Bird Flu Leaves The Nest
Posted on: Wednesday, 26 August 2009, 09:27 CDT
Current research suggests that viral polymerase may provide a new therapeutic target for host-adapted avian influenza. The related report by Gabriel et al, "Spread of Infection and Lymphocyte Depletion in Mice Depends on Polymerase of Influenza Virus" appears in the September 2009 issue of the American Journal of Pathology.Highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a strain of the influenza virus that has adapted to infect birds. Although bird-specific flu strains rarely cross species, further adaption can lead to lethal infection in humans.
To determine which genetic changes may lead to host adaptation, Gülsah Gabriel (currently at the Heinrich-Pette-Institute for Experimental Virology and Immunology the University of Hamburg) and Hans-Dieter Klenk at the Institute of Virology at the Philipps University of Marburg examined two strains of avian influenza, an unadapted avian strain and an avian strain adapted to infect mice by mutations that increase the efficiency of the viral polymerase . They found that whereas the avian strain only infected the lungs, the mouse-adapted strain caused suppression of the immune system, which resulted in infection in multiple organs. In addition, while the avian strain caused only mild symptoms in mice, the mouse-adapted strain led to severe illness including pneumonia and infection of the brain, followed by death. The viral polymerase may therefore provide an important target in preventing systemic flu in humans.
Gabriel et al suggest that "reduction of high virus loads by targeting the viral polymerase may play an important role in the treatment of human influenza with systemic virus spread." In future studies, Dr. Gabriel and colleagues will aim to develop drugs interfering with virus polymerase activity.
---------
On The Net:
American Journal of Pathology
Related Articles
- Scientist Find That The 1918 Spanish Flu Virus Can Infect Swine And Resulted In Current Lineage Of H1N1 Swine Influenza Viruses
- Natural Killer Cells May Help Protect Against New Strains of Influenza Virus
- K-State Researcher Finds That the 1918 Spanish Flu Virus Can Infect Swine and Resulted in Current Lineage of H1N1 Swine Influenza Viruses
- New Flu Vaccine From PepTcell Could Provide Immunity Against All Strains of Influenza Virus
- eGene's HDA-GT12 Genetic Analyzer Demonstrates the Rapid H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus Detection
- AVI BioPharma Publishes Preclinical Data Showing NEUGENE Antisense Inhibition of Multiple Strains of Influenza A Virus
- AVI BioPharma Reports Preclinical Data Against Multiple Strains of Influenza; NEUGENE Antisense Efficacy Against Influenza Strains Reported at the International Conference on Antiviral Research
- Turkey Confirms Two Cases of Human Infection With the H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus
- Less Virulent Avian Influenza Viruses Also Dangerous: Study
- Drug Resistant Avian Influenza Viruses More Common in Southeast Asia than North America
Rating: 2.8 / 5 (12 votes)
 |
 |
Rate this article:
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds