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Term
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Definition
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A group of viruses that cause respiratory tract and eye infections and are relatives of the common cold virus; researchers are using adenoviruses in attempts to make recombinant influenza vaccines.
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Adjuvant
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A chemical that is added to vaccines to increase their effectiveness; it allows researchers to reduce the amount of antigen that needs to be put into a vaccine.
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AI
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See avian influenza.
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Amantadine
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An antiviral drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1976 to treat influenza A in adults. Some reports say amantadine was used to treat poultry in China for avian influenza, which may have led to the emergence of H5N1 virus strains that are resistant to the drug. It is structurally similar to rimantadine and is sold under the brand names Symmetrel and Amentrel.
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Antibody
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A molecule produced by the immune system that helps fight infections. The structure of each antibody allows it to interact with a specific antigen. The interaction between an antibody-antigen pair is described as 'binding'.
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Antigen
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A substance that is foreign to the body and that prompts the immune system to fight infection. They form the active ingredient of vaccines.
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Antiviral drug
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A class of drugs used to kill viruses.
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Asian influenza
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A 1957 pandemic of influenza A, thought to have originated in China. The Asian influenza pandemic was caused by the H2N2 virus, and according the World Health Organization killed 1-4 million people.
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Avian influenza
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A disease affecting birds, caused by an influenza virus first identified more than 100 years ago. Avian influenza can be caused by any one of several dozen influenza viruses. The recent outbreaks in Asia, however, have been largely caused by a highly contagious and virulent strain, known as H5N1.
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Common name for avian influenza.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) |
The U.S. agency charged with tracking and investigating public health trends.
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Cell-based vaccine production
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A system for producing vaccines that uses cell cultures. Traditionally, influenza vaccines are produced using eggs (see egg-based vaccine production) but this takes considerably more time and space than a cell-based system would. Influenza vaccines made using cell-based systems are still undergoing research and it could be several years before the first makes it to the market.
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Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy (CIDRAP)
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The Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy is affiliated to the University of Minnesota, United States, and aims to promote public health preparedness. www.cidrap.umn.edu
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CIDRAP
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See Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
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Clinical trial
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Research that tests how safe and effective a new drug, vaccine or other medical device is in humans. Clinical trials happen in three phases. Phase I trials test the safety of the new device in a small number of people. Phase II trials test the safety in a large number of people. Phase III trials test the device's efficacy.
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Cull (to cull)
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To kill a large number of animals; one of the methods used to prevent the spread of bird flu.
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The genetic material of living organisms. It is a large, double-stranded, helical molecule that encodes genetic information, including instructions for growth, development, and replication. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.
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Egg-based vaccine production |
The traditional method for producing influenza vaccines. Influenza virus is injected into eggs, where it replicates. It is later harvested and used to make vaccine. This method is criticized for being slow and cumbersome. Compare to cell-based vaccine production and recombinant vaccines.
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Endemic
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Relating to a disease that is constantly present in an area or particular to persons in such an area.
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Epidemic
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An outbreak of a disease that affects a large number of individuals within a population or region at the same time. Compare to pandemic.
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Epidemiology
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The study of epidemics and the diseases that cause them, especially the factors that influence the incidence, distribution and control of infectious diseases.
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See Food and Agriculture Organization.
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Flu
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Common name for influenza.
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Food and Agriculture Organization
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United Nations agency concerned with food and agriculture, which aims to raise living standards and eliminate hunger by improving the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food and agricultural products. www.fao.org
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Since 2002, the dominant form of the H5N1 virus in Asia. See Bird flu 'could pose global threat to humans'.
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The influenza A virus that triggered the 1918 flu pandemic, also known as 'Spanish flu'. H1 refers to the type of hemaglutinin protein the virus carries, while N1 describes its neuraminidase protein.
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H2N2
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The virus that caused the 1957 influenza pandemic, often called the 'Asian influenza pandemic'. H2N2 went on to cause annual flu epidemics until 1968, when it vanished after the emergence of the H3N2 virus. As a result, people born after 1968 are expected to have limited or no immunity to H2N2. H2 refers to the type of hemaglutinin protein the virus carries, while N2 describes its neuraminidase protein.
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H3N2
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The virus that caused the 1968 influenza pandemic called 'Hong Kong influenza'. The H3N2 virus still circulates, causing seasonal flu. H3 refers to the type of hemaglutinin protein the virus carries, while N2 describes its neuraminidase protein.
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H5
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Refers to the type of hemaglutinin (or 'HA') protein carried by the H5N1 avian flu virus. Together with the neuraminidase protein, the type of HA protein on a virus helps scientists identify which virus they are dealing with.
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H5N1
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An influenza A virus that first emerged in people in China in 1997 and has since become endemic in Asia. At the time of writing (May 2006), the virus had spread to Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The H5N1 virus spreads easily between birds. It rarely infects humans, but kills about half the people it does infect.
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HA
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See hemaglutinin.
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Hemaglutinin
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One of three proteins that sticks out from the shell of influenza viruses, the other two being neuraminidase and the M2 protein. Hemaglutinin allows the virus to bind to the cells it infects.
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Hong Kong influenza
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A pandemic of influenza A virus that happened in 1968 and was caused by the H3N2 virus, thought to have originated in Hong Kong. The World Health Organization estimates that 1-4 million people died during this pandemic.
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A person or animal is said to be immune to a virus, bacterium or any other agent that can trigger disease when infection by that agent does not result in the animal or person falling ill.
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Immune system
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The body's system of defense against disease that involves recognizing and attacking 'foreign' invaders such as bacteria and viruses.
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Immunity
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The state of not being susceptible to disease; being able to resist disease. An effective vaccine gives a person or animal immunity to a disease.
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Influenza
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A common and highly contagious viral disease characterized by headaches, fever, inflammation of the respiratory tract, muscular aches and pains, weakness, and coughing. It often causes epidemics.
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Influenza A
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One of three types of viruses responsible for flu. Influenza A viruses primarily infect animals other than humans. The other two types are influenza B and influenza C.
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Isolation
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Voluntary Isolation – the individual agrees to stay home
Involuntary Isolation – Health Authority orders immediate involuntary detention after reasonable efforts to obtain voluntary isolation have failed and are documented as such and further seeking voluntary isolation would create a risk.
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Involuntary Detention
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Involuntary Detention – reason to believe that person(s) pose a serious risk to the health and safety of others if not detained. Requires an emergency detention order and cannot exceed 10 days of duration. Violation of the order is a felony of the third degree or a Class B misdemeanor.
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A type of vaccine made from a pathogen that has been altered so it no longer causes disease.
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Live vaccine
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A type of vaccine that contains a live pathogen. Live vaccines are more effective than vaccines containing dead pathogens because live pathogens can replicate after the vaccine has been injected, which amplifies their effect.
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One of three proteins that stick out from the surface of influenza viruses, the other two being hemaglutinin and neuraminidase. The M2 protein moves ions in and out of the virus.
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Mutation
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A change in genetic material. Mutations occur naturally, but they can also be triggered by exposure to radiation or chemicals.
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See neuraminidase.
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National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
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Part of the US National Institutes of Health, it conducts and supports basic and applied research to better understand, treat, and prevent infectious disease and allergies. www3.niaid.nih.gov
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National Institutes of Health (NIH)
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The main US agency that funds and conducts biomedical research. www.nih.gov
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Neuraminidase
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One of three proteins that stick out from the shell of influenza viruses, the other two being hemaglutinin and the M2 protein. After the virus has replicated inside an infected cell, neuraminidase helps the virus cut its way out of the cell.
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Neuraminidase inhibitor
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A type of anti-flu drug that inhibits the function of neuraminidase.
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NIAID
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See National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases.
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NIBSC
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See National Institute for Biological Standards and Control.
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NIH
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See National Institutes of Health.
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See World Organization for Animal Health.
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Osletamivir
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A neuraminidase inhibitor used to both treat and protect against influenza A and influenza B. It was developed by Gilead Sciences and is currently marketed by Hoffman La Roche (Roche) under the trade name Tamiflu.
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Outbreak
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A sudden appearance of a disease in a specific geographic area. Smaller than an epidemic or a pandemic.
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An epidemic occurring over a large area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting many people. A global epidemic.
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Pathogen
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An organism that causes disease in another organism.
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Pathogenic
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Capable of causing disease.
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Enforced detention of person(s) which must be “by least” restrictive means necessary. During the quarantine period, individuals will be monitored for health status, attending tot heir needs and providing a safe and hygienic environment. Cultural and religious beliefs are to be considered to theextent possible. SEE Isolation - Involuntary Detention
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A substance used in a chemical reaction to detect, measure or produce other substances.
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Re-assortment
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Refers to the exchange of genetic information between two organisms, such as two influenza viruses. A type of recombination.
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Recombinant vaccine
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A type of vaccine that contains a genetically modified pathogen. For instance, researchers in the United States have made an experimental flu vaccine from an adenovirus that was modified to include a piece of the H5N1 virus.
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Recombination
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Refers to the exchange of genetic information between two organisms. In the context of laboratory research, recombination is one way of genetically engineering an organism (see recombinant vaccine).
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Relenza
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see Zanamivir
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Replicate
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To copy. Once they have infected cells, viruses replicate, producing multiple copies of themselves which then go on to infect more cells.
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Resistance
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A pathogen is said to be resistant to a drug when the drug has no effect on it. Pathogens can evolve to become resistant to a drug through repeated exposure to it. In October 2005, researchers said they had found a strain of H5N1 that was resistant to oseltamivir (see Tamiflu-resistant bird flu found in Vietnam).
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Rimantadine
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A drug used to treat and, in rare cases, prevent influenza A. Rimantadine's structure is similar to that of amantadine. It is sold under the brand name Flumadine, manufactured by Forest Pharmaceuticals, and was approved by the US Food and Drug Association in 1994.
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RNA
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A form of genetic material related to DNA. Unlike DNA, RNA is single-stranded. It acts as a go-between for DNA and the proteins it encodes for. 'RNA' stands for 'ribonucleic acid'.
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A vaccine, produced fresh each year that protects against that year's strain of influenza. Different types of influenza viruses and different variants within virus types circulate each year.
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Spanish Flu
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The Spanish Flu Pandemic, also known as 'The Great Influenza Pandemic' and 'La Grippe' killed 20-50 million people between 1918 and 1919. It was the most deadly flu pandemic in human history, and was triggered by the influenza A virus H1N1.
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Stockpile
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An accumulation of drugs or vaccines saved for future use.
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Roche's trade name for oseltamivir.
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A substance containing dead or weakened pathogens, or parts of them, that is used to prepare a person's immune system against future infection by the pathogen.
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Virulence
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The ability of a virus or a bacterium to cause damage to its host.
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Virus
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A small parasitic particle that can reproduce only by invading and taking over cells in plants, animals or bacteria.
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see World Health Organization
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Whole inactivated vaccine
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A vaccine made from a pathogen that has been inactivated or killed in some way.
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World Health Organization (WHO)
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A United Nations agency set up in 1948 to promote international cooperation to improve human health and quality of life.
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World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
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An intergovernmental organization founded in 1924 to control contagious animals and zoonotic diseases. It determines animal health standards for international trade and advises veterinary services in member countries.
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A neuraminidase inhibitor used to both treat and protect against influenza A and influenza B. It is currently marketed by GlaxoSmithKline under the trade name Relenza.
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Zoonotic disease
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Any disease that can be passed from animals to people; also called a zoonosis.
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