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Concern remains that the avian H5N1 influenza A virus that has caused widespread infection of birds in Asia, Africa, and Europe could evolve and cause a pandemic in humans. Given reports of high mortality in the few reported cases of human H5N1 disease, last fall's news that two research groups had created genetically modified avian H5N1 strains that could be efficiently transmitted between ferrets triggered intense international debate as to whether the research should have been allowed or the results should be published. The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity recently decided to allow publication, and one of the studies has now been released.
Noting that the influenza hemagglutinin (HA) protein plays a key role in the tra…