H5N1 Bird Flu Virus Nears Human Transmission with Single Q226L Mutation

Dec 15, 2024, 02:26 PM

The H5N1 bird flu virus, currently circulating in birds and dairy cows, has raised concerns among scientists due to its potential to cause a human pandemic. A single mutation, specifically the Q226L mutation, could enable the virus to bind to human receptors, increasing the likelihood of airborne transmission. This strain, which emerged in 2020 and belongs to the 2.3.4.4b clade, has already shown a higher capability to infect human cells compared to earlier variants. The virus has caused significant mortality among wild birds, with tens of thousands of northern gannets dying in Canada and other species affected globally. In the United States, the virus has infected dairy cows, leading to 58 human cases, most of which were mild. The risk of the virus gaining full pandemic potential remains low, but the possibility of genetic reassortment with human flu viruses could rapidly change this scenario. Monitoring and genomic surveillance are critical to manage the spread and evolution of this avian flu virus, which has historically caused up to 30% fatality in humans.