Avian Influenza Virus 2008

The avian influenza (AI) virus, which is the type A influenza virus adapted to an avian host, has been an important pathogen for the poultry industry worldwide for many years. Of those, perhaps the most consequential HPAI virus strain to emerge has been the Asian H5N1 HPAI virus, which was first seen in Southeast Asia around 1997.

With the growing global fear of a major pandemic, avian influenza virus research has increased greatly in importance during this young century. In Avian Influenza Virus, an expert team of researchers and diagnosticians examine the fundamental yet essential virological methods for AI virus research and diagnostics as well as some of the newest molecular procedures currently used for basic and applied research. Exciting, cutting-edge new methods focus on studying the virus itself and work with avian hosts, an area greatly lacking in research. Following the format of the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series, each chapter provides readily reproducible laboratory protocols offering step-by-step instruction and lists of the necessary equipment for the task.

Comprehensive and timely, Avian Influenza Virus equips diagnosticians and researchers with the current tools and information they need to learn more about this high impact disease.