# Possession, Use, and Transfer of Select Agents and Toxins-Reconstructed Replication Competent Forms of the 1918 Pandemic Influenza Virus Containing Any Portion of the Coding Regions of All Eight Gene Segments
> **Centers for Disease Control and Prevention** · Interim final rule. · Published 2005-10-20 · Effective 2005-10-20 · 70 FR 61047
## Document
- **Document number:** 05-20946
- **Category:** other
- **Sub-agency:** Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- **Federal Register citation:** 70 FR 61047
- **CFR reference:** 42 CFR 73
- **Publication date:** 2005-10-20
- **Effective date:** 2005-10-20
## Abstract

We are adding reconstructed replication competent forms of the 1918 pandemic influenza virus containing any portion of the coding regions of all eight gene segments to the list of HHS select agents and toxins. We are taking this action for several reasons. First the pandemic influenza virus of 1918-19 killed up to 50 million people worldwide, including an estimated 675,000 deaths in the United States. Also, the complete coding sequence for the 1918 pandemic influenza A H1N1 virus was recently identified, which will make it possible for those with knowledge of reverse genetics to reconstruct this virus. In addition, the first published study on a reconstructed 1918 pandemic influenza virus demonstrated the high virulence of this virus in cell culture, embryonated eggs, and in mice relative to other human influenza viruses. Therefore, we have determined that the reconstructed replication competent forms of the 1918 pandemic influenza virus containing any portion of the coding regions of all eight gene segments have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety.

## Source
- [Federal Register document](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2005/10/20/05-20946/possession-use-and-transfer-of-select-agents-and-toxins-reconstructed-replication-competent-forms-of)
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