Gene implicated in deadly influenza
By Nathan Seppa
In 1997, a strain of influenza virus jumped from birds to people in Hong Kong. It killed 6 of the 18 people it infected, a proportion that shocked scientists and public health officials worldwide (SN: 12/13/97, p. 372: https://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc97/12_13_97/fob1.htm).
Although the flu didn’t spread from person to person, Chinese officials exercised extreme caution–ordering the slaughter of 1.4 million chickens and other fowl suspected of carrying the strain.
Scientists have since been deciphering parts of the virus strain’s genetic makeup. The most recent findings pin some of the blame for its virulence on a mutation in a gene encoding the enzyme called PB2, which is crucial to the replication of the virus’ genetic material.