As the so-called bird flu, which is officially known as H5N1, continues to decimate poultry and dairy farms nationwide, worries persist that it could eventually spread among humans.
Scientists at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology consider that a distinct possibility.
“In humans there have been to date about 66, I believe, confirmed cases of avian flu, H5N1,” said Alessandro Sette, a researcher at the Institute.
He said so far humans are catching it only from animals. The bird flu, however, could create another pandemic if it starts spreading among people because the flu we are used to fighting off is usually a different variety — H1N1.
“That’s why people are scared that if this starts to spread into humans people would not have antibodies to H5,” Sette said.
But their newest research also points to a possible silver lining. Tests in Sette’s lab found that T-cells in our blood do recognize and target the bird flu, which means we do have some protection against it.
“Our research in general has shown that T-cells play an important role not in preventing infection but in making the disease less severe,” Sette said.
The bird flu has created such a dire situation on poultry and cattle farms in California that Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency. Right now the damage is mainly economic. But Sette said until the flu is brought under control among animals, the potential risk of a human pandemic is real.
“Viruses mutate all the time and the more virus is produced in infected animals the more there is a chance,” Sette said.
Another creature that’s very susceptible to avian flu are cats, both wild and domestic. In Washington State the bird flu reportedly killed 20 big cats at a wildlife sanctuary, including four cougars and a tiger.
