“Know thy enemy” ââ?¬â? many would consider that one of the most crucial rules of engagement in any war.
Now those waging war against the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus have come one step closer to knowing their enemy, or at least understanding how this crafty bug makes the leap from birds to humans.
In a letter published in the current issue of Nature, lead researcher Yoshihiro Kawaoka and his colleagues have identified two key changes that took place in some versions of the viral strain that allowed the virus to infect not only chickens and ducks but humans as well.