Bird flu is mutating, but antivirals still work
One of the earliest strains of bird flu isolated from a human in Texas shows a unique constellation of mutations that enable it to more easily replicate in human cells and cause more severe disease in mice compared to a strain found in dairy cattle, researchers from Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) report in […]
Flu virus remains infectious in refrigerated raw milk, study reveals
Raw milk, hailed by some as a natural and nutritious alternative to pasteurized dairy, may come with hidden dangers, according to a new Stanford University study. The research, published December 12 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters reveals that influenza or flu virus can remain infectious in refrigerated raw milk for up to five days. […]
H5N1 virus isolated from infected dairy worker is 100% lethal in ferrets, but does not appear to be circulating in nature anymore
A strain of H5N1 avian influenza virus found in a Texas dairy worker who was infected this spring was able to spread among ferrets through the air, although inefficiently, and killed 100% of infected animals in studies University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers performed with the strain earlier this year. The good news: the dairy worker experienced […]