The new flu pandemic proves a controversial study

Scientists in the city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands know exactly the conditions for an avian influenza virus to become a pandemic strain in humans because they have created such mutations in the laboratory. .

While closely monitoring every development of the new H7N9 flu outbreak in China, Dutch scientists claim that the incident vindicated the decision to conduct controversial experiments on the mutant virus. in spite of many oppositions.

For the new H7N9 bird flu strain, what the world needs to know is that this virus can spread to people - something never seen before - how. And according to Ab Osterhaus, the world's leading influenza researcher, who holds the position of director of virology at Erasmus Medical Center (Netherlands), studies are being conducted by his team and other US scientists. The best way to solve the mystery above.

The scientific work that holds the "secret key" is called a "function creation" study (GOF). The purpose of this study is to determine which combination of genetic changes or mutations allows an animal virus to infect humans.

A patient suspected of being infected with the H7N9 influenza virus is being treated at the disease
Institute in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China on April 3. (Photo: Reuters)

By finding the necessary mutations, researchers and above all health authorities will be better equipped to assess how new a virus can become dangerous or if it is ". dreadful action " they can start developing drugs, vaccines and other scientific prevention measures soon.

However, such research is still very controversial.

When two groups of scientists announced in late 2011 that they had discovered a way to turn a strain of avian flu - H5N1 - into a form that could spread from person to person, many voices were loudly alarmed. The US National Advisory Committee on Biological Security (NSABB) has made an unprecedented move to find ways to censor the publication of these studies.

In a series of GOF experiments, scientists have caused mutations in the H5N1 virus, making it easy to infect mammals with air droplets.

NSABB claims, they are concerned about the project by Ron Fouchier's team in the Rotterdam laboratory (Netherlands) and a second group of Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin (USA) may fall into the wrong hands and become successful tools for bioterrorists In other words, the US authorities are afraid of scientists "creating a monster" as described by expert virus expert Wendy Barclay of Imperial College London (UK).

A heated debate broke out and flu researchers around the world finally agreed to a two-year delay to conduct further tests of this type until all anxiety subsided. Even so, during the last postponement period, some scientists have recommended that such research is essential for the prevention of the next influenza pandemic and that renouncing it will push the world into seclusion. risk when new strains of influenza appear.

In January, Barclay signed an open letter with 39 other scientists to call for an end to the postponement of research on the potential for transmission of bird flu. Barclay stressed that the current developments in China point to why.

"The emergence of H7N9 firmly demonstrates that the flu will occur frequently due to animal sources of disease. It also underscores the fact that, for each virus, we do not know whether it is whether or not it is possible to spread from person to person when it appears, or whether it is disabled because when it comes to approaching a host, it is impossible to overcome some of the available barriers , " Barclay said. .

Meanwhile, Osterhaus confessed: "At the present time, we do not know whether to issue a comprehensive warning or should sit together and declare this is only a minor issue. In response to this question, we need to know what the H7N9 virus needs to possess wide spread capabilities. "