Short Path for Bird Flu to Take Flight

H5N1 avian influenza has killed 60% of the 650 humans known to be infected since it was identified in Hong Kong 17 years ago… Dutch researchers have found that the virus needs only five favorable gene mutations to become transmissible through coughing or sneezing… The altered virus was much less deadly than the natural version. Only two of the ferrets in the study died, but neither death was caused by the flu….