Bird flu impacts human brain: Study

The highly pathogenic bird flu (H5N1), not only invades mammalian brains but can also enter the human central nervous system, creating major complications in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Hyderabad: The highly pathogenic bird flu (H5N1), which has continued to spread across multiple continents reaching several Indian States, not only invades mammalian brains but can also enter the human central nervous system, creating major complications in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

While there is little evidence through research on the impact of H5N1 on animals and humans in India, multiple researchers in western countries (United States and Europe) have reported that it has already infected nearly 50 species of mammals with sporadic cases of humans too are getting infected.

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What is surprising experts is the fact that veterinarians from multiple countries are reporting neurological symptoms like seizures, tremors, uncoordinated movements and lethargy among infected animal species.

It is not just the typical symptoms related to respiratory infections like high fever, cough, cold, general malaise etc but there are multiple studies pointing out that H5N1 can severely impact brain function in humans. Such studies have been available since 2009 wherein researches have shown that H5N1 pathogen and other neurotropic influenza virus could initiate central nervous system disorders of protein aggregation including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Diseases.

Commenting about the link between H5N1 infection and its neurological impact in humans, Neuroscientist from California National Primate Research Centre Dr Danielle Beckman on social media platform X said “Neuroscientists have known for decades that the H5N1 virus is not a common influenza for the brain. A related scientific paper was published in 2009,” Dr Beckman said.

Quoting experts on H5N1, an article titled ‘Bird Flu has been invading the brains of mammals. Here’s Why’, published in ScienceNews (July 2024) said that avian flu viruses may pose a bigger threat to the brain than seasonal influenza that mostly target cells in the nose, throat and lungs.

“There’s a direct entry route [to the brain] from your nose. So avian flu viruses may pose a bigger threat to the brain than, say, seasonal influenza that mostly target cells in the nose, throat and lungs. H5N1 and its close relatives have an easier path to the brain compared with other flu strains and the virus is exceptionally good at making copies of itself inside a variety of cells, including nerve cells.