Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Antigenic drift can sometimes result in a person becoming susceptible to flu virus infection again, as antigenic drift has changed the virus' antigenic properties enough that a person's existing antibodies won't effectively recognize and neutralize the antigenically different flu viruses.
Antigenic shift refers to the gene recombination occurring when influenza viruses re-assort. Mutations causing minute changes in the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase antigens on the surface of the Influenza virus is termed antigenic drift.
Antigenic shift is a specific case of reassortment or viral shift that confers a phenotypic change. Antigenic shift is contrasted with antigenic drift, which is the natural mutation over time of known strains
Antigenic drift should not be confused with antigenic shift, which refers to reassortment of the virus' gene segments. As well, it is different from random genetic drift , which is an important mechanism in population genetics .
Antigenic drift. Influenza viruses constantly change through a process called antigenic drift. This is the random accumulation of mutations in the haemagglutinin (HA), and to a lesser extent neuraminidase (NA) genes, recognized by the immune system. It is most pronounced in influenza A viruses.
The virus tries to avoid or defeat the host defense mechanisms, whereas the host defense tries to eliminate the virus. Two mechanisms enable viruses to escape the host immune response: antigenic drift and antigenic shift (Weber and Elliott 2002; Boni 2008).
In contrast to antigenic drift, antigenic shift refers to drastic changes in the antigenicity of the HA of circulating influenza A viruses; antigenic shift is associated with influenza A...
Influenza virus remains an important human pathogen causing recurring 'flu', largely due to its ability to constantly modify the antigenicity of its major glycoprotein, hemagglutinin (HA), in processes named 'antigenic shift' and 'antigenic drift'. A better understanding of the driving force for antigenic drift is critical for enhancing the ...
As part of the host-pathogen arms race, viruses are continually evolving to evade the host immune response, be it from previous infection or immunity acquired through vaccination. Here we take a look at the processes of antigenic drift and antigenic shift.
Drift is a subtler process than shift and involves the accumulation of mutations within the antibody-binding sites in the hemagglutinin (see Figure), the neuraminidase, or both that abrogate the...