Tokyo: Researchers in Japan have uncovered new insights suggesting that the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian flu virus could pose a greater risk to humans when transmitted from cattle rather than directly from birds, local media reported.
It was discovered that the H5N1 virus derived from cattle showed stronger binding capabilities compared to the avian-derived virus.
This suggests that the cattle-derived virus may infect humans more efficiently, as reported by the Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun.
The researchers also confirmed through experiments that the bovine-born H5N1 virus is highly pathogenic to mice and ferrets.
While cases of H5N1 infection in various mammals, including humans, have been reported since 2020, the World Health Organization has recorded 28 human infections with no confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission, Mainichi Shimbun reported.
Tokyo: Researchers in Japan have uncovered new insights suggesting that the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian flu virus could pose a greater risk to humans when transmitted from cattle rather than directly from birds, local media reported. Led by Yoshihiro Kawaoka from the University of Tokyo's Pandemic Preparedness, Infection, and Advanced Research Center, the team's findings were published in the online edition of the British scientific journal Nature on July 9, according to Xinhua news agency.
Their study focused on how the virus interacts with receptors in human respiratory cells. It was discovered that the H5N1 virus derived from cattle showed stronger binding capabilities compared to the avian-derived virus. This suggests that the cattle-derived virus may infect humans more efficiently, as reported by the Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun.
The researchers also confirmed through experiments that the bovine-born H5N1 virus is highly pathogenic to mice and ferrets. Upon infection, the virus spread extensively throughout the animals' bodies, including the brain and muscles, indicating its severe virulence.
"It has been suggested that the nature of the virus may have changed. We should be concerned about human-to-human transmission as well in the future," Kawaoka said.
H5N1 is known for its high infectivity and virulence among birds, leading to widespread outbreaks starting in the 2000s that caused significant poultry deaths globally. While cases of H5N1 infection in various mammals, including humans, have been reported since 2020, the World Health Organization has recorded 28 human infections with no confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission, Mainichi Shimbun reported.
