What is the size of the Influenza A virus subtype H2N2?

Answer 1

80 - 120 nanometers (.08 - .12 microns). This is why masks don't help anyone but everyone else. Masks didn't help agains the SARS virus which is 100 nano meters, meaning it's safe to say, it won't help against the Swine Flu either.

Answer 2

The swine flu viruses (including Novel H1N1 2009 Swine Flu) are very similar in structure to all Influenza Type A viruses. They are also very similar in size to most influenza viruses.

They are about 1/100th the size of bacteria. Most are "nano" size and too miniscule to be seen with a regular light microscope, so electron microscopes need to be used to visualize the virus particles.

When measured they have a diameter of 10 to 300 nanometers. The nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter, or one millionth of a millimeter.

Answer 3

I had an email sent to me with .1 listed most flu virus are listed as .3 but I have not confirmed this information yet.

Found this info:

There's been a lot of misinformation posted here claiming that N95 masks do not provide protection from the transmission of the H1N1 virus. While it's true that N95 masks do not provide complete protection, they are a valuable layer of defense.

Influenza viruses are usually transmitted in two ways, direct transmission (touching an infected surface) or droplet transmission. The influenza virus does not transmit across long distances and doesn't survive well when exposed to air (single influenza viruses don't just float around by themselves).

First, some numbers:

"N95" is a NIOSH standard, meaning that the mask stops 95% of particles .3 microns or larger in size.

The average influenza virus is about .12 microns in size.

The average sneezed/coughed droplet is over 10 microns in size.

The average droplet nucleus size is 5-10 microns in size.


Since influenza viruses don't just float around alone, we're dealing with protecting against airborne particles over 5 microns and direct contact with infected surfaces.

The N95 mask will ideally provide a barrier to 95% of the airborne droplets ("ideally", because anything but a perfect mask fit...which is impossible to achieve...will reduce that protection). It will also prevent one from touching their nose and mouth with infected hands.

This is why the CDC recommends wearing an N95 mask if one cannot completely avoid close proximity with infected people (as in the grocery store, airplanes, etc.) It is much safer to simply avoid contact, but when that is not possible an N95 mask will afford some measure of protection.



Will an N95 mask "protect" you? Not fully, and there are surer methods of protection. However, at less than a dollar, an N95 mask is an inexpensive, appropriate layer of protection in some circumstances.

This is the site I found it at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5582863

The poster of the above info is MercutioATC (1000+ posts)

Answer 4

Most flu viruses are approximately 80 - 100 nanometers in diameter.

H2N2 was first typed in 1956 - 1958 and was known as the Asian Flu. It mutated into H3N2 which was causing illness in 1968 - 1969. It is suspected, although unconfirmed, to be the cause of the Russian Flu in 1889 - 1890.

Some people believe that the H1N1 virus could evolve into an H2N2 virus, but this is not how they are named...not in numerical sequence that way. They are named according to the proteins on the capsid of the virus.

NomenclatureThe naming convention for virus strains such as the one used to produce the pandemic A-H1N1/09 vaccine [ A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)v-like virus ] is explained below: A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)v-like virusA = Type A influenza. There are three types of influenza: A, B, and C.

CALIFORNIA = The location the strain was first identified.

7 = The strain identification number.

2009 = The year the strain was identified.

H1N1 = The antigenic characterization of the H and N proteins on the outside of the virus.

[Antigenic characterization is a method used to describe influenza proteins neuraminidase (N) and hemagglutinnin (H) and how they have changed.]

See related questions below for more information.

Answer 5

100 nm