Bird Flu Continues To Be Difficult to Spread

Read the full article in the "Findings" section of today's Washington Post.

Lead:

Scientists failed in multiple attempts to make a more contagious form of the H5N1 bird flu, suggesting the virus may have to undergo massive change to cause a human pandemic.

After genes from human and bird influenzas were mixed to mimic a natural process that could lead to a pandemic, the virus remained hard to spread, said researchers led by Taronna Maines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The article also states:

CDC Director Julie L. Gerberding said: "This does not mean that H5N1 can't develop into a pandemic strain. We are far from out of the woods."

Also yesterday, Pennsylvania-based Novavax Inc. said it made the first experimental vaccine targeting the strain of avian flu that is spreading in Indonesia