Scientists Propose New Man-made Bird Flu Experiment

Top researchers involved in the study of influenza called for another shot at experimenting with the H7N9 avian flu virus strain. Last year, the same team of scientists performed a similar experiment which drew widespread controversy.

This time, the United States government said that it will be observing the high-risk experiments more tightly. The experiment proposals were published in detail in scientific publications Science and Nature.

According to experts in the field, the key to studying the influenza strain lies in altering its genetic makeup under high-security laboratories. Almost 130 people fell ill due to the H7N9 avian flu in China early this year. Forty-three more died.

Scientists worry about the strain's possible mutation in the wild. If it happens, the virus may cause a much larger threat to humans on a global scale.

"We cannot prevent epidemics or pandemics, but we can accumulate critical knowledge ahead of time," explained Ron Fouchier from Erasmus University in the Netherlands. With knowledge of the strain's mutation process, governments from different countries could prepare and react appropriately if an outbreak occurs.

Fouchier was joined by researchers from all over the world, including Hong Kong, United Kingdom, and the United States, in publishing the outline of the experiments. If successful, the scientists said that the research could pinpoint the mutations crucial for health institutions across the globe to monitor. The development of a vaccine against influenza will also move forward with this work, the scientists said.

In 2011, Fouchier and Yoshihiro Kawaoka managed to create a deadly strain of avian flu called the H5N1. Controversy regarding the safety and security of the laboratories where the experiments were performed spread. Kawaoka is a scientist based in the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The results of the controversial experiment were published later on.

Despite opposition claiming that the fatal virus could lead to catastrophe, the letters argued that "the risk of a pandemic caused by an avian influenza virus exists in nature."

As of the moment, the H7N9 bird flu which surfaced in China showed little signs of spreading through human means. However, researchers in China gave proof that human transmission is not impossible. Last March, a young woman was found to have acquired the deadly strain from his father.

"The gain-of-function experiments are a natural extension of the work that has already shown limited transmissibility of the wild type virus," said British scientist Wendy Barclay, PhD. "It would be ludicrous not to do them and they will be performed under appropriate containment," she continued.