Study: Some A.I. Strains Could Infect Humans

ATLANTA ¯ Recently released results of a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest some North American avian influenza A H7 virus strains have properties that might enhance their potential to infect humans as well as spread from human to human. The study was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.

Although avian influenza A H7 viruses are fairly common in birds, they rarely infect humans. Most cases of avian influenza infection in humans have resulted from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces.

“We know that influenza viruses are constantly changing and that is why it’s so important to watch them carefully,” said Dr. Jessica Belser, the C.D.C. lead author on the project.

“In this study, we discovered that some recently identified avian influenza A H7 viruses have some properties that could enhance their potential to infect people and possibly spread among people.”

Influenza viruses infect humans by attaching to certain sugar receptor molecules found on cells in the respiratory tract in humans, according to C.D.C. Influenza viruses can have differing degrees of ability to bind to these receptors. The greater an influenza virus’s ability to bind to these receptors, the greater the likelihood that the virus can cause illness in humans and possibly be passed from human to human.

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