Bird flu virus mutating into human-unfriendly form

The H5N1 bird flu virus has mutated to infect people more easily. Although it has not transformed into a pandemic strain, the changes are concerning. The H5N1 avian flu virus, which mostly infects birds, has infected 329 people in 12 countries, killing 201 of them since 2003. It rarely passes from person to person, but if it acquires the ability to do so, it would likely cause a global epidemic.

Birds typically have a body temperature of 106° F, while humans generally have a body temperature of 98.6° F. The human nose and throat, where flu viruses normally enter, is usually around 91.4° F. The specific change that has been identified could allow the bird flu to grow in the upper respiratory tract of humans since the mutation allows H5N1 to live well in the cooler temperatures of the human upper respiratory tract. Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin-Madison has reported that recent samples of virus taken from birds in Africa and Europe all carry the mutation.

I found this article interesting since it concerns all of us and the problem stated could eventually become an even bigger issue if more mutations occur, which would possibly allow the virus to become pandemic strains. The article can be found at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0439354420071005