Swine flu has a full pandemic potential, and one third of the world's population could be infected in the next six to nine months.

Researchers have said swine flu is likely to go global, although the Imperial College London team declines to estimate the death toll, the BBC announced.

Lead researcher, Professor Neil Ferguson, have said it is too early to say whether the virus will cause deaths on a massive scale, or prove little more lethal than normal seasonal flu.

"This virus really does have full pandemic potential. It is likely to spread around the world in the next six to nine months and when it does so it will affect about one-third of the world's population", Prof. Ferguson said.

His study suggests swine flu could kill four in every 1 000 infected people.

"We really need to be prepared, particularly for the autumn. At the moment, the virus is not spreading fast in the northern hemisphere, because we are outside the normal flu season, but come the autumn it is likely to cause a really major epidemic", Ferguson explained.

The professor sits on the World Health Organization's (WHO) emergency committee for the outbreak.

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