Are influenza viruses more prone to mutating than other viruses?

[Guest guest]

I have made the statement on occasion that influenza viruses are

especially prone to mutating by their very nature. But I wonder if

that is true. I may have heard, in the context of a discussion about

influenza viruses, that all viruses are prone to mutating, and came

away thinking it was a special characteristic of influenza viruses. Is

there a virologist in the group who can say one way or another?

[Guest guest]

I found someone who could answer my question. I posed the same

question on a virology list and got this answer:

ya these are more prone to mutations, coz it ia an RNA virus and RNA

polymerase made more mistakes during replication leading to mutations,

2ndly they are segmented genome virus and hence more prone to genetic

shift.

I am happy only that I did not misrepresent the facts on this.

>

> I have made the statement on occasion that influenza viruses are

> especially prone to mutating by their very nature. But I wonder if

> that is true. I may have heard, in the context of a discussion about

> influenza viruses, that all viruses are prone to mutating, and came

> away thinking it was a special characteristic of influenza viruses.

Is

> there a virologist in the group who can say one way or another?

>