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This could allow them to acquire genes from frozen pathogens that confer antimicrobial resistance or greater virulence.

They compared the genomes of EF-responsive and non-responsive strains and found that, in addition to iron acquisition genes, responsive strains had genes associated with virulence and capsule production specifically.

That genetic twist would likely diminish H5N1’s virulence, experts predict, but no one can say how much less deadly it might become.

Mycoviral infections are multifaceted; they can reduce or increase virulence or remain hidden without obvious symptoms.

These virulence factors are used to differentiate one species of Streptococcus from another and are one way to distinguish samples through phenotypic analysis.