News: Evolution of flu strains points to higher risk of pandemic: study.

Evolution of flu strains points to higher risk of pandemic: study

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h7wLpfDIOFFLxuDYYau8_IHOZnXA

CHICAGO (AFP) ? Some strains of bird flu are coming ever closer to
developing the traits they need to cause a human pandemic, a study
released Monday said.

Researchers who analysed samples of recent avian flu viruses found
that a few H7 strains of the virus that have caused minor,
untransmissible infections in people in North America between 2002 and
2004 have increased their affinity for the sugars found on human
tracheal cells.

Subsequent tests in ferrets suggested that these viral strains were
not readily transmissible.

But one strain of the H7N2 virus, a low pathogenic avian flu strain
isolated from a man in New York in 2003, replicated in the ferret's
respiratory tract and was passed between infected and uninfected
ferrets suggesting it could be transmissible in humans.

The investigators said the evidence suggests that the virus could be
evolving toward the same strong sugar-binding properties of the three
worldwide viral pandemics in 1918, 1957 and 1968.

"These findings suggest that the H7 class of viruses are partially
adapted to recognize the receptors that are preferred by the human
influenza virus," said Terrence Tumpey, a senior microbiologist with
the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

The authors said that if the viruses continue to evolve in this
direction, the avian flu viruses could travel more easily between
other animals and humans. They called for strict surveillance of avian
flu viruses and continuing federal preparations for a possible future
pandemic.

The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences.


--
Bob.

.

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