Methods for identifying a virulent strain of a virus

摘要

The present invention relates to methods for identifying a virulent strain of a virus, particularly and influenza virus, by detecting specific mutations in the amino acid sequence of the hemagglutinin (HA) protein and by determining the case fatality rate for hospitalization (CFR/H) as the number of persons hospitalized for infection by the virus who die from the infection compared to the total number of persons hospitalized for infection, wherein the identification of mutations in the HA protean and/or an increasing CFR/H over time indicates a virulent strain of the virus.