Thai scientists have discovered a significant amount of H5N1 virus in the blood of a patient who died last December.
This finding has surprised the scientific community, as blood has always been considered a location where the influenza virus, which typically resides in the respiratory tract, is not found.
Among the viruses transmitted through the blood, influenza strains are rarely observed. This discovery helps explain cases where avian influenza viruses have spread to parts of the body outside the respiratory system, such as the brain, which was previously unaffected by the influenza virus.
As a result, the challenges in treating and controlling the disease have become even more complicated. In another development, on May 4, the U.S. government signed contracts worth over $1 billion for research and production of avian influenza vaccines with five major pharmaceutical companies worldwide.
T.M (Washington Post, Canadian Press)
