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Prof. Gu Jiang: The H5N1 virus
through mother-to-child transmission
PKU NEWS 2007--10--08
http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=191772314
Peking University, Beijing, October 7, 2007: Studies of the post-mortem tissues of
one man and one pregnant woman as well as testing the fetus of the woman have
revealed that HVN1 bird flu is more invasive than previously thought.
Gu Jiang, a professor at the School of Basic Medical Sciences of the Beijing-based
Peking University, and colleagues, has studied the post-mortem tissues of one man
and one pregnant woman as well as testing the fetus of the woman.
The findings of the two post mortems reveal that the H5N1 strain of avian (bird) flu is
more invasive than previously thought.
The team found the bird flu virus genetic material and antigens in the lungs, cells of
the trachea and the lymph nodes, neurons in the brain and in cells of the placenta.
The examination of the four-month-old fetus found both viral genetic material and
antigens of H5N1 virus in the lungs, circulating cells of the immune system and in
cells of the liver, suggesting the virus can overcome maternal immune protection of
the fetus.
Prior research had shown that the H5N1 could move beyond the lungs. However, full
autopsies of people who have died after H5N1 infection were not conducted. A full
autopsy would reveal where the virus spreads in the human body, but were not done
for various reasons, including religious objections.
"The study could change a lot of our previous views. For example, the trachea was
formerly thought uninfected by H5N1 and this was used to explain that H5N1 could
only infect the lower respiratory system, but our studies have clearly shown it is not
such a case." Gu said.
Viral genetic material in the intestinal mucosa was also found, but no viral antigens
were found. This suggests that the virus does not directly infect intestinal cells. "How
they arrive at the place and replicate remains unknown," Gu says.
The study results have been published in a British medical journal "The Lancet".
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