RESEARCH

Tracking Influenza Viruses

The School of Veterinary Medicine’s Dr. Christopher Olsen has been tracking novel strains of influenza virus for years, with a goal of trying to determine what makes the virus take the leap between pigs and people, and vice versa.

That work put him at the forefront when the recent swine-like H1N1 influenza virus outbreak emerged among people in Mexico and the US, and ultimately involved many other countries around the world.  Media ranging from the Los Angeles Times to the Chicago Tribune, international newspapers in Germany and England, and Wisconsin Public Radio and local television channels sought comments and interviews.

Dr. Olsen, a professor of public health in the school’s Department of Pathobiological Sciences, explained that the newly-emerged flu was different from the H5N1 bird flu.  It has been called swine influenza because it appears to have had its evolutionary origin in swine influenza viruses.  But he emphasized, “This virus is currently spreading from human to human without apparent direct involvement of pigs.  This is not a food-borne disease, so there is no risk from handling or eating pork.”

Once influenza viruses infect humans, they spread through respiratory routes, causing fever, body aches, sore throat, runny eyes and nose, and in severe cases pneumonia.  The illness lasts about seven to 10 days, plus another week to fully recover.

Dr. Olsen’s laboratory studies influenza A viruses, which play an important role in the development of pandemic human influenza viruses.  By examining the genetic factors that control interspecies transmission of these viruses, he and his colleagues hope to develop clues as to how pandemic viruses develop.

The UW School of Veterinary Medicine has a long history of studying influenza, beginning with Dr. Barney Easterday, Dr. Virginia Hinshaw, and now Drs. Christopher Olsen and Yoshihiro Kawaoka.