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Why H5N1 is more deadly than human flu?

11/Sep/2006: A study carried out by Scientists from Oxford University Clinical Research unit explains why the H5N1 Avian Flu strain is deadly than the normal human flu. The study revealed vital information on how to treat people infected with H5N1 virus.

The H5N1 virus triggers massive inflammatory response in the body, which often proves fatal. More than half of the known cases of people infected with the H5N1strain since its outbreak in 2003 have died.

The research team from the Oxford University analyzed blood samples of eighteen people who had suffered from the H5N1 bird flu and eight people who had suffered from normal flu, to check the viral concentration and how their immune systems responded to the infection. The analysis was carried out at Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam.

Patients infected with H5N1 virus had high viral concentration in the throat compared to those infected with normal human flu. The high viral concentration triggered the release of Cytokines (a proteinaceous ‘signaling’ compound in the human immune system) that lead to lung damage, resulting in death. Loss of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood is also associated to the high viral concentration in patients infected by the H5N1 strain.

This study revealed that if the viral concentration in the body of the infected patients is controlled by administering antiviral drugs like Tamiflu, Relenza or Amantadine, then the cytokine response to the virus can be managed effectively, preventing any damage to the lungs that could result in death. By doing so fatalities resulting out of H5N1 infection can be prevented. The same procedure can be used to treat people if the H5N1 strain mutates and start transmitting easily between people.

Kesavan Siva

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