Chinese Scientists Warn That Deadly H5N1 Bird Flu Could Easily Mix with Human Flu to Spark New Pandemic
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Sep 28, 2025 2 days, 12 hours, 30 minutes ago
Medical News: Growing Fears Over H5N1 Bird Flu
A new scientific study has raised urgent concerns about the highly dangerous H5N1 avian influenza virus. Researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity at the Academy of Military Medical Science in Beijing, the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, the Inner Mongolia Medical University, and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College have discovered that this bird flu strain could potentially combine with human flu viruses to create a deadly new pandemic strain.
Chinese Scientists Warn That Deadly H5N1 Bird Flu Could Easily Mix with Human Flu to Spark New Pandemic
Over the past few years, H5N1 has spread widely in wild birds and poultry across the globe, with rising reports of infections in mammals such as cows, seals, and even humans. According to this
Medical News report, the virus is evolving rapidly, increasing the chances of it crossing fully into humans and spreading more easily. The study warns that if H5N1 mixes, or “reassorts,” with common human flu viruses like H3N2, the result could be catastrophic.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence
To study this risk without carrying out dangerous lab experiments, the scientists built a powerful artificial intelligence tool named HAIRANGE. This AI model uses a method called Codon2Vec to read viral genetic code and predict how well different flu virus genes would adapt if they mixed together.
By testing combinations of H5N1 genes with those from human flu viruses, the model predicted which versions might thrive in people. Alarmingly, the tool showed that several reassortments involving key H5N1 genes, such as PB1 and PA, could result in viruses highly adapted to humans. The researchers confirmed these findings with laboratory tests that measured how active these mixed viral genes were inside human cells.
Key Findings from The Study
The most concerning discovery was that H5N1 genes combined with human H3N2 genes showed strong potential to create a dangerous hybrid virus. In particular:
-H5N1’s PB1 and PA genes made human flu viruses replicate much more efficiently.
-Reassortments involving these genes showed high polymerase activity, meaning they could spread more easily in people.
-Genetic data suggested that the clade 2.3.4.4b version of H5N1, now common in North and South America, poses the highest risk of mixing with human flu viruses.
These results point to a frightening scenario where bird flu and human flu co-infecting the same host—whether in animals or humans—could give rise to a highly infectious and deadly new strain.
Why This Matters For Global Health
The last five major flu pandemics, including the 1918 Spanish flu and the 2009 swine flu, were all caused by reassortment events between animal and human influenza viruses. With H
5N1 now infecting more mammals and spreading across continents, the likelihood of such a reassortment is increasing.
The study highlights the urgent need for stronger surveillance in both animals and humans, especially in areas where bird flu and human flu viruses are circulating at the same time. It also shows how artificial intelligence can be a valuable tool to predict threats before they emerge.
Conclusion
The findings are a stark reminder that H5N1 is not just a problem for birds—it is a growing global health threat. By predicting which genetic combinations are most dangerous, the researchers provide a warning system for future pandemics. But this warning must be taken seriously: if H5N1 and human flu ever merge, the world could face a deadly outbreak worse than anything seen in recent history. Strengthening monitoring, developing vaccines, and preparing health systems are essential steps to prevent disaster.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: National Science Review
https://academic.oup.com/nsr/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nsr/nwaf396/8256855
For the latest on H5N1, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/south-korea-engineers-lethal-h5n1-flu-strain-for-mammals-including-humans-now-we-just-have-to-wait-for-a-lab-leak
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/u-s-nih-finds-american-bovine-h5n1-shows-enhanced-neurotropism-compared-to-lethal-vietnamese-human-h5n1-strain
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/study-finds-that-current-antiviral-drugs-fail-to-combat-severe-h5n1-infections-from-contaminated-cow-s-milk
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/h5n1-avian-flu
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