June 2010 PMID 20567599

The re-emergence of H1N1 influenza virus in 1977: a cautionary tale for estimating divergence times using biologically unrealistic sampling dates.

Joel O Wertheim

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Mentions

163
Peak: 9 in Sep 2020
across 5 sources since Feb 2020

Extended reach

661,902
potential audience

Total likes

313

Video views

18,251

Mentions per month

Feb 2020 – Oct 2024

Where it's discussed

  • News80 articles
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AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions reflect a high level of interest and engagement, with posts citing the 1977 H1N1 strain's probable lab leak origins and highlighting the importance of accurate evolutionary analyses. Words like 'fascinating,' 'danger,' and references to historical outbreaks underscore the serious tone and perceived relevance of the article's findings, emphasizing its impact on understanding viral emergence and policy.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions acknowledge the likelihood of lab leaks contributing to viral re-emergence, showing general agreement with the article's themes.

InterestHigh interest

Posts demonstrate high curiosity, referencing multiple historical cases and debating lab leak origins, indicating strong engagement.

EngagementHigh engagement

Many discussions delve into scientific analyses, historical context, and implications for future research, revealing deep involvement.

ImpactHigh impact

These social discussions highlight significant concerns regarding viral origins, public health risks, and the need for better scientific transparency, indicating high influence.

Abstract in brief

  • The 1977 reemergence of H1N1 influenza after 20 years was likely due to a lab strain accidentally released, which appeared to lack decades of evolution.
  • Using viral samples with unrealistic dates in evolutionary analyses can lead to biased divergence time estimates and higher uncertainty.
  • Reanalyzing the data suggests the 1977 virus circulated for about a year before detection, but pinpointing its geographic source remains challenging, highlighting the need for better methods to handle such data.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
P.D. Mangan Health & Freedom Maximalist
@Mangan150 · X

The most famous case [until now] of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first observed in China in May of 1977 and in Russia shortly thereafter https://t.co/CUej64B2RQ https://t.co/WEANaEIOGQ

Oct 18, 2022 · 40 likes · 8 shares · 298,248 followers View post →
tune
@keisuke4713 · X

豚インフルのpandemicに対応→弱毒化H1N1

Jan 1, 2023 · 8 likes · 3 shares · 3,746 followers View post →
Robert Foyle Hunwick
@MrRFH · X

@Ayjchan see also the 1977 H1N1 outbreak, which likely leaked from a sample “kept frozen in a yet unidentified laboratory,” again in China. Nothing particularly extraordinary about the lab hypothesis https://t.co/HbLvDgXNIO

Feb 22, 2021 · 6 likes · 1 share · 2,112 followers View post →
Yasuharu Tokuda MD MPH 徳田安春
@yasuharutokuda · X

@k1h 詳細はこちらの論文にあります https://t.co/337ikPZDTJ

Jun 5, 2021 · 5 likes · 14,277 followers View post →
Alfredo Gomes
@mindgomes · X

https://t.co/FVjtVc0bv5

Jun 7, 2020 · 3 likes · 2 shares · 1,042 followers View post →
Prof Francois Balloux
@BallouxFrancois · X

@richardneher The "1977–1978 Russian flu" H1N1 influenza A strain circulation today (not 2009pdm) is the descendant of the 1918 strain. See e.g. https://t.co/v83YMw6y9o

Aug 14, 2020 · 2 likes · 143,001 followers View post →

All mentions

Arizona_Grandpa
@Arizona_Grandpa · X

@VigilantFox https://t.co/siZftKgxOo

Oct 29, 2024 · 351 followers View post →
hannna
@hannahumming · X

RT @keisuke4713: 豚インフルのpandemicに対応→弱毒化H1N1

Sep 4, 2024 · 3 shares · 2,680 followers View post →
Peter Miller
@tgof137 · X

@BodkinThimble @Dissenting2020 And 2 key papers arguing that the 1977 flu was caused by a lab are by Gigi Gronvall: https://t.co/U3NZPIW8fH And Joel Wertheim: https://t.co/zEiHJ1wIk3 But both scientists are also critics of the covid lab leak hypothesis.

Feb 6, 2024 · 1 like · 3,508 followers View post →
やっさん
@kuanyi_vet · X

RT @keisuke4713: 豚インフルのpandemicに対応→弱毒化H1N1

Dec 11, 2023 · 3 shares · 722 followers View post →
やっさん
@kuanyi_vet · X

RT @keisuke4713: 豚インフルのpandemicに対応→弱毒化H1N1

Jul 10, 2023 · 3 shares · 722 followers View post →
François Booream
@BooraemFrancois · X

Proves the point, the less sexy narrative gets the least eye balls ie.. this is not the first hit google search nor google scholar prefers to give you. https://t.co/zi1Sqbcoej https://t.co/lJXryccbOe

Feb 16, 2023 · 721 followers View post →
Draven S.
@DravenS17 · X

@maciekgawronski Już w 1977 bawiono się w takie zabawy i dopiero w 2010 naukowcy (oprócz WHO) uznali to jako wyciek. "The most famous case of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first observed in China in May of 1977..." https://t.co/4Sekgfb0Om

Jan 5, 2023 · 1 like · 3,933 followers View post →
Draven S.
@DravenS17 · X

RT @DravenS17: @patka0091 "The most famous case of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first o…

Jan 4, 2023 · 1 share · 3,933 followers View post →
Draven S.
@DravenS17 · X

@patka0091 "The most famous case of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first observed in China in May of 1977 and in Russia shortly thereafter" https://t.co/4Sekgfb0Om

Jan 4, 2023 · 1 share · 3,933 followers View post →
tune
@keisuke4713 · X

豚インフルのpandemicに対応→弱毒化H1N1

Jan 1, 2023 · 8 likes · 3 shares · 3,746 followers View post →
James Neville Onekaka
@JamesOnekaka · X

RT @jamesUSAF_vet: @archer_rs @Gondtengwen The public health danger posed by potentially pandemic-causing viruses escaping from laboratorie…

Dec 2, 2022 · 1 share · 3,637 followers View post →
James Knight
@jamesUSAF_vet · X

@archer_rs @Gondtengwen The public health danger posed by potentially pandemic-causing viruses escaping from laboratories has become the subject of considerable discussion, spurred by “gain of function” experiments. From a scientific paper published in 2010. https://t.co/8YNxaMACs8

Dec 1, 2022 · 1 like · 1 share · 631 followers View post →
Steven Weaver
@stvnwvr · X

@K_G_Andersen I’ve been a pretty dedicated reader of Wertheim since he was a postdoc, but I forgot about this vintage work. Associated link for the curious. https://t.co/MbLzW0YIep

Nov 26, 2022 · 276 followers View post →
alvarez_nimer
@alvarez_nimer · X

RT @Mangan150: The most famous case [until now] of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first o…

Oct 19, 2022 · 8 shares · 3,650 followers View post →
D Shepard
@shepdf · X

RT @Mangan150: The most famous case [until now] of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first o…

Oct 19, 2022 · 8 shares · 3,222 followers View post →
PollyKracker
@BullisPenelope · X

RT @Mangan150: The most famous case [until now] of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first o…

Oct 18, 2022 · 8 shares · 1,495 followers View post →
Tosky
@toskyti · X

RT @Mangan150: The most famous case [until now] of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first o…

Oct 18, 2022 · 8 shares · 400 followers View post →
ThePartTimePotter
@ThePart · X

RT @Mangan150: The most famous case [until now] of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first o…

Oct 18, 2022 · 8 shares · 213 followers View post →
Chipman
@Chipin8or · X

RT @Mangan150: The most famous case [until now] of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first o…

Oct 18, 2022 · 8 shares · 257 followers View post →
P.D. Mangan Health & Freedom Maximalist
@Mangan150 · X

The most famous case [until now] of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first observed in China in May of 1977 and in Russia shortly thereafter https://t.co/CUej64B2RQ https://t.co/WEANaEIOGQ

Oct 18, 2022 · 40 likes · 8 shares · 298,248 followers View post →
Sudha Lakshmi
@sudha_lakshmi · X

@guillaume512312 Incidentally the Spanish flu virus took a 20-year break right after the new H2N2 virus caused a pandemic in 1957—and re-emerged in 1977. Fascinating stuff, rich with clues about viral emergence & extinction. I'm surprised no one is looking at all this. https://t.co/yodXX3HE3q

Oct 10, 2022 · 1,635 followers View post →
RSK
@Mette108 · X

RT @Leon1969: ‘The most famous case of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza-A virus which was first observed in C…

Feb 24, 2022 · 1 share · 102 followers View post →
leon1969
@Leon1969 · X

‘The most famous case of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza-A virus which was first observed in China in May of 1977 and in Russia shortly thereafter.’ https://t.co/Ti1cLkCQFr

Feb 24, 2022 · 1 share · 5,654 followers View post →
Tweeter
@unhiddenness · X

leaky labs https://t.co/nKZESAGp0Y

Dec 17, 2021 · 1,022 followers View post →
Abel Losada Esperante #IWantToBelieve #SkynetCult
@TheDevilOps · X

Una historia como advertencia: reaparición de la gripe H1N1 en 1977... https://t.co/cOMcw8N2Kl

Sep 19, 2021 · 2 likes · 5,163 followers View post →
pririn_
@pririn_ · X

RT @VgAdele: The Re-Emergence of H1N1 Influenza Virus in 1977: A Cautionary Tale for Estimating Divergence Times Using Biologically Unreali…

Aug 29, 2021 · 2 shares · 2,449 followers View post →
pririn_
@pririn_ · X

RT @schnufi666: The Re-Emergence of H1N1 Influenza Virus in 1977: A Cautionary Tale for Estimating Divergence Times Using Biologically Unre…

Aug 29, 2021 · 1 share · 2,449 followers View post →
schnufi666
@schnufi666 · X

The Re-Emergence of H1N1 Influenza Virus in 1977: A Cautionary Tale for Estimating Divergence Times Using Biologically Unrealistic Sampling Dates https://t.co/DT0K4reUne

Aug 10, 2021 · 1 share · 470 followers View post →
Beth
@bethvernon · X

@AngletonsMerits @CMontano123 @AdamLemnah @thespybrief @911CORLEBRA777 this? https://t.co/BHWkrF5np8

Jun 17, 2021 · 1 like · 243 followers View post →
Isatou Sarr
@IsatouSarr4 · X

#PLOSONE: The Re-Emergence of H1N1 Influenza Virus in 1977: A Cautionary Tale for Estimating Divergence Times ... https://t.co/O5iY4CbauT

Jun 7, 2021 · 1 like · 42 followers View post →
Kevin Bartley
@notkevinbartley · X

@davidsirota But it’s not the first time a lab leak might have cause a pandemic. Russian Flu of 1977 was caused by lab leak: https://t.co/4Q2XFQrZVx

Jun 5, 2021 · 1 like · 121 followers View post →
Yasuharu Tokuda MD MPH 徳田安春
@yasuharutokuda · X

@k1h 詳細はこちらの論文にあります https://t.co/337ikPZDTJ

Jun 5, 2021 · 5 likes · 14,277 followers View post →
As The World Turns
@Tumble_W33D · X

https://t.co/rwfxHf7I7N

Jun 2, 2021 · 2,716 followers View post →
exp_jx
@exp_jx · X

@SOwieka Nie wspominając o ponownym pojawieniu się H1N1 w maju 1977r (najpierw w Chinach, potem w Rosji). Wycieki z lab. to w Chinach już tradycja. https://t.co/kznxvwwUUo

May 29, 2021 · 143 followers View post →
Kevin C.
@LaBlua · X

@strollisgoat @NateSilver538 While I agree lab leak cause is low probability in this case, it has happened before. For example: H1N1 flu pandemic of 1977 https://t.co/S8Y4ysdirl 2007 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak https://t.co/OCaGnnbUEh 2019 brucellosis outbreak in China https://t.co/nGvWi8eBsh

May 28, 2021 · 1 like · 93 followers View post →
Jitha Thathachari
@jithamithra · X

@ejames_c I also knew this had happened before - 1977 Russian Flu was very likely a lab leak (in China, not sure if Wuhan). So, I knew the fact that the origin was next to a virology institute "concentrated a lot of probability mass" on the hypothesis of a leak. https://t.co/VaNdB3Ar9s

May 28, 2021 · 1,177 followers View post →
குப்பைமேடு
@Bugs_Meany · X

@BeijingPalmer "impossible to ever actually verify" it was verified in cases of SARS and H1N1, both of which were leaks from chinese labs 'impossible' seems to be a way of papering over, "labs won't share records" https://t.co/TdHdMIPTbe https://t.co/kPJIRN1wcf

May 27, 2021 · 1,961 followers View post →
Tanya BLM
@Tanya_terrell1 · X

@AnthonyT2_Mufc @Friendof_Darwin @michellmybell1 @imkimaaron @TheCOAPodcast @Canna420Uk @LeannEAF @nadsshoes @wpcguy @PatricktheB @impeachqueen @geraldpayne25 @DeanoMartino1 @JerryHelton14 @Megavolt1 @manchestermelly @TheWestonMike @PG13ScottWatson @PeterFi98279139 @odktiger @JaTapps @malo_j @htownsmitty @Aaron23582125 @NelsonMKerr @umfpt @jools6691 @ScientiaPercept @HaircutSpock @myhighhills @tklforgiven @brough_joshua @Cern_lXXl @tarbosaur @TakeThatDarwin @NaturalBAtheist @Atheist_1978 @ABranesample @Terrenc58307664 @lindaz333 @commonsensejan @SmokeyStafford @PaulDubuisson @RJDownard @InfinitelyManic @kaden_harris @HazyPeter @surgerysleeper @KUSINews @JoeBiden https://t.co/cJtLO0Jyra

May 27, 2021 · 81 followers View post →
Ryan Hisner
@LongDesertTrain · X

@joftius I think the evidence the 1997 influenza outbreak was due to a lab leak is really strong & pretty much universally accepted, though some of the details remain unknown. https://t.co/qMzdyHguqL https://t.co/DWVh5gBPJF

May 26, 2021 · 22,728 followers View post →
Jim Haslam
@jhas5 · X

@DellAnnaLuca Nice thread. More leaks. https://t.co/bWuVMoZT7r https://t.co/NpFqkodCch https://t.co/d3mpcfggIj https://t.co/yrHSyTetjv

Apr 21, 2021 · 3,852 followers View post →
Jim Haslam
@jhas5 · X

@2dedostesta2 Don’t know about 1918. But That happened in 1977 Russia https://t.co/d3mpceYFjJ

Apr 14, 2021 · 1 like · 3,852 followers View post →
Susanne
@Robot2035 · X

https://t.co/F2xXYBKrOe The most famous case of a released laboratory strain is the re-emergent H1N1 influenza A virus which was first observed in China in May of 1977 and in Russia shortly thereafter

Apr 11, 2021 · 11 followers View post →
☭ Nova
@NovaShpakova · X

RT @mindgomes: https://t.co/FVjtVc0bv5

Apr 9, 2021 · 2 shares · 3,470 followers View post →
Extremely pro-hummus
@TerrinaMajnoona · X

The Re-Emergence of H1N1 Influenza Virus in 1977: A Cautionary Tale for Estimating Divergence Times Using Biologically Unrealistic Sampling Dates https://t.co/1tZlWdF9pO

Apr 8, 2021 · 10,025 followers View post →
Michael Ball
@EMichaelBall · X

RT @MrRFH: @Ayjchan see also the 1977 H1N1 outbreak, which likely leaked from a sample “kept frozen in a yet unidentified laboratory,” agai…

Feb 22, 2021 · 1 share · 225 followers View post →
Robert Foyle Hunwick
@MrRFH · X

@Ayjchan see also the 1977 H1N1 outbreak, which likely leaked from a sample “kept frozen in a yet unidentified laboratory,” again in China. Nothing particularly extraordinary about the lab hypothesis https://t.co/HbLvDgXNIO

Feb 22, 2021 · 6 likes · 1 share · 2,112 followers View post →
Boronk
@realBoronk · X

@welt Weil nicht sein kann was nicht sein darf. Und ist ja nicht so das China kein Wiederholungstäter wäre... https://t.co/1JonET8Wdq

Feb 9, 2021 · 327 followers View post →
Isatou Sarr
@IsatouSarr4 · X

Study suggests that a new method is needed to account for viral isolates with unrealistic sampling dates. https://t.co/LoOQ8KIPMV

Jan 21, 2021 · 1 like · 42 followers View post →
Hon Prof Colin D Butler PhD etc.
@ColinDavdButler · X

https://t.co/eCIw6Sm0bl Widely accepted this "human-animal interface" event (H1N1 1977) mediated through a lab @DrMikeRyan #WHO must know this; therefore why obfuscate? Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 has enhanced properties compared to SARS. Coincidence? Could be.. but lab GoF also poss

Jan 11, 2021 · 1 like · 2,925 followers View post →
Adele V.
@VgAdele · X

The Re-Emergence of H1N1 Influenza Virus in 1977: A Cautionary Tale for Estimating Divergence Times Using Biologically Unrealistic Sampling Dates https://t.co/D15jqqpOvK

Oct 30, 2020 · 2 shares · 251 followers View post →
MacKenzie
@Smackenziekerr · X

The Re-Emergence of H1N1 #Influenza Virus in 1977: - A Cautionary Tale for Estimating Divergence Times Using Biologically Unrealistic Sampling Dates https://t.co/SIwUqFGGwg

Oct 8, 2020 · 7,190 followers View post →
hoeman
@_hoeman · X

RT @luigi_warren: #PLOSONE: The Re-Emergence of H1N1 Influenza Virus in 1977: A Cautionary Tale for Estimating Divergence Times ... https:/…

Sep 28, 2020 · 1 share · 1,214 followers View post →
Luigi Warren
@luigi_warren · X

#PLOSONE: The Re-Emergence of H1N1 Influenza Virus in 1977: A Cautionary Tale for Estimating Divergence Times ... https://t.co/XszZQKuHFA

Sep 28, 2020 · 2 likes · 1 share · 14,925 followers View post →
MacKenzie
@Smackenziekerr · X

RT @Smackenziekerr: https://t.co/m8lMuJyPfv https://t.co/SIwUqFGGwg

Sep 21, 2020 · 1 share · 7,190 followers View post →
MacKenzie
@Smackenziekerr · X

https://t.co/m8lMuJyPfv https://t.co/SIwUqFGGwg

Sep 20, 2020 · 1 like · 1 share · 7,190 followers View post →
MacKenzie
@Smackenziekerr · X

https://t.co/m8lMuJyPfv https://t.co/SIwUqFGGwg

Sep 18, 2020 · 1 like · 7,190 followers View post →
MacKenzie
@Smackenziekerr · X

https://t.co/m8lMuJyPfv https://t.co/SIwUqFGGwg

Sep 17, 2020 · 7,190 followers View post →
El Duende
@el__duende · X

@beltrandelrio @Imagen_Mx Buen día Pascal, ¿qué opinas sobre https://t.co/oeNH4YZsky https://t.co/1A1IYAvmeb este coronavirus fue creado por China y luego esparcido, similar a 1977 cuando soltaron una cepa de influenza de 1950? https://t.co/KarFpZODoW #covid19

Sep 16, 2020 · 339 followers View post →
El Duende
@el__duende · X

Como expertos @lximenezfyvie @doctormacias @Chertorivski ¿qué opinan sobre https://t.co/oeNH4YZsky https://t.co/1A1IYAvmeb este coronavirus fue creado por China y luego esparcido, similar a 1977 cuando soltaron una cepa de influenza de 1950? https://t.co/KarFpZODoW #covid19

Sep 16, 2020 · 1 like · 339 followers View post →
El Duende
@el__duende · X

@JosephKahn What are your thoughts on https://t.co/oeNH4YZsky https://t.co/1A1IYAvmeb Coronavirus being crafted by China, then released, similar to 1977 when they released a strain of influenza from 1950? https://t.co/KarFpZODoW

Sep 16, 2020 · 339 followers View post →
Prof Francois Balloux
@BallouxFrancois · X

@richardneher The "1977–1978 Russian flu" H1N1 influenza A strain circulation today (not 2009pdm) is the descendant of the 1918 strain. See e.g. https://t.co/v83YMw6y9o

Aug 14, 2020 · 2 likes · 143,001 followers View post →
António Duarte
@AntGDuarte · X

@NassMeryl @BillyBostickson @interne41914499 @Harvard2H @Ayjchan @JesseMatchey What about it? H1N1 is a natural virus. "Genetic analysis indicated that this strain was missing decades of nucleotide sequence evolution, suggesting an accidental release of a frozen laboratory strain into the general population." https://t.co/5Xi47pcXA9

Aug 14, 2020 · 1 like · 1,363 followers View post →
Jordan Fish
@jwordfish · X

@SethS202 H1N1 https://t.co/v5wPSA0TpU

Jun 13, 2020 · 3,043 followers View post →
+rUd€11
@xicanism · X

RT @mindgomes: https://t.co/FVjtVc0bv5

Jun 7, 2020 · 2 shares · 432 followers View post →
Alfredo Gomes
@mindgomes · X

https://t.co/FVjtVc0bv5

Jun 7, 2020 · 3 likes · 2 shares · 1,042 followers View post →
gsstupp
@gsstupp · X

@andrewsu Also, doesn't actually confirm anything but an interesting case: https://t.co/17bForRhqn

May 9, 2020 · 2 likes · 32 followers View post →
um bestinha
@umbracinho · X

Em 1977, o vírus H1N1 reapareceu após uma ausência de 20 anos. A análise genética indicou que esta cepa estava perdendo décadas de evolução da sequência de nucleotídeos, sugerindo uma liberação acidental de uma cepa de laboratório. https://t.co/TVf1X1NodN https://t.co/zq0hrgmrXa

Apr 1, 2020 · 21 followers View post →
Eddie Du
@Edourdoo · X

Genetic analysis indicated that this strain was missing decades of nucleotide sequence evolution, suggesting an accidental release of a frozen laboratory strain into the general population. https://t.co/tmfAFZvRmI

Mar 18, 2020 · 13,883 followers View post →
cyr
@cyr_actual · X

@blackseraphim2 @faschima @Roy_Cam @RebbeTakes @EternalRiteWing @c_cgottlieb @BackReluctantly @KellyRek @Chanel5 https://t.co/MoocBipnfq

Feb 14, 2020 · 1,649 followers View post →