Approximate reading time: 1 minute 23 seconds
A team of researchers from Chinese and British scientific institutions has discovered a variant of the bird flu virus, identified as H3N8has undergone several mutations and can represent Causes dangerous respiratory disease and poses a risk to human healththe University of Nottingham (UK) reported on Monday.
H3N8 is a pathogen that commonly affects poultry on farms in China, but several cases of infection in dogs, horses and seals have also been documented.
Chinese health authorities confirmed two cases of H3N8 infection in humans last year, despite evidence that transmission of the pathogen occurs especially among animals. On the other hand, on March 16, the first human death from this infectious microorganism was recorded.
New variants of H3N8
Research recently published in the journal Cell shows that a new variant of H3N8 Able to efficiently infect and replicate in respiratory epithelial cells Humanityespecially the bronchi and lungs.
Thus, they were observed H3N8 mutation in mice and ferrets previously infected with samples of the virus taken from patients with severe pneumonia.
The scientists revealed that the new variant Causes severe disease in animal modelsalso check can spread between these air transport. The results obtained have also raised concerns about the possible spread of H3N8 bird flu, which would pose a danger to humans, as this variant may be resistant to the H3N2 flu vaccine.
However, Liu Jinhua, a professor at China Agricultural University reiterated that for “bird flu virus” To adapt and spread between “new mammals or humans”, it should overcome some obstacles, such as “resistance to acid”, which it has not “acquired” so far.
Likewise, experts commented that changes related to “acid resistance of novel H3N8 viruses” should be monitored.Infected people may show up, study authors say acute respiratory distress syndrome, a life-threatening lung disease that prevents oxygen from reaching the lungs and blood. However, until now, it was unclear how the virus jumped from animals to humans.
Hits: 0