实验室重构流感病毒的生物安全问题

Biosafety issues and public concerns on recombinant influenza viruses generated in the laboratories

摘要:

流感病毒的跨种间传播是流感病毒研究的重要方面。部分研究者采取实验室重构流感病毒的方法，试图发现影响流感病毒跨种间传播的重要因子，这对揭示流感病毒跨种间传播的分子机制以及流感的防控和治疗具有重要意义，但重构流感病毒潜在的生物安全问题令人关注。文中重点讨论了目前实验室重构流感病毒的生物安全问题，建议从实验室防护和科研管理两方面重视并加强实验室重构流感病毒，特别是高致病流感病毒的生物安全管理工作。

Abstract:

Understanding inter-species transmission of influenza viruses is an important research topic. Scientists try to identify and evaluate the functional factors determining the host range of influenza viruses by generating the recombinant viruses through reverse genetics in laboratories, which reveals the viruses’ molecular mechanisms of infection and transmission in different species. Therefore, the reverse genetic method is a very important tool for further understanding the biology of influenza viruses and will provide the insight for the prevention and treatment of infections and transmission. However, these recombinant influenza viruses generated in laboratories will become the potential threat to the public health and the environment. In this paper, we discussed the biological safety issues of recombinant influenza viruses and suggested we should set up protocols for risk management on research activities related to recombinant highly pathogenic influenza viruses.