Bird Flu: Scientists Develop New Strain Of H5N1, Avian Influenza, That Could Kill Millions

It sounds like the setup for a Hollywood thriller: scientists in a lab create a virus as contagious as the flu that kills half of those infected. We're safe as long as the virus remains locked up, but if it escapes or gets into the hands of bioterrorists, it has the potential to become a pandemic and kill millions around the world.

But this isn't the latest summer blockbuster. According to New Scientist magazine, researchers in the Netherlands studying H5N1 -- commonly referred to as the bird flu or avian influenza -- have created a strain of the virus that's easily passed between mammals, and it's just as lethal as the original virus.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the H5N1 virus has infected more than 500 people in more than a dozen countries and is known to kill around 60 percent of those that become infected.

Ron Fouchier, a researcher at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, led the team that successfully created the mutation. Fouchier presented the findings at a conference in Malta in September and, according to NPR, is now seeking publication of his results.

But some in the scientific community are debating whether or not that's a good idea.

"It's just a bad idea for scientists to turn a lethal virus into a lethal and highly contagious virus. And it's a second bad idea for them to publish how they did it so others can copy it," Dr. Thomas Inglesby, the director and CEO of the Center for Biosecurity at the University of Pittsburgh, told NPR.

Others, like Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), told Science magazine that "These studies are very important."

From the Science magazine blog Science Insider:

The researchers "have the full support of the influenza community," Osterholm says, because there are potential benefits for public health. For instance, the results show that those downplaying the risks of an H5N1 pandemic should think again, he says.

The study is currently being reviewed by the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, a "federal advisory committee chartered to provide advice, guidance, and leadership regarding...biological research with legitimate scientific purpose that may be misused to pose a biologic threat to public health and/or national security."

What do you think? Should the results of the study be made public? Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Quick Poll

Should details be revealed about the virus?

Yes, it could help public health efforts

Not worth the risk

Other (explain in the comments below)

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Comments

[Brandi Tadlock]

02:35 AM on 04/22/2013

It escaped! In the Netherlands, even! What are the odds?!!

[Johnny L Waller]

03:17 PM on 11/09/2012

Mans Folly...One day Though!

[Terry S Singeltary Sr]

12:33 PM on 01/01/2012

another brilliant move by our fine federal friends. while the world tried to fend off this deadly H5N1 bird flu virus around the globe, and prevent it from spreading to humans, the USA decides to develop a strain that does transmit to humans, then wonders what to do with it. where oh where have I heard all this before ?

*** Spraker suggested an interesting explanation for the occurrence of CWD. The deer pens at the Foot Hills Campus were built some 30-40 years ago by a Dr. Bob Davis. At or abut that time, allegedly, some scrapie work was conducted at this site. When deer were introduced to the pens they occupied ground that had previously been occupied by sheep.

http://collections.europarchive.org/tna/20080102193705/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m11b/tab01.pdf

Over the next 8-10 weeks, approximately 40% of all the adult mink on the farm died from TME.

snip...

The rancher was a ''dead stock'' feeder using mostly (>95%) downer or dead dairy cattle...

http://web.archive.org/web/20030516051623/http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/files/mb/m09/tab05.pdf

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Transmissibility of BSE-L and Cattle-Adapted TME Prion Strain to Cynomolgus Macaque

"BSE-L in North America may have existed for decades"

http://transmissiblespongiformencephalopathy.blogspot.com/2011/06/transmissibility-of-bse-l-and-cattle.html

[Ryezz]

11:43 PM on 12/22/2011

Should details be revealed about the virus? Yes they should. Should scientists be creating more powerful strains of the flu? NOOOOOOO WTF IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm no genius but this is truley a dumb idea. What good could ever come of this? As for Greg Smth and population control, you could start by doing yourself in!

[greg smth]

11:56 AM on 12/21/2011

The "elephant in the room" is the unique opportunity we have here to give the Earth a chance to survive. We have 7 billion consuming and defecating humans that have created more misery and harm to the planet than any natural disaster could ever do. Release the H5N1 into the general population, starting with major population centers in China, US, Indonesia, Brasil, Mexico, India and Korea. This would solve ALL of the world's human problems without a single bullet, bomb or drone being launched.

Think about the changes that would come from 500 million instead of 7 billion humans. Global warming will eventually do the job, but with far more misery, years of war and profit taking by the wealthy few.

[Maghjovf]

01:13 PM on 12/21/2011

Over population is a mayor issue in the world but no one has the right to take such actions.

[Marks view]

02:57 AM on 02/07/2012

greg smth is realy a Martian who couldn't care less if a few BILLION humans die a painfull death. [H5N1 {if it mutates} causes people to slowly choke to death] P.S Hey Greg fall in a crater and die, you would be doing earth a big favor!

[iyamwhatiyam1]

03:14 PM on 12/20/2011

Maybe it will escape from the Lab. and sterilize the Planet of human beings. I can only hope.

[Terita Hicks]

01:29 PM on 12/16/2011

No one should know all the details of this virus. The public should be given information about any outright symptoms upon exposure. The public should also be given directions on measures of prevention if one suspect the virus to be circulating in their area.

[jstagynjax]

11:27 PM on 12/06/2011

See, this is why science is going to be the downfall of mankind. Yes, their motivations are noble and respectable; but the road to he11 is paved with good intentions. Before you all attack me, I know it's just a movie. But look at 28 Days Later. The scientists in the beginning were trying to determine the nature of emotional rage, so they created an engineered version that was highly contagious; and look at how that turned out. Yes, I know it was a movie, but isn't amazing how life is starting to imitate art? If it's not this, it'll be something else. You people in the scientific community won't be happy until you destroy the world.

[Nathan McGowan]

05:54 PM on 12/03/2011

It is a matter of time before mother nature creates this on her own . In a world connected by airplanes disease can travel the globe in hours and as population increases a catastrophic global pandemic becomes more likely. What could one do to survive is the question. I am against releasing this data but I can see the value it has in spurring research to find ways to deal with a global pandemic.

[silverspirit2011]

08:57 AM on 12/03/2011

OK people, settle down.

1st of all, knowing it is possible is a good thing, since they can look for defenses against such a virus, if it manages to mutate like it in nature - which is doubtful. But best be prepared.

2nd Their are very few terrorists who would release such a virus, given the interconnectivity of the world, it would spread across the world rapidly, and KILL THEIR OWN PEOPLE AS WELL. Martyrs generally do not want to kill their own family - even Al Queda does not allow suicide bombers from the same family (the sons are discouraged from bombing if their father has committed the crime)

In fact, the only people I can think of who would even consider releasing a virus like this is radical green groups, to curb the human population. But groups like these have neither the skill or resources to do it, simply because to get the degree to get the skills, you would need to perform dissections.

[citanon]

10:00 PM on 12/03/2011

Let's see:

We've got extremist religious sects:
-Radical green groups
-End of the world radical Christians
-Aum Shinrikyo nuts in Japan (already attacked Tokyo subway with Sarin gas)

We've got extremist factions within rogue adversary governments:
-The second coming of the imam nuts in Iran's Revolutionary Guards
- NK types who want the rest of the world to look like NK

We've got terrorist groups:
- Al Qaeda, who are willing to kill anyone and everyone to bring us back to the middle ages
- Neo nazis, anarchists

And pretty much anyone else who have enough resources to do some simple genetic engineering and keep a bunch of ferrets in a lab, or, shoot their way into that lab with AKs and C4.

[iyamwhatiyam1]

03:20 PM on 12/20/2011

You left out the common Liberal.

[greg smth]

08:43 PM on 01/10/2012

You forgot under terrorist groups, The Republican Party of the United States.

[Terita Hicks]

01:39 PM on 12/16/2011

Okay terriost are terriost. Do the words sucide bomber have any meaning to you? Oh just read your explanation above... yes but what if the son is disappointed that he is unable to make a personal statement for his cause. You are working on the idea that all terriost will have morals, principles, and a good idea of justice. In my mind no terriost has a good idea of justice. So, mad can be a real seriously fatal mental condition. Being mad is not what makes a person dangerous... going mad is a whole another matter. It is plan madness that made these scientist create the virus no matter how noble some believe their cause might be. So, when talking about madness... be aware their is no law that will prevent the end of all man kind! So why risk making any item to bring us that much closure to self distruction? The man who made the Nobel Peace Prize created the Atom Bomb. He created the Nobel Peace Prize because he wanted scientist to understand the power that they have to influence the world. This man wasn't even working to create a bomb... he was working to just create alternative energy. The people he worked for tricked him into developing his project into a substance of destruction. Don't say what people will or will not do. They promised him the bomb would never be used. We all know how that worked out!

[MissKryss]

01:01 AM on 12/03/2011

Good. Humans deserve it.

[silverspirit2011]

08:58 AM on 12/03/2011

So does that include your mother and father, brothers and sisters or you sons and daughters? Are you ready to kill them?

[diamondz]

07:33 AM on 12/07/2011

well put!

[wordshll]

10:07 AM on 12/02/2011

The flu is rampant all around the area in which i live. At this time I don't know what type it is, but many are having high temps, sore throats, stomach aches, and dysentery.

One of the ladies in the same club as my wife just sent e-mail. Her whole office are sick and that she could not make their dinner engagement. She said she was going home and going to bed.

My wife and I both took the flu shot but understand it does not protect against all types of the flue. I keep some lipoic acid and raw honey on hand which I take when I feel any flue or cold symptoms coming on. I usually only sneeze a few times and then I am better in less than twenty four hours. We also take a multi vitamin and wash our hands frequently. It either works or we are extremely lucky because we have not been really ill in the last five or six years.

[Andy Kaupe]

03:29 PM on 12/01/2011

Are we really wasting resources on making a virus even more dangerous?

[mbkeefer]

11:01 PM on 12/01/2011

We learned how easy nature can turn H5N1 into world wide killer with no help from us. If we are smart, we will get ready to deal with it.

[Starluck Martin]

02:47 PM on 12/01/2011

i agree if the scientist are going to create something like this, keep it on the down low!! QUIT GIVING IDIOTS IDEAS!!..........i would love to see my kids grow and have kids THANK YOU!

[N0NDescript0]

02:37 PM on 12/01/2011

It's unfortunate that so many commenters are scientifically illiterate. Maybe you should try reading the NewScientist article, and use your Critical Thinking caps, rather than falling for this fear-mongering.