{"id":136192,"date":"2024-12-12T13:06:16","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T06:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=136192"},"modified":"2024-12-12T13:06:16","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T06:06:16","slug":"experts-warn-of-bird-flu-pandemic-as-signals-of-mutation-mount-sciencealert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=136192","title":{"rendered":"Experts Warn of Bird Flu Pandemic as Signals of Mutation Mount : ScienceAlert"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Health experts have been sounding the alarm about the potential  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/pandemic\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73047\" data-postid=\"146636\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">pandemic<\/a> threat posed by bird  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/what-is-influenza\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"103478\" data-postid=\"146636\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">flu<\/a>, which has been showing signs of mutating as it spreads among cows and infects people in the United States.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>There is no guarantee that bird flu will ever begin transmitting between humans, and US health authorities have emphasised that the risk to the general public remains low.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>The deadly bird flu variant H5N1 first emerged in China in 1996, but over the last four years it has spread more widely than ever before, reaching previously untouched regions such as penguin-haven Antarctica.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>More than 300 million poultry birds have been killed or culled since October 2021, while 315 different species of wild birds have died across 79 countries, the World Organisation for Animal Health told AFP.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_146642\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-146642\" style=\"width: 642px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/images\/2024\/12\/h5n1-virus-particles.jpg\" alt=\"h5n1 virus particles\" width=\"642\" height=\"512\" class=\"wp-image-146642 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/images\/2024\/12\/h5n1-virus-particles.jpg 642w, https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/images\/2024\/12\/h5n1-virus-particles-520x415.jpg 520w, https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/images\/2024\/12\/h5n1-virus-particles-600x479.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 642px) 100vw, 642px\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-146642\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Colorized transmission electron micrograph of avian  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/what-is-influenza\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"103478\" data-postid=\"146636\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">influenza<\/a> A H5N1  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/virus\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73053\" data-postid=\"146636\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">virus<\/a> particles (teal) grown in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.niaid.nih.gov\/news-events\/bovine-h5n1-influenza-infected-worker-transmissible-and-lethal-animal-models\">CDC\/NIAID<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Mammals that ate the infected birds, such as seals, have also experienced mass-die offs.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>The situation changed again in March, when the virus began spreading among dairy cows across the United States in another first.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>Fifty-eight people have tested positive for bird flu in the US this year, including two who had no known exposure to infected animals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>There are also fears that some human cases are going undetected. Researchers said last month that eight out of 115 dairy workers tested in Michigan and Colorado had  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/antibody\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73081\" data-postid=\"146636\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">antibodies<\/a> for bird flu, suggesting an infection rate of seven percent.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>Meg Schaeffer, an epidemiologist at the US-based SAS Institute, told AFP there were now several factors suggesting that &#8220;avian flu is knocking on our door and could start a new pandemic any day&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A bird flu pandemic would be one of the most foreseeable catastrophes in history,&#8221; read the headline of a New York Times opinion article late last month.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;Simple step&#8217; away<\/h2>\n<p>There are still several barriers stopping H5N1 from spreading easily between people, including that the virus would have to mutate to become better at infecting human lungs.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/a-single-mutation-could-bring-bird-flu-a-critical-step-closer-to-a-new-pandemic\">research published in the journal <em>Science<\/em> on Thursday<\/a> demonstrated that the version of bird flu infecting US cows is now just a single mutation away from being able to spread more effectively among humans.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>Virologist Ed Hutchinson of the University of Glasgow said this suggests that H5N1 is just &#8220;a simple step&#8221; away from becoming &#8220;more dangerous for us&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>And last month, genetic sequencing of a Canadian teenager who was very sick with bird flu &#8220;implied that the virus had begun to evolve to explore ways of binding more effectively to the cells in their body,&#8221; Hutchinson said.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We do not yet know whether H5N1 influenza  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/virus\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73053\" data-postid=\"146636\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">viruses<\/a> will evolve to become a disease of humans,&#8221; and other barriers remain, Hutchinson emphasised.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>But the more animals and different species the virus is allowed to infect, the &#8220;more likely it is to adapt to better infect people,&#8221; Schaeffer said.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>And if a bird flu pandemic was to break out, it would be &#8220;remarkably severe&#8221; in humans because we have no built-up immunity, she added.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>The US farm worker cases have been relatively mild so far. But nearly half of the 904 human cases of H5N1 recorded since 2003 have been fatal, according to the  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/what-does-the-world-health-organisation-do\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73079\" data-postid=\"146636\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">World Health Organization<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<h2>Raw milk: &#8216;terrible idea&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>Tom Peacock, a virologist at the Imperial College London, told AFP there are several reasons to be &#8220;less pessimistic about the possibility of a pandemic&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>Antiviral treatments and vaccines are already available for bird flu, marking a big difference from  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/coronavirus\" class=\"lar_link lar_link_outgoing\" data-linkid=\"73041\" data-postid=\"146636\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_self\">Covid-19<\/a> in 2020, he pointed out.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>To avoid the worst-case scenario, many health researchers have called on the US government to ramp up testing and ensure information is shared between agencies and countries.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>On Friday, the US Department of Agriculture announced plans to test the country&#8217;s milk supply for bird flu.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START single\/mrec --><br \/>\n<!-- END single\/mrec --><\/p>\n<p>Of particular concern is raw, or unpasteurised, milk, which has repeatedly been found to be contaminated with bird flu.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a9 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/terms-and-conditions\">Agence France-Presse<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencealert.com\/experts-warn-of-bird-flu-pandemic-as-signals-of-mutation-mount\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Health experts have been sounding the alarm about the potential pandemic threat posed by bird flu, which has been showing signs of mutating as it spreads among cows and infects &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=136192\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-136192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=136192"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136192\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=136192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=136192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=136192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}