New H7N7 bird flu strain discovered that could pose threat to humans

[xchrom]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/21/new-h7n7-bird-flu-strain-discovered-china


Chickens at a poultry farm in Shandong province, China. Researchers found the existing H7N9 bird flu in Shandong and the new H7N7in Zhejiang. Photograph: Chinafotopress/Getty Images


A new strain of bird flu that can infect and kill animals has been found in chickens at live poultry markets in China.

Scientists discovered the strain by accident while testing chickens, ducks, geese and other birds for the H7N9 virus that has infected more than 130 people and killed 40 since it was first detected in March.

The new strain, H7N7, poses a potential threat to people, according to lab tests which found that the virus caused severe pneumonia in ferrets, which are used as proxies for humans in flu research.

An international team led by Yi Guan, a flu specialist at the University of Hong Kong, took samples from chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, partridges and quail at markets in Shandong and Zhejiang provinces to the north and south of Shanghai, and further samples from markets in Guangdong. They found H7N9 in chickens in Rizhao, Shandong, and the new H7N7 in Wenzhou, Zhejiang.

[darkangel218]

1. I have always said

It will be a lil bug(ger) that will get us.


Cheers.

[Nay]

2. I agree, but the bright side is that it would usually be a fairly painless and quick way

to die.

[darkangel218]

3. True that.