Avian influenza Research on the Supervirus continues

Researchers resume their work after over a year's break

25/01/2013

After a year of research break researchers want to resume work on the dangerous bird flu virus. In a statement released Wednesday in the two journals "Nature" and "Science", 40 international influenza researchers declare the voluntary break is over: „Recognizing that the goals of our voluntary moratorium are being achieved in some countries, and in some others are about to be reached, we declare the end of the voluntary break in research into the portability of avian influenza viruses“, the researchers say in their letter.

Discovery of „Super virus“ triggers 2011 worldwide discussion
The background: Just over a year ago, scientists Ron Fouchier from Erasmus University in Rotterdam and Yoshihiro Kawaoka from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in independent laboratory experiments with ferrets had managed to manipulate avian flu viruses into the air transmitted and so to a highly dangerous and contagious „Super virus“ had been mutated. As Heilpraxisnet.de reported in detail at that time (WHO calls for publication of the Supervirus data), there was a heated argument over the publication of the explosive results, in addition, the studies triggered a controversial debate around the benefits and risks of laboratory-bred pathogens, but also fundamentally about safety in research laboratories.

Researchers reacted with a break from work
As a result, the scientists responded in a rather unusual way: in January 2012, Ron Fouchier's team announced a 60-day break, which was to be used to develop security measures to prevent abuse of the dangerous variant of the Bird flu pathogen H5N1 could be excluded: „We paused during this important research phase to clarify the benefits of our work in healthcare and to develop measures to minimize potential risks. In addition, we want to enable organizations and governments around the world to review their policies and guidelines for such research projects (for example, in terms of biosafety, surveillance and communication)“, the scientists explain their voluntary break.

Implementation of security measures successful in many countries
The topic has been discussed in the meantime at numerous conferences and has led many countries to rethink their security standards: So have „the World Health Organization has published recommendations on laboratory safety for studies with modified avian influenza agents“, the scientists write, besides „Competent authorities in a number of countries are reviewing the biosafety and funding conditions under which further research on altered H5N1 viruses could be conducted.“

Prerequisites for new study now given
The researchers are thus largely satisfied with the framework conditions for continuing their work - since there is a risk that the H5N1 pathogen naturally develops into a highly dangerous, airborne „killer virus“ Therefore, scientists have a duty to continue their experiments: „Scientists who have the permission of their governments and institutions to carry out their research under the appropriate safety conditions have a duty to the public health service to resume this important work“, so the comments in the now published release.

In the US, no agreement
Where the necessary security conditions and guidelines have not yet been adequately implemented, on the other hand, further pauses should be made - such as in the US and some other countries, where research is funded by US funds, because no agreement has yet been found on the conditions for continuing the study.

Further research should clarify risks for humans
A goal of the following investigations is to find out which mutations would be responsible for the fact that the H5N1 pathogen would become airborne. "We have shown that five to nine mutations are sufficient, but we want to know the exact number that is needed and we want to find out which changes are necessary“, so the „discoverer“ the mutant avian influenza agent, Ron Fouchier.

Until now, the naturally occurring H5N1 variants do not pose any great risk to humans, since H5N1 does not spread via droplet infection, ie via the air, and so far people have rarely been infected. According to WHO, this has happened around 600 times worldwide in recent years, but in almost all cases, those affected had direct contact with poultry or wild birds. In more than 50% of cases, however, the infection ends fatally, which makes it clear: H5N1 is basically a dangerous virus - to what extent that applies exactly to humans, but has not been explored. For example, the US scientist and director of the National Research Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in Bethesda, Anthony Fauci, said that the risk of a human-to-human transmission of the natural pathogen is very low - mutated „Super virus“ on the other hand, under certain circumstances, it could also become an enormous danger to humans. (Sb)

Read also on the topic:
H5N1 supervirus studies are published
WHO calls for publication of supervirus data

Picture credits: Aka