Scientists are warning of a potentially widespread, yet currently undetected, illness circulating among humans.
Although the illness has primarily affected animals, researchers are concerned it could soon trigger a pandemic in people. This highlights the importance of ongoing surveillance for emerging infectious diseases and the potential for animal viruses to cross over into human populations.
The concern centers around a mutated strain of influenza known as “Influenza D,” which scientists have observed spreading among humans without being widely recognized.
According to a report from the British newspaper, researchers in the United States have identified this “virus” as potentially spreading among humans. They note that its symptoms lead to “effective respiratory tract infection,” meaning it attacks the way we breathe.
Researchers at laboratories at Ohio State University discovered that tissues in our respiratory system are unable to effectively resist strain D. They tested how the virus interacted with different cells in our airways and found it was able to spread regardless of the tissue infected.
They concluded that “these findings underscore the need for further investigation into the biology of influenza D and the risk of zoonotic transmission.” (Russia Today)
