Paradigm Shift Intervention Monitoring
twitter
Live feed of underlying pandemic map data here
Commentary
Low Reactor Tamiflu
Resistant H1N1 Recombinant In Japan
Recombinomics
Commentary 18:44
March 9, 2010
The G158E has been seen in sequences from Germany that have been designated as low reactors by the CDC and Mill Hill. Since the only non-synonymous change in the German isolates was G158E, it is likely that the sequences above are also low reactors.
The sequences in Japan and South Korea have G158E on multiple genetic backgrounds, most of which are distinct from the German sequences (which do not have A200T). One sequence had D225N, which is similar to another D225N sequence in Japan.
G158E has also been reported on sequences with D225G in Italy and Russia, which represent additional genetic backbones.
The appearance of G158E on multiple backgrounds signals recombination, and the large number of recent sequences (most in Japan were collected in December) indicates G158E is “in play”. Such changes will be selected for because of immunity against wild type H1N1. G158E as well as N159G are in the same antigenic site and these changes may facilitate immunological escape.
The sharp and sudden rise in diverse sequences with G158E is cause for concern.
Media Links
Recombinomics
Presentations
Recombinomics
Publications
Recombinomics
Paper
at Nature Precedings