When two different forms of the virus infect the same cell, it is possible that the host cell may manufacture viral particles from both viruses, and then reassemble them into a new variant. This process is known as

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Antigenic shift is the process where two different strains of a virus, such as the influenza virus, infect the same cell and exchange genetic material. This can lead to the creation of a new virus strain with a different antigenic profile, potentially leading to significant outbreaks or pandemics because the human immune system has little to no pre-existing immunity to the new strain.

When Two Different Forms of the Virus Infect the Same