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Published online 3 January 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.407
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Barrier to bird flu transmission found in humans
Sugar shape may limit human-to-human spread of avian flu... for now.
Umbrella-shaped sugars that decorate proteins in the nose and throat could be preventing widespread human-to-human transmission of avian flu, new research suggests. Whereas normal winter flu viruses easily latch onto these sugars, the H5N1 virus that causes bird flu cannot.
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