H5N1 News: Deadly bird flu strain causes immune 'storm'
A Reuters newswire article, via MSNBC, reports that:
Scientists in Hong Kong say they may have helped explain why the H5N1 bird flu virus kills so many healthy young adults -- it apparently causes a "storm" of immune system chemicals that overwhelms the patient.
They compared samples taken from patients infected with H5N1 to a sample from a patient with ordinary, seasonal H1N1 flu.
The H5N1 virus caused immune system chemicals known as cytokines to rush to infected lung tissue -- evidence of a so-called cytokine storm, an immune system overreaction that can be fatal.
posted by Fergie @ 11/10/2005 05:13:00 PM
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