Grant: Operating Grant

Influenza virus is the most important respiratory virus in the world, and has killed more humans than any other infectious disease in history. Influenza virus infects approximately one billion people per year worldwide, many of whom become ill or die. Often people infected with influenza have their case further complicated by a simultaneous bacterial infection. Unfortunately, patients with a bacterial super-infection are more likely to become seriously ill or die than those with just influenza. The way in which one infection can increase a patient's chances of contracting another, and the way in which two infections are more harmful than one are not well understood. We are addressing these questions in an experimental model using influenza virus and Bordetella bacteria, the bacterium which causes whooping cough. The goal of this study is to understand how infections interact with each other. We hope this knowledge will allow us to design novel treatments to improve the management of patients with multiple infections.