A Chinese study has found that pregnant women infected with the H5N1 bird-flu virus can transmit the deadly disease to their unborn babies.
The study led by Gu Jiang, director of the School of Basic Medical Sciences affiliated to Peking University said that the finding does not mean that a global pandemic is near by.
Bird Flu
Bird flu (avian influenza/avian flu) is a disease caused by an influenza virus (H5N1) that primarily affects birds but can infect humans also.
Advertisement
"So far, no substantiated case of inter-human transmission has been observed. It largely depends on how the virus further mutates," the China Daily quoted him, as saying.
In the study, tissues taken from the body of a 24-year-old pregnant woman killed by bird flu were examined.
The analysis found that the virus had passed through the woman's placenta to infect the foetus.
![Study Reveals Mechanism Behind the Bird Flu Transmission from Person-to-person]( "Study Reveals Mechanism Behind the Bird Flu Transmission from Person-to-person")
A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has identified a key step that the H5N1 avian flu virus must take to facilitate its easy transmission from one person to another.
Jiang said that besides woman's placenta, the virus was detected in the alimentary canal, brain, blood cells and respiratory tract. It was also found in the lungs and liver of the foetus.
He added that the findings had great significance in the treatment and prevention of the bird flu.
"For example, blood and faeces from people infected with the virus must be handled extremely carefully to avoid further spreading of the disease," he said.
Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the World Health Organization, said that since mother and foetus function as two effective single bodies, passing of the virus was not really a case of human-to-human transmission.
Source: ANI
GAN/S
The analysis found that the virus had passed through the woman's placenta to infect the foetus.
Study Reveals Mechanism Behind the Bird Flu Transmission from Person-to-person
A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has identified a key step that the H5N1 avian flu virus must take to facilitate its easy transmission from one person to another.
Advertisement
Jiang said that besides woman's placenta, the virus was detected in the alimentary canal, brain, blood cells and respiratory tract. It was also found in the lungs and liver of the foetus.
He added that the findings had great significance in the treatment and prevention of the bird flu.
"For example, blood and faeces from people infected with the virus must be handled extremely carefully to avoid further spreading of the disease," he said.
Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the World Health Organization, said that since mother and foetus function as two effective single bodies, passing of the virus was not really a case of human-to-human transmission.
Source: ANI
GAN/S
Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Readings
Latest Bird Flu News
The study reports documented cases of A (H3N8) avian influenza viruses crossing species boundaries and affecting a range of mammals, including dogs and horses.
Researchers monitored the continuing avian flu pandemic to gauge its evolving risk to both humans and birds.
Bird flu in Brazil: Authorities are watching if the bird flu virus H5N1 is mutating into a form which can spread amongst humans.
Bird flu outbreak: New mutation in avian influenza virus (H5N1) could be the next human pandemic, warn health experts.
Exposure to live or dead poultry contaminated with avian influenza A virus results in the increase of human cases of avian influenza infection.
