Influenza A Virus Research Paper

Abstract

Global outbreaks of human influenza occur from influenza A viruses with novel Hemagglutinin (HA) molecules to which humans have no immunity. So understanding of the origin and evolution of HA genes is of particular importance. Host-origin classification based on the two outer proteins

Host classification based on the HA protein achieved accuracies between 91.2% and 100% using KNN and random forest. While host classification based on the NA protein achieved accuracies between 91.2% and 100% using KNN and random forest.

Keywords: Influenza, machine learning, host classification.

Introduction

Influenza A viruses belong to the Orthomyxoviridae family of negative sense, single-stranded, segmented RNA
In general, an influenza virus infects only a single species; however, whole viruses may occasionally be transmitted from one species to another, and genetic reassortment between viruses from two different hosts can produce a new virus capable of infecting a third host. Avian influenza viruses are not readily introduced into humans [3], possibly because humans do not possess the a(2,3)-sialyllactose (NeuAc-2,3Gal) receptors required for attachment of the viruses to epithelial cells. However, individual viral genes can be transmitted between humans and avian species, as demonstrated by avian human reassortant viruses that caused the 1957 and 1968 influenza pandemics [4, 5]. This finding suggested that an middle host may be needed for genetic reassortment of human and avian viruses. Pigs are considered a logical candidate for this role because they can be infected by either avian or human viruses [6, 7] and because they possess both NeuAc-2,3Gal and NeuAc-2,6Gal receptors. In addition, there is good evidence that pigs are more frequently involved in interspecies transmission of influenza A viruses than are other animals [6, 8,
In general, an influenza virus infects only a single species; however, whole viruses may occasionally be transmitted from one species to another, and genetic reassortment between viruses from two different hosts can produce a new virus capable of infecting a third host. Avian influenza viruses are not readily introduced into humans [3], possibly because humans do not possess the a(2,3)-sialyllactose (NeuAc-2,3Gal) receptors required for attachment of the viruses to epithelial cells. However, individual viral genes can be transmitted between humans and avian species, as demonstrated by avian human reassortant viruses that caused the 1957 and 1968 influenza pandemics [4, 5]. This finding suggested that an middle host may be needed for genetic reassortment of human and avian viruses. Pigs are considered a logical candidate for this role because they can be infected by either avian or human viruses [6, 7] and because they possess both NeuAc-2,3Gal and NeuAc-2,6Gal receptors. In addition, there is good evidence that pigs are more frequently involved in interspecies transmission of influenza A viruses than are other animals [6, 8,