Understanding influenza

Hutchinson, E. C. and Yamauchi, Y. (2018) Understanding influenza. In: Yamauchi, Y. (ed.) Influenza Virus. Series: Methods in molecular biology (1836). Humana Press: New York, NY, pp. 1-21. ISBN 9781493986774 (doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8678-1_1)

Abstract

Influenza, a serious illness of humans and domesticated animals, has been studied intensively for many years. It therefore provides an example of how much we can learn from detailed studies of an infectious disease and of how even the most intensive scientific research leaves further questions to answer. This introduction is written for researchers who have become interested in one of these unanswered questions, but who may not have previously worked on influenza. To investigate these questions, researchers must not only have a firm grasp of relevant methods and protocols; they must also be familiar with the basic details of our current understanding of influenza. This article therefore briefly covers the burden of disease that has driven influenza research, summarizes how our thinking about influenza has evolved over time, and sets out key features of influenza viruses by discussing how we classify them and what we understand of their replication. It does not aim to be comprehensive, as any researcher will read deeply into the specific areas that have grasped their interest. Instead, it aims to provide a general summary of how we came to think about influenza in the way we do now, in the hope that the reader’s own research will help us to understand it better.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Additional Information: Online ISBN: 9781493986781.
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hutchinson, Dr Edward
• Authors: Hutchinson, E. C., and Yamauchi, Y.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research
• Publisher: Humana Press
• ISSN: 1064-3745
• ISBN: 9781493986774
• Published Online: 28 August 2018
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2018 Springer Science+Business Media B.V., part of Springer Nature
• First Published: First published in Influenza Virus: 1-21
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
70385	1	Functional investigations of the influenza virus proteome	Edward Hutchinson	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MR/N008618/1	MVLS III - CENTRE FOR VIRUS RESEARCH