Why Few Humans Catch the H5N1 Virus

Since we have discussed about the H5N1 virus, I thought I would update on other research being done. In this article, it explains that the virus is not eaisly spread in humans because it is deep in the airways. Therefore coughing and sneezing, which is the usual route, will not spread the virus. People have been killed from this, 98 out of 177 infected, and flu experts have begun to search of possible ways the virus will have to mutate in order to cause a pandemic. Two teams have been doing research on this subject and both have come to the same conclusion. The virus would have to bind to the 2,3 galactose receptors, which are common in birds and were thought to be absent in humans, but they are not. They are found in and around the alveoli. I hope the teams will be able to find a cure for the virus if it does come to mutate.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/311/5768/1692b