Bird flu research results

British researchers have used x-ray techology to identify a key enzyme on the surface of the neuraminidase spike of the bird flu H5N1 virus.

This is critical because the drug Tamiflu was designed to work against other types of influenza viruses, NOT this H5N1. Tamiflu has been glorified as the key weapon against avian flu only because the medical establishment has no other weapons.

The researchers found that H5N1 neuraminidase has a cavity next to the site of the enzyme. The cavity closes on the key proteins in the walls of the cell when the newly replicated H5N1 viruses are breaking loose from an infected cell to go infect more cells.

Now that doesn't immediately give me any great ideas, but I'm not a bio-chemical researchers. Apparently people who are can use this information to help design drugs targeted more specifically against H5N1. They can find chemicals that will fill this cavity, inhibiting the H5N1 influenza virus from breaking loose of an infected cells.

This contains the infection in only a few cells so you don't get sick.

Bad news is -- drugs based on this are five years away.

So you still need to boost your own immune system right now. You can't depend on Tamiflu and bird flu is not going to wait for this new drug to be on the market before causing a pandemic.

British researchers identify key neuraminidase enzyme





Bird Flu Research
Bird Flu Research