Single Mutation Could Make Bird Flu More Dangerous to Humans
The highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu is continuing its global spread among animals, raising concerns about the potential for human-to-human transmission. New research by scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in California highlights a concerningly easy pathway for the virus to adapt to infect humans more readily.
Their findings, published in Science, shed light on how a single amino acid mutation in the virus could significantly increase its ability to target human cells. This discovery underscores the critical need to closely monitor genetic changes in the virus, allowing for quicker identification of new, potentially dangerous strains.
In their journal article, the researchers state that their findings "demonstrate how easily" the virus could evolve to recognize receptors found on human cells.
A Single Step Closer to Human-to-Human Transmission?
While several mutations are typically required before a virus becomes transmissible between humans, this study suggests the process might be less complex than previously thought. The researchers investigated the H5N1 strain detected in recent human cases and found that a single mutation, labeled Q226L, could allow the virus to latch onto human cells more effectively.
In essence, this mutation could act like new glasses for the virus, allowing it to “see” and latch onto human cells once unimaginable.
As virologist Alexandra Baden, not involved in the study reveals specifically,"it wasn’t a single mutation, but a cluster of mutations working synchronously. This virus could recognize human cells." He continues, ‘This mutation gives the virus a foothold on human cells that it didn’t have before. Which is why this is a concerning finding.”
Implications for Preventing the Next Pandemic
The study’s authors stress that the current circulating H5N1 strain does possess this mutation. Further research is crucial for understanding how it might fare, ultimately impacting human health. Specificity between respective species.
However, the threat shouldn’t trigger widespread panic. While dangerous, the current strain
