Health Care Systems Overloaded Most people have little or no immunity to a pandemic virus.

Unlike the virus that caused the 1918 pandemic, the 1957 pandemic virus was quickly identified, due to advances in scientific technology.

History shows that a new pandemic virus could spread around the world in less than six months, Dr. Stöhr said.

The hemagglutinin (HA) gene of the 1918 pandemic virus was closer in sequence to avian strains than other mammalian ones.

It is expected that the pandemic virus will behave as a seasonal influenza A virus.

"It's done all the other things that are steps toward becoming a pandemic virus."

Pig herds acquire infection with the pandemic virus and are decimated; large numbers of workers in those settings become ill.

It is the first report of a reassortment of the pandemic virus, which in humans has been slow to evolve.

The 2010-2011 vaccine will protect against the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus and two other flu viruses.

So are the Asian bird viruses on their way to becoming pandemic viruses, or not?