A new study from Pitt says its possible that humans release past
strains on themselves during research of the H1N1 virus. A type
of swine flu from 1950 remerged in 1977, when scientists were
doing increased research on the virus after a 1976 outbreak at
Fort Dix in New Jersey. Lead author Shanta Zimmer says H1N1 has
been harassing humans in various forms for over 90 years. "We've
actually been dealing with a virus that has similarities to
1918's through our regular seasonal influenza, because our
regular seasonal influenza that we see annually called H1N1 also
has some genetic similarity to that original sequence," says
Zimmer. Zimmer says there is usually a link between past and
future virus strains, and therefore similarities in research and
treatment. She says we need to pay attention to a virus's
history when confronting it now. Zimmer says despite the case of
1977, there are no problems with the way viruses are stored or
researched now.