Definition: Reassortment of viruses means that viruses of different types exchange genetic material resulting in a genetically different virus. In the case of bird flu, the fear is that a person could be infected with two virues at the same time (co-infected), a virulent bird flu virus and a common human flu virus resulting in the exchange of genetic information between the two. The exchange of genetic material could result in a deadly virus that is as easily transmissible from one person to another as the common seasonal flu viruses.
Sources:
- Luke CJ, Subbarao K. Vaccines for pandemic influenza. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2006 Jan [date cited]. See paragraph "Developing Vaccines for Pandemic Influenza" See text http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no01/05-1147.htm
- Center for Disease Control. Preparing for Pandemic Influenza. Nov 28, 2005. See text http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic/pdf/preparingforpandemicflu.pdf
Pronunciation: /ri:A:sOrt'mEnt/ How to Represent Pronounciation in ASCII
Examples: The reassortment of a bird flu virus with a common human flu virus could result in a highly transmissible virus that could spark a pandemic flu.