Evidence suggests that the global swine flu pandemic of 2009 began in central Mexico, according to research supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health and published in eLIFE.
Due to Asia's vast and diverse pathogen populations hosted by swine and poultry, the continent is considered a prominent source for H1N1 influenza. However, the origin of the 2009 outbreak proved difficult to uncover due to conflicting information. To locate the outbreak's source, researchers collected and examined 58 whole-genome sequences of influenza A viruses and were able to determine central Mexico as the launching pad for the pandemic.
The authors wrote, "This finding highlights how the 2009 pandemic arose from a region not considered a pandemic risk, owing to an expansion of IAV [influenza A virus] diversity in swine resulting from long-distance live swine trade."
According to the CDC, the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic left more than 12,000 Americans dead.
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