They found the virus in the lungs, the liver and the immune system of the foetus

Scientists from China say that they have discovered that the flu virus H5N1 is able to be transmitted from a pregnant female to her unborn child. They also noted that the dangerous virus cells are able to move around from the lungs to other areas of the human body. This shows that the bird flu virus is even more dangerous than it was originally thought.  The normal influenza virus is not able to move around like this.

The research that was done at the Peking University was done on one man who had died from the bird flu virus and also a pregnant woman who had also succumbed to the avian flu. They found traces of the bird flu virus not only in the lungs and the windpipe of the corpses but even in their brains.  They also found the virus in the lungs, the liver and the immune system of the foetus.

The lead researcher Professor Jiang Gu noted that H5N1 bird flu virus was different from most common influenza viruses in that it has a very powerful capacity for “human vertical transmission”. He went on to say this unexpected finding about the H5N1 bird flu virus meant that more studies need to be done with it.

It is becoming more apparent that the H5N1 avian flu virus could become extremely deadly and should it mutate into a human form it could possibly kill millions of humans around the world. Imagine the scenario in which the common influenza virus mutates into a form which could kill people. It would paralyse countries and render the health authorities in developed countries completely impotent.

The World Health Organisation recommends that people and governments should stock up on the influenza medication Tamiflu which has shown to improve greatly your chances of survival should you contract the H5N1 flu virus.