Cambodia finds mutated strain of bird flu
The Sun, 25 Nov 2005

PHNOM PENH: A mutated strain of bird flu has been found in samples taken in Cambodia, but it is not known if the new strain is more lethal than that which has killed four people here, health officials said yesterday.

Testing on the samples, which were collected in April, is continuing, said Philippe Buchy, head of the Virology Department at the Pasteur Institute office here.

"We don't know yet if it has any significance for the transmission from humans to humans, or from birds to humans," he said, adding that mutations of the H5 virus are common.

"The strains have been seen by H5 experts from the (World Health Organisation's) networks and they didn't say anything."

Buchy said it was likely the strain found in Cambodia was similar, if not the same as a mutation reported earlier this month in southern Vietnam, where officials sought to ease fears that a deadlier form of bird flu had erupted. Meanwhile, China moved yesterday to ease growing fears over bird flu after a second confirmed human fatality, with media reporting a human vaccine awaiting clinical tests would be sold at rock-bottom prices. ­ AFP