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Researchers cracking the code of bird flu time bomb

Researchers cracking the code of bird flu time bomb
Researchers at Griffith University Institute for Glycomics, Queensland led by Professor Mark von Itzstein have developed a technique to 'crack-the-code' of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus. It will enable influenza virus specialists and drug researchers to interrogate one of the virus' key surface proteins without risk of infection.

The development was published this week in the world's leading international chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition available here1.

This approach will enable the rapid identification of avian and other influenza viruses that have attained the capacity to recognize human receptors and therefore acquired the potential for easy human-to-human transmission.

The Griffith team collaborated with an international project partner team at the Hong Kong University-Institut Pasteur led by Professor Malik Peiris who developed a method to insert the deadly bird flu's H5 protein in a harmless vehicle called a 'virus-like particle'.

"To better interrogate a virus protein, researchers need to be able to observe and monitor the way it functions when associated with a virus particle," Professor von Itzstein said.

"It's similar to the way it would be difficult to work out how a gun functions by only studying a bullet."

The use of these virus-like particles as a vehicle for the virus protein enables researchers to work without the need for high-containment laboratory procedures mandatory for handling live virus.

(Published at Health News Track on February 5, 2008 - 205 days ago)

Bird Flu article/news source:

Griffith University - read other health news articles from Griffith University and health news articles from Australia.

Bird Flu - search related terms:

Avian flu, Bird flu, H5N1, Infection, Influenza, Live virus, Virus, Virus protein,

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Australian scientists say they have found a safer way to study the bird flu virus, giving researchers a greater chance to solve the H5N1 strain.
Bird Flu
Bird flu is a viral respiratory disease, mainly of birds including poultry and waterbirds but also transmissible to humans. Symptoms in humans include fever, sore throat, cough, headache, and muscle aches. Severe infections can result in life-threatening complications such as pneumonia and acute respiratory illness.

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