New bird flu dangers investigated
Pastor Dale Morgan
New bird flu dangers investigated*
by Staff Writers
Atlanta (UPI) May 28, 2008
A study led by U.S. researchers suggests H5N1 is not the only strain of
bird flu that could cause a pandemic.
Terrence Tumpey of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
said more than one H7 strain of the flu virus has evolved traits needed
to easily infect humans, The Times of London reported Tuesday.
While the H5N1 strain is considered the most deadly strain, it is not
yet able to move from person to person. A 2003 case in New York,
however, showed the H7N2 virus can replicate in the respiratory tract of
mammals. A study with ferrets suggests the strain can be passed from
animal to animal, the newspaper said.
Researchers said the findings suggest the virus could be acquiring an
ability to bind to sugars on the cells of the human windpipe.