A Canadian teen and a Louisiana patient infected with bird flu (H5N1) developed severe illness, with the virus mutating during prolonged infections to better attach to human respiratory cells.
While these mutations don’t currently enable human-to-human transmission, experts warn of increased risks if bird flu mixes with seasonal flu viruses through reassortment, potentially creating a more transmissible strain. Surveillance and antiviral treatments remain crucial in controlling outbreaks.
As bird flu cases rise, experts emphasize the need for vigilance to prevent the virus from gaining the ability to spread easily among humans.
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