Three mutations could make bird flu a potential pandemic: study stat : Reuters

Wendy Barclay, a virologist and flu specialist also at Imperial, said the study's findings were important in showing why H7N9 bird flu should be kept under intense surveillance. They focused on the H7 hemagglutanin, a protein on the flu virus surface that allows it to latch onto host cells. The World Health Organization said earlier this year that all bird flu viruses need constant monitoring, warning that their constantly changing nature makes them "a persistent and significant threat to public health". "This study will help us to monitor the risk posed by bird flu in a more informed way, and increasing our knowledge of which changes in bird flu viruses could be potentially dangerous will be very useful in surveillance," said Fiona Culley, an expert in respiratory immunology at Imperial College London. James Gathany/CDC/Handout via REUTERSLONDON, June 15 Scientists have identified three mutations that, if they occurred at the same time in nature, could turn a strain of bird flu now circulating in China into a potential pandemic virus that could spread among people.




Like other avian flu viruses, H7N9 has is specific for receptors on bird cells, but not receptors on human cells. Explore further: Studies showing how bird flu viruses could adapt to humans offer surveillance and vaccine strategiesMore information: PLOS Pathogens (2017). So far only three subtypes have been found in human flu viruses (H1, H2 and H3). (2017) An international team of scientists has identified several genetic mutations that, should they arise, could potentially allow the avian influenza strain H7N9 to spread between humans. Safety regulations prohibit introducing these mutations to actual H7N9 viruses, limiting scientists' ability to test their effects in animals.

Changes to bird flu virus could make human transmission more likely

The H7N9 bird Flu virus has influenza scientists on edge, due to an unexpected surge of human infections — hundreds of cases — caused by the virus this spring. Bird flu viruses don't spread easily from ferret to ferret; if a modified H7N9 virus did, that would suggest it might do the same in people. Flu viruses attach to receptors found on the cells of their intended victims. Fouchier, who has done work trying to see how H5N1 bird flu viruses could adapt to infect people, was not involved in this study. Bird flu viruses attach to one type of receptor.


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