According to an article published in the American journal “Science” on January 26, scientists have identified a unique gene in the H5N1 influenza virus, believed to be the reason this virus is dangerously lethal.
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H5N1 Virus Under Microscope (Photo: news/VNN) |
This gene was discovered after researchers at a children’s hospital in Memphis, Tennessee analyzed samples from approximately 11,000 influenza viruses that Dr. Robert Wester collected globally since 1976.
These samples included 7,000 viruses from birds, poultry, ducks, gulls, and several other flying species.
Initial results from the genetic analysis indicate that all avian influenza viruses studied share a consistent gene, and none of the viruses that cause flu in humans contain this gene.
Scientists also reported that individuals infected with the H5N1 virus in Vietnam and Thailand possess a variant of the “avian influenza” virus. This situation was also observed during the influenza pandemic of 1918, which claimed the lives of tens of millions worldwide.
This study proposes that two structural proteins, NS1 and NS2, may play a crucial role in helping the avian influenza virus adhere to and disrupt certain vital cellular processes.
These proteins are only formed when the influenza virus infects a cell. However, further research is needed to confirm this finding.
