Changes In Amino Acids In 1918 Influenza Virus Cut Transmission

... Modest changes in the 1918 flu virus's hemagglutinin receptor binding site -- a molecular structure critical for the spread of infection -- stopped viral transmission in ferrets, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The finding, published in the February 1 issue of Science, could have significant clinical implications in helping scientists develop ways to break the disease cycle and possibly help reduce the risk for a potential pandemic. ...