Virus with an eggshell

(Wiley) Avian flu can be transmitted from birds to humans; transmission among humans, however, is limited. The reason may be an eggshell-like mineral layer that the virus acquires due to the high calcium concentration in the intestines of birds. As reported by Chinese researchers in the journal Angewandte Chemie, these mineralized viruses are significantly more infectious and, in addition, more robust and heat stable than the native viruses.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news