Prev: BULLYING! Jim Webster. Steve Firth, Malcolm Ogilvie, Andy Mabbettet al.
Next: Taking the Global Local
From: Gareth on 3 Feb 2007 03:51
an epidemic of upper respiratory tract infection is everywhere in the
UK currently, is it to late to stop bird flu now?

Bird flu can infect people via upper airway


2007/2/3
HONG KONG, Reuters



Leading scientists in Hong Kong have found that the H5N1 bird flu
virus can infect cells in the upper airway of humans and need not
penetrate deep in the lungs to cause infection.
A study by scientists based in the United States in 2006 suggested
that H5N1 could not infect people easily because it had to first lodge
itself deep inside the lungs, where it binds more easily to certain
receptors called the alpha 2-3.

But in an article published in the January issue of the journal Nature
Medicine, scientists from the University of Hong Kong found that the
virus could infect the nasopharynx, an area behind the nose and above
the soft palate, and the throat.

"On the earlier hypothesis, the virus has to go deep into the lungs to
infect anybody but our research suggests that is not the case. The
virus can get a foothold in the upper respiratory tract, it doesn't
have to get deep down into the lungs," microbiology professor Malik
Peiris told Reuters late on Friday.

Using discarded human tissues, Malik found both upper and lower human
respiratory tracts could be infected by the virus. "Even in the upper
respiratory tract (where) the alpha 2-3 receptor seems to be lacking,
the H5N1 can still infect the cells ... so it raises the question of
whether there may be other receptors the virus is using and highlights
the point that further study is needed."

However, he said there was no reason to panic.

"It is still not able in most cases to establish infection and has not
been able to transmit human to human (efficiently). It doesn't change
that situation as such," said Peiris, who has studied the H5N1 since
1997, when it made its first known jump to humans in Hong Kong,
killing six people.

The virus re-emerged in late 2003 and has become endemic in several
places in Asia. It has since infected 270 people around the world,
killing 164 of them, according to latest figures from the World Health
Organization.

It has flared up again in recent months, spreading through poultry
flocks in Japan, Vietnam and Thailand, killing six people in Indonesia
and claiming its first human life in Nigeria.

Although it remains a bird disease, experts still fear it could kill
millions once it learns how to pass efficiently among people.




From: Pete �(���)� on 3 Feb 2007 08:08
On Sat, 03 Feb 2007 08:51:12 +0000, Gareth <sansoi(a)sans000.com> wrote:

>an epidemic of upper respiratory tract infection is everywhere in the
>UK currently, is it to late to stop bird flu now?
>
>Bird flu can infect people via upper airway
>
>
>2007/2/3
>HONG KONG, Reuters
>
>
>
>Leading scientists in Hong Kong have found that the H5N1 bird flu
>virus can infect cells in the upper airway of humans and need not
>penetrate deep in the lungs to cause infection.
>A study by scientists based in the United States in 2006 suggested
>that H5N1 could not infect people easily because it had to first lodge
>itself deep inside the lungs, where it binds more easily to certain
>receptors called the alpha 2-3.
>
>But in an article published in the January issue of the journal Nature
>Medicine, scientists from the University of Hong Kong found that the
>virus could infect the nasopharynx, an area behind the nose and above
>the soft palate, and the throat.
>
>"On the earlier hypothesis, the virus has to go deep into the lungs to
>infect anybody but our research suggests that is not the case. The
>virus can get a foothold in the upper respiratory tract, it doesn't
>have to get deep down into the lungs," microbiology professor Malik
>Peiris told Reuters late on Friday.
>
>Using discarded human tissues, Malik found both upper and lower human
>respiratory tracts could be infected by the virus. "Even in the upper
>respiratory tract (where) the alpha 2-3 receptor seems to be lacking,
>the H5N1 can still infect the cells ... so it raises the question of
>whether there may be other receptors the virus is using and highlights
>the point that further study is needed."
>
>However, he said there was no reason to panic.
>
>"It is still not able in most cases to establish infection and has not
>been able to transmit human to human (efficiently). It doesn't change
>that situation as such," said Peiris, who has studied the H5N1 since
>1997, when it made its first known jump to humans in Hong Kong,
>killing six people.
>
>The virus re-emerged in late 2003 and has become endemic in several
>places in Asia. It has since infected 270 people around the world,
>killing 164 of them, according to latest figures from the World Health
>Organization.
>
>It has flared up again in recent months, spreading through poultry
>flocks in Japan, Vietnam and Thailand, killing six people in Indonesia
>and claiming its first human life in Nigeria.
>
>Although it remains a bird disease, experts still fear it could kill
>millions once it learns how to pass efficiently among people.
>
>
>

--









Disclaimer

Pete has taken all reasonable care to ensure that pages published by him
were accurate on the date of publication or last modification.
Other pages which may be linked or which Pete may have published are in
a personal capacity. Pete takes no responsibility for the consequences
of error or for any loss or damage suffered by users of any of the information
published on any of these pages, and such information does not form any
basis of a contract with readers or users of it.

It is in the nature of Usenet & Web sites, that much of the information is
experimental or constantly changing, that information published may
be for test purposes only, may be out of date, or may be the personal
opinion of the author.
Readers should verify information gained from the Web/Usenet with the appropriate
authorities before relying on it.

Should you no longer wish to read this material or content, please use your
newsreaders kill filter.
 | 
Pages: 1
Prev: BULLYING! Jim Webster. Steve Firth, Malcolm Ogilvie, Andy Mabbettet al.
Next: Taking the Global Local