BENGALURU: Indian Institute of Science (IISc) researchers have found that the H5N1 (bird flu) virus can be a potential threat to humans due to specific mutations, suggesting enhanced and proactive surveillance measures which need to be implemented against infections by the H5N1 virus.The researchers, led by Kesavardhana Sannula, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, IISc, have discovered that the currently circulating 2.3.4.4b clade (representing a group of organisms having a common ancestor) of H5N1 has specific mutations in its genome that increase its human adaptive potential.“This clade is acquiring the same key mutations that pandemic human influenza strains possess, which could be a growing risk,” said Ranjana Nataraj, Project Associate at the Department of Biochemistry and the study’s first author.The team was also able to pinpoint animals that would be likely to harbour virus strains with the highest human adaptive potential. Interestingly, viruses that can adapt to fox hosts seemed to have higher adaptive potential than cattle-adapted strains. “It is very surprising,” Kesavardhana said.H5N1 influenza (bird flu) virus was first identified in birds three decades ago and has now gradually found its way to humans. H5N1 is a strain of the influenza virus harbouring type 5 haemagglutinin (H5) and type 1 neuraminidase (N1) surface proteins, which help in viral entry and spread, respectively.Kesavardhana said, “The 2.3.4.4b clade has infected many mammalian species and is adapting to [non-human] mammals, which is a concern for human adaptation. The clade is panzootic (infecting across species), causing unprecedented mortality in birds and mammals, along with several sporadic human infections.”
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