Some flu science posts, I.

Still "fishin' " but back at the bait shop we left this note.

Over the years we've written a lot about the basic science of influenza. Much of it centered on avian influenza H5N1 ("bird flu"), an extremely nasty and worrisome virus that is bubbling away in a rich stew of humans and livestock on three continents. But while we were keeping an eye on the pot, worrying it would boil over, an influenza pandemic started in an unexpected place (North America) and with an unexpected virus (of swine, not bird, origin). All pandemics are different and influenza viruses also differ one from another. But there are matters of common interest, and over the years we've had occasion to essay a translation of the latest science. Here are links to three recent examples from a period not long before the latest outbreak and all still pertinent. If you are interested in more flu science head over to the skilled exposition of a virologist at the Virology Blog and read Influenza 101 or click here for more of our many flu science posts (we'll link to some specific ones in a couple of days).

We'll link to more pertinent examples in a few days. Here are our choices for today:

• "Important flu paper on immune response"
• "More on the science of the influenza 'cytokine storm' "
• "Another flu paper that 'unlocks the secret' of 1918 virus virulence"