Recently, the Chinese Academy of Sciences' official website reported that the Gao Fu team from the Beijing Institute of Biological Sciences and the Institute of Microbiology has made significant progress in understanding the human infection mechanism of the H7N9 avian influenza virus. This groundbreaking research not only unravels the mystery behind how H7N9 infects humans but also provides a critical theoretical foundation for studying the potential for human-to-human transmission. Additionally, it offers essential insights for re-evaluating the H7N9 outbreak and developing more effective prevention and control strategies. The findings were published online in the prestigious journal Science on September 5th.
The H7N9 outbreak that occurred in February this year was a novel reassortant virus first identified in Shanghai and Anhui. Led by Gao Fu's team, researchers from the Beijing Institute of Biological Sciences, the Institute of Microbiology, and the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention focused on the two strains initially reported during this outbreak, aiming to uncover the underlying mechanisms of H7N9 infection in humans.
Shi Yi, the first author of the paper and an associate researcher at the Beijing Institute of Biological Sciences, explained that the Anhui strain was a pandemic-type virus during the flu season, while the Shanghai strain was found only in one case. The genetic sequences of these two strains show distinct characteristics. The study revealed that the Anhui strain can bind to both avian and human receptors, whereas the Shanghai strain preferentially binds to avian receptors. This ability to recognize human receptors suggests that the Anhui strain has the potential to spread more widely among humans.
Shi Yi noted that currently, scientists believe the H7N9 virus has limited human-to-human transmission capabilities. Researchers speculate that because the virus still strongly binds to avian receptors, there are many mucin-binding sites in the human respiratory tract that favor avian receptor interactions, which may hinder its efficient spread between people. Li Lanjuan, director of the State Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Diagnosis and Treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, stated that these findings fully explain the epidemic patterns observed during this H7N9 outbreak.
Experts emphasize the importance of closely monitoring mutations in the H7N9 virus. Some mutant strains may lose their strong binding affinity to avian receptors while retaining the ability to bind to human receptors, potentially leading to a new influenza pandemic. Therefore, continuous surveillance and improved detection methods are crucial to prevent future outbreaks and protect public health.
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