Dutch scientists create supervirus for funsies

geeimsobored · Nov 30, 2011

Scary stuff. I understand the argument for why this research should happen but this is like the start of every B rated movie about a global pandemic

http://www.popsci.com/science/artic...potent-enough-kill-millions-ever-be-published

Inside a Dutch medical facility is a potentially devastating weapon that could kill millions: A genetically modified version of the H5N1 bird flu, engineered to be easily transmitted among ferrets. And the researchers who figured out how to do it would like to share their work with the world.

It’s a complicated conundrum, more so than it may seem at first blush. Biosecurity experts are now debating whether published research on the engineered flu (there are a couple papers in question) could be used as a blueprint for a bioweapon. But influenza researchers argue that virologists need every weapon they can find to fight the flu, which includes studying the ways it might spread to mammals. The National Institutes of Health funded the work.
The main paper is by virologist Ron Fouchier of Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, who was studying how the bird flu virus could mutate to spread easily among people. He engineered the genome of H5N1 to make a virus that easily spreads among ferrets — the best animal model of the human response to flu — and says it proves bird flu can mutate to spread among the human population, according to Science Insider. He distributed one virus among different ferrets multiple times, essentially inducing it to adapt. After 10 virus generations, it became airborne, infecting healthy ferrets who were simply housed next to a sick one.
This is a terrifying prospect. Fouchier himself calls it "probably one of the most dangerous viruses you can make," in an interview with Science Insider. Bird flu has been killing off poultry flocks since the 1990s, but there have been just 570 known cases in humans. And of those, 335 people have died. Virologists have thought avian flu could not adapt to mammals easily because it would require drastic changes to the virus’ genetic makeup, which might make it unable to reproduce. But Fouchier says his work proves this is untrue.
He has prepared a paper describing his methods and submitted it for publication. It’s first being reviewed by the National Security Advisory Board on Biosecurity, according to Science Insider, which quotes the NSABB chair, Paul Keim, promising they’ll have plenty to say on the matter in the coming weeks.
“I can't think of another pathogenic organism that is as scary as this one,” Keim told Science Insider. “I don't think anthrax is scary at all compared to this.”
Meanwhile, there’s a second paper with similar results, prepared by virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Tokyo. And two other H5N1 mutation studies have already been published — one by scientists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and another by scientists at St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., which both involved engineering viruses with some genes from H5N1 viruses. (Those apparently did not ring the same alarm bells as Fouchier’s work.)
The NSABB is still reviewing the papers. We’ll let you know when they make a decision.
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MiracleShot · Nov 30, 2011

Wasn't that movie Contagion based on the bird flu?

Jontro · Nov 30, 2011

Wasn't AIDS also created in a lab?

Sajan · Nov 30, 2011

Jontro said: ↑

Wasn't AIDS also created in a lab?
Click to expand...

it was created by monkeys in a guy's butthole.

RedRedemption · Nov 30, 2011

Its too dangerous.
If said blueprints get stolen we're not going to be able to combat terrorists as easily.

Blake · Nov 30, 2011

Where nothing could possi-blie go wrong

mylilpony · Nov 30, 2011

as long as tom cruise is willing to save us (if john woo is willing)

Blurr#7 · Nov 30, 2011

Doctors visit 5 years from now:

Doctor: "Hello Mr.Roberts, we have good news and bad news for you about your HIV infection"

Mr. Roberts:"Well give me the good news, I can use some good news"

Doctor: "There are no traces of the HIV virus in your latest blood work"

Mr. Roberts: " That's a miracle! Thank Jesus! What possible bad news could you have?"

Doctor: " Whatever the hell this new virus you got killed the HIV virus but it's gonna kill you too."

Fyreball · Dec 1, 2011

Does anyone else feel bad about those poor little sick ferrets??

ashiin · Dec 1, 2011

The evolution in the virus will eventually happen so hopefully this will help us with pumping out a cure.

Ricksmith · Dec 1, 2011

Title should be renamed "Douche scientists create supervirus for funsies"

Poor birds.

Pole · Dec 1, 2011

Captain trips.

Mr. Brightside · Dec 1, 2011

"Pandemic, I got that pandemic!"

Rep for whoever knows where this line is from. No Google.

heypartner · Dec 1, 2011

Scientists have two choices here:

Let's play it safe and do nothing in hopes the current virus does not mutate into mammals. We will just have to deal with that when it happens.

Screw waiting for it to mutate. Let's do it in a lab so we can study it / create vaccines before it mutates on its own. But if it gets stolen or escapes, we're f!cked.

aghast · Dec 1, 2011

Mr. Brightside said: ↑

"Pandemic, I got that pandemic!"

Rep for whoever knows where this line is from. No Google.
Click to expand...

More appropriately, with regard to the possible outbreak: "Omar's comin'!"

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Dutch scientists create supervirus for funsies

geeimsobored Member

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Sajan Member

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Pole Houston Rockets--Tilman Fertitta's latest mess.

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