Influenza

Bird flu linked with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s

10/09/2009 0 Comments |
Evidence has been published about a direct link between the H5N1 bird flu virus and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. These findings are the result of a clinical trial, conducted at the St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. The study revealed that the H5N1 bird flu virus is capable of reaching the brain, which can cause the same damage as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Experts used mice. And have stressed that there is very little evidence to suggest that the results can be applied to the H1N1 swine flu strain of the virus. The reports highlight just how deadly the bird flu virus can be in the event of a pandemic, similar to the latest swine flu outbreak.

However, unlike the H1N1 strain, bird flu has only infected a few hundred people, meaning the full extent of the damage to humans is still unknown.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that Tamiflu should be taken to treat the symptoms for both conditions.

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