel viruses can cause an epidemic (an outbreak of disease in a limited region) or a pandemic (an outbreak that simultaneously affects people throughout the world)



Novel genomes arise from viral reassortment, the swapping of genes between viruses that infect a host at the same time

H1N1 influenza has a composite genome, with genes from a human flu virus, bird flu virus, and two swine flu viruses

Novel viruses can cause an epidemic (an outbreak of disease in a limited region) or a pandemic (an outbreak that simultaneously affects people throughout the world)


0 Two strains of influenza viruses (shown here as red and blue) infect a host at the same time. 9 Inside a host cell, viral genes are copied and the copies mix together. 6 A mix of genes is packaged into each new viral particle that buds from the host cell.