A recent study involving researchers from China and the University of Nottingham has revealed alarming mutational changes in a subtype of the avian flu virus, H3N8, which is endemic in poultry farms in China.
The study, published in the scientific journal Cell, warns that these mutations could potentially make the virus transmissible to humans, raising concerns about the possibility of a future epidemic or pandemic.
Key Findings
The research focused on a human isolate of the H3N8 avian influenza virus (AIV), obtained from a patient with severe pneumonia.
The study utilized laboratory mice and ferrets to simulate human infection and found that the virus has undergone several adaptive changes that allow it to cause severe animal infections and to be transmitted via airborne routes among animals.
In humans, this particular virus has been linked to acute respiratory distress syndrome and can even prove fatal. While the virus is common in chicken flocks, its ability to transfer from animals to humans had not been well-understood.
Genetic Adaptations
“Crucially, we found that the virus had acquired human receptor binding preference and a particular amino acid substitution (PB2-E627K), essential for airborne transmission,” explains Professor Kin-Chow Chang of the University of Nottingham.
“Even those vaccinated against the human H3N2 virus appear immunologically naive to these emerging mammalian-adapted H3N8 AIVs, making them vulnerable to infection on an epidemic or pandemic scale.”
Concerns about Acid Resistance
“Acid resistance in influenza viruses is another crucial factor that the virus needs to acquire for adaptability and transmissibility in new mammals or humans.
The currently observed H3N8 virus hasn’t gained this trait yet, which means we should keep a close watch on any change in its acid resistance,” says Professor Jinhua Liu at China Agricultural University in Beijing.
Collaborative Research and Next Steps
The study was a collaboration among the University of Nottingham, China Agricultural University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Researchers are calling for concerted efforts to monitor such viruses closely in poultry and human populations, emphasizing the urgency for proactive research in the field.
Given the virus’s observed mutations and its potential for human infection, ongoing vigilance and further research are critical to assessing the threat and formulating preemptive healthcare strategies.
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The research findings can be found in Cell.
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