From: Karl M Johnson INFLUENZA A VIRUS, VIRULENCE, 1918 PANDEMIC STRAIN Date: Fri 8 Oct 2004 A comment on appropriate level of containment Professor Kawaoka's team is to be congratulated for successful recreation of the 1918 influenza virus with it apparent increased virulence for mice. But if that virulence transfers to humans, I am deeply concerned about his decision to take the agent from BSL-4 [biosafety level 4] containment to BSL-3 [biosafety level 3] after finding that level of pathogenicity. We have already experienced 3 breaks in technique and containment of the SARS coronavirus this year. Escape of this influenza...
