an influenza virion (right), the body forms antibodies to prevent the hemagglutinin spike from combining with red blood cells. But rearrangement of ihe RNA, or genetic infonna- tion (red), can change the composition of the hemagglutinin, rendering antibodies ineffective and permitting reinfection.
tion. Since the influenza virus is continually changing, the human body's resistance to one strain may not be effective in resisting a de- viant strain appearing months later.
The authors' conclusions:...