# 1440
The initial genetic sequencing on the Pakistani virus samples are in, and according to the WHO, "no adaptive mutations in the hemagglutinin that would suggest that it have moved towards human binding characteristics" were found.
In plain English, no dangerous mutations were found.
Good news, obviously.
This from the Canadian Press.
Pakistan bird flu virus shows no mutations
Updated Thu. Jan. 3 2008 6:06 PM ET
The Canadian Press
The genetic structure of H5N1 virus recovered from Pakistan's first confirmed human case of the illness suggests the virus did not mutate to become better adapted to humans, an expert with the World Health Organization said Thursday.
Dr. Frederick Hayden said initial sequencing of several genes of the virus showed no worrisome genetic changes. The London-based influenza laboratory that did the work reported that the virus was identical to a number of H5N1 viruses isolated from chickens in the region, he said.
The virus fragments were recovered from specimens taken from a man who died of H5N1 infection on Nov. 28. The WHO believes the man became infected while caring for his brother, a veterinary worker who fell ill after culling H5N1-infected poultry.
"There were no adaptive mutations in the hemagglutinin that would suggest that it have moved towards human binding characteristics, which is of course good news,'' said Hayden, a medical officer with the WHO's global influenza program.
"If you look at the sequence findings combined with the epidemiologic investigations that have been done to date, it really does suggest that the H5 virus has not gained a capacity for spread from human-to-human within either Pakistan or more broadly.''
Several other members of the family initially tested positive in diagnostic work conducted by Pakistan's National Institute of Health. But confirmatory tests done by international labs working with the WHO only produced the one positive result.
The WHO cautioned last week that doesn't mean others in the family weren't infected, noting the samples could have deteriorated by the time they reached the London lab.
