News - Reduction of H5N1 toxicity in Vietnam

H5N1 virus has changed slightly in terms of heredity and pathogenesis since appearing in Vietnam.

Research of the Central Hygiene and Epidemiology shows that over the past year, the virus’s toxicity genes have reduced from 99.1% to 98.2%.

Dr. Nguyen Thuy Hoa, Head of the institute’s Epidemiology Department, said that such a mutation means the virus can better adapt itself to the human body, leading to an increase of infection, especially for patients without symptoms, but also a lower fatality rate.

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