Bat flu may pose danger to humans
February 29th, 2012 - 10:31 pm ICT by Aishwarya BhattWashington, Feb 29 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Scientists have revealed that they have found flu in bats for the first time. Doctors are worried that the flu may pose danger to humans. Evidence of the flu was found by US scientists in the Guatemalan bats.
This is the first time that the flu strain has been found. Bats are not known to suffer from flu but other creatures like pigs, birds and other mammals including humans are known to suffer from flu.
Co-author of the study, Ruben Donis, explained that, “Most people were fairly convinced we had already discovered flu in all the animals possible.”
Scientists have already taken some of the new flu strains to the lab but so far, they have failed to grow it in chicken egg or human cell culture. Nevertheless, scientists have not ruled out the possibility that the flu could become a threat to humans later on. They explain that the flu could be influenced with other influenza genes which may be able to affect humans.
The researchers published the findings of the study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday.
The initial study was to study rabies in bats but scientists found something more.
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Tags: bats, cell culture, chicken egg, co author, feb 29, flu, flu strain, flu strains, genes, guatemalan, influenza, initial study, journal proceedings, mammals, national academy of sciences, pigs, proceedings of the national academy, proceedings of the national academy of sciences, rabies, time doctors