H5N1 Virus Mutated Slightly

The World Health Organization investigated a case of H5N1 bird flu in Indonesia, and found that it mutated slightly in an Indonesian family on Sumatra Island.

Experts are saying that this mutation did not increase the possibility of a human based pandemic, but it did allow for what seems to be limited human-to-human transmission. The family of eight, of which seven have died, were the first case where a ten year old boy, may have transmitted the virus to his father.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say though that the mutated strain died with the father, and did not pass outside the family.

Tim Uyeki, from the CDC said, "It stopped. It was dead end at that point."

Many different scientists are stressing that viruses change all the time, and to not get worried, but it is interesting that we now have a case of human-to-human transmission.

WHO investigation: H5N1 virus mutated slightly in Indonesian family cluster [Canoe]

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H5N1 Virus Mutated Slightly

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