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Scientists have found that three mutations are needed to make the H7N9 strain of bird flu more virulent in humans:
A study published Thursday shows how a bird flu virus that's sickening and killing people in China could mutate to potentially become more contagious. Just three changes could be enough to do the trick, scientists report [open, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006390] [DX] in the journal PLOS Pathogens. And the news comes just as federal officials are getting ready to lift a moratorium on controversial lab experiments that would deliberately create flu viruses with mutations like these.
Public health officials have been worried about this bird flu virus, called H7N9, because it's known to have infected more than 1,500 people — and killed 40 percent of them. So far, unlike other strains that more commonly infect humans, this deadly virus does not spread easily between people.
[...] It turns out that three small mutations made the fragment bind far more strongly to receptors found on human cells than to receptors from bird cells. Scientists know, from studying strains that led to past pandemics, that this kind of switch appears to be involved in enabling a bird flu virus to become transmissible between people. "All we've done is to look at one of the properties that we're pretty certain is important," says Paulson, who cautions that additional genetic mutations might be necessary for this virus to become more contagious in humans. "So, just because we've changed the one property doesn't mean that that property alone is sufficient to let the virus transmit."
Thank you very much, I'll be in my lab.
(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 17 2017, @08:23PM (4 children)
First, we develop a vaccine. We vaccinate atheists, christians, buddhists, and possibly sikh or jain. Skip anybody who advocates for those not on the list.
Second, we spread the virus everywhere. Each embassy can have a drone they launch that sprays a fine mist over the host city.
Third, as the epidemic takes off, we bomb stuff. Hit medical facilities, water treatment plants, electrical power generation, broadcast transmitters, and internet cables.
(Score: 2) by Hartree on Saturday June 17 2017, @09:17PM (1 child)
If you bomb the water treatment plants, hospitals, electric power generation, radio and the internet it's going to shut down so much that in a large city it's not going to matter if you're immune. To hell with the flu. Thirst, cholera, hunger (much of food distribution is hampered) mean everyone gets it. It's a bit like trying to get rid of your legs by massively burning them with no medical attention. The rest of you will die of infection, etc.
Ah... I see. You want to watch this all from your evil overlord lair far away and full of sexy fembots and the like.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 17 2017, @10:52PM
It's not easy to go bombing advanced nations with nukes, but you have to do that for the final blow. The virus gets most people too ill to fight back.
The virus alone would kill only 40%. You can increase the mortality by disabling the medical response. The goal is supply-chain collapse for the entire economy. Disease resistance goes down during mass starvation.
In one's own country, a slightly different tactic is used. Instead of bombing hospitals, you just turn away any undesirables. Give them pills to keep them active, helping them to spread the disease to friends and family. Something like slow-release methamphetamine or slow-release cocaine would do nicely.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by linkdude64 on Saturday June 17 2017, @10:45PM
What the fuck is wrong with you?
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday June 18 2017, @12:13AM
I like this, except I would also leave Christians off the list as well.
Actually I'd just propose offering the vaccine to everybody who doesn't worship the god of Abraham (Muslims, Jews, Christians, etc). Maybe we can make an exception for Mormons since although they're fairly insane what with their magic underwear, at least they're polite to others who don't share their insanity.
The thing I really like about this is that since it involves a vaccine, presumably Darwin will also cleanse the gene pool of the anti-vaxxer nonsense.