| abstract |
The present invention discloses a method for measuring and predicting the mutation pattern of a virus, such as an influenza virus, by identifying productive mutations and productive mutation periods in the amino acid sequence of the virus. During the effective mutation period, the mutation enables the virus to evade human immunity. Based on analysis of existing viral composition and population infection rates, the method can measure viral gene mutation activity ("g-metric") and optimize one or more parameters that express viral gene activity. The invention can be used to predict future gene activity of the virus, to mutate, to screen virus vaccine strains and/or to predict infectious disease outbreaks. |