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Bird flu mutation raises threat to humans

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posted on Jan, 13 2006 @ 01:34 PM
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Bird flu mutation raises threat to humans

The first sign that the avian flu virus H5N1 may be mutating into a form more infectious to humans has been reported by scientists. Researchers from the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in Mill Hill, north London, have analysed viruses from two children who died of bird flu in eastern Turkey.

In one case, the analysis revealed mutations in the virus that made it more prone to infect humans. In a joint statement, Sir John Skehel, director of the institute, run by the Medical research Council, and the World Health Organisation, said a mutation had been traced in viruses isolated in Hong Kong in 2003 and in Vietnam last year.

"Research has indicated the Hong Kong 2003 viruses preferred to bind to human cell receptors more than to avian receptors, and it is expected that the Turkish virus will also have this characteristic."



The signs are not going our way...


It is becoming harder to believe that this is all hype.



posted on Jan, 13 2006 @ 11:48 PM
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Here is what the new ploymorphisms in the Turkey variant are causing...

The efficiency is higher for both B2H and H2H because H5N1 has the PB2 E627K sequence, which allows the virus to grow at a lower temperature in human lungs. The virus grows fastest in avian lungs because their temp is higher than ours but this addition makes it easier for H5N1 to grow in humans.

And it has HA S227N, (this is the new addition) which allows it to bind to human epithelial cells more efficiently. Thus, there is more B2H and H2H, resulting in more cases, more clusters, and bigger clusters



 
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