Spread of a Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus via Global Airline Transportation

To the Editor: Throughout March and April 2009, international air travelers departing from Mexico were unknowingly transporting a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus1 to cities around the world. We analyzed the flight itineraries for all passengers departing from commercial airports in Mexico between March and April 2008, using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The purpose of this analysis was to show how travelers ? and consequently to predict how H1N1 ? would disseminate worldwide during the initial wavefront of this epidemic. We analyzed IATA data from March and April 2008 for the following reasons: the data accounted . . .