Is a new flu pandemic just three mutations away?

Conclusion This laboratory study analysed an H7N9 strain of bird flu. Researchers wanted to explore whether a particular change to the surface proteins of a virus was capable of allowing the strain to bind to human tissue. This would theoretically lead to human-to-human transmission of the flu virus. It is worth noting that this ability to attach to human cells does not necessarily mean a mutated bird flu virus will be able to infect, replicate and transmit between humans. Other changes would also be required. However, they were unable to further investigate whether this surface change could lead to human-to-human transmission of the virus because this type of experiment is not permitted under US law. This research attracted the attention of several experts in the field. Dr Fiona Culley, spokesperson for the British Society for Immunology, & Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Immunology at Imperial College London commented: "This is a good, thorough study which specifically aimed to identify which changes in bird flu would allow the virus to attach to human cells." "The authors found that certain combinations of three mutations were needed for the bird flu to be able to attach to human lung cells. They could potentially happen, but there is currently no evidence that they have ever occurred and the chances of all three occurring together is relatively low." Links To The Headlines Just THREE mutations are needed to make bird flu a potential pandemic strain...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Medical practice Source Type: news