Why is this important? - Emerging infections: viruses that come in from the wild
Can you remember the stories about 'swine flu' in the news recently?
Swine flu might have been new to humans, but people quite often receive new infections from wildlife. Over the past few decades there have been several occasions where a new virus has emerged from animals to cause widespread infections among humans.
Some of these emerging infections have been much less damaging than initially feared, for example last year’s swine flu did not turn out to be as bad as was predicted. Others have caused widespread illness and hardship, particularly HIV. HIV originated from similar viruses found in certain species of monkey and ape.
The problem of drug resistance
In addition to preventing new viruses entering the human population, scientists are also concerned about those viruses already known to infect humans. Viruses can become resistant both to drugs used to treat the disease they cause, and also to vaccines given to people to prevent infection.
In the case of seasonal flu, new vaccines are developed each year to give to the elderly and other people most at risk, because the virus mutates each year.
People suffering from HIV have to have their viruses checked to see whether they carry resistance to particular drugs. This allows doctors to prescribe the most effective anti-viral medicine for them, that can overcome any drug resistance their version of HIV might have.
How can science help?
Many scientists are working hard to identify, treat and prevent infectious diseases caused by viruses, and they are making progress all the time. However it is still very difficult to predict which diseases in animals might become dangerous emerging infections in humans. If scientists study how viruses evolve and spread between animals and humans, this can help prevent wildlife diseases from turning into human pandemics (when a disease spreads throughout the world).
Meet a scientist who studies viruses
Scientists are also studying the genetic sequences of viruses to help them understand how viruses evolve drug resistance. New techniques are constantly being developed to make it quicker and easier to decode and read the viral genes. Decoded sequences can then be passed onto doctors to help them make correct diagnoses and prescribe the necessary drugs. Reading, understanding and using viral sequences are also important in helping to understand how viruses pass from animals to humans, and how to treat humans infected with one of these diseases.
Science for you to try!
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