An in-depth analysis of blood from patients recovering from the H5N1 avian influenza virus has provided important insights into how to combat the potentially lethal virus.
The findings by U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientists and collaborators better explain what part of the "bird flu" virus is seen by the immune system once a person becomes infected. As one result of this research, a protein of the bird flu virus called PB1-F2 was identified as a potentially potent target for attack by immune systems to stop the spread of the virus.
"Analysis of blood from patients recovering from the H5N1 avian influenza virus can lead to new tools for testing the potential protective activity of vaccines under development," said Karen Midthun, M.D., acting director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). "The findings could also lead to new tests to detect infections, and improved therapies."
Since 2003, more than 400 people worldwide have been infected with the bird flu virus. About 60 percent of them have died. No cases of avian flu have been reported in the United States. Most of the avian flu infections in humans involve people who have had direct contact with infected poultry. However, there is a potential risk for a global influenza pandemic should the virus acquire the ability to spread directly from person to person.
The study, titled "Antigenic Fingerprinting of an H5N1 Avian Influenza Using Convalescent Sera and Monoclonal Antibodies reveals Potential Vaccine and Diagnostic Targets," appears in the April 20, 2009, edition of the online journal PLoS Medicine. http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000049