Phylodynamic inference of infectious diseases caused by HIV, enterovirus 71 and the 2009 swine-origin human influenza virus

The rapidly evolving nature of viruses, particularly RNA viruses, exhibit complex phylodynamic behaviors, accumulating mutations across the genome on a timescale observable by humans. Phylodynamic investigations provide unique and quantitative evolutionary data on the origin, progression in terms of time and space, and epidemic and transmission history of pathogens. This review describes recent phylodynamic conjectures on three distinct categories of human viruses, including HIV, enterovirus 71 and the swine-origin pandemic influenza virus H1N1, which are of enormous importance to public health.