Pandemic flu can infect cells deep in the lungs, says new research

Pandemic flu can infect cells deep in the lungs, says new research. Study shows pandemic flu binds to extra receptors in the lungs %0A " One in seven cases of bird flu could be prevented by closing schools in event of pandemic, says study - Imperial College London News Release Under strict embargo for - Thursday 10 September 2009 - 10. British Summer Time Pandemic swine flu can infect cells deeper in the lungs than seasonal flu can, according to a new study published today in . The researchers, from Imperial College London, say this may explain why people infected with the pandemic strain of swine-origin H1N1 influenza are more likely to suffer more severe symptoms than those infected with the seasonal strain of H1N1. They also suggest that scientists should monitor the current pandemic H1N1 influenza virus for changes in the way it infects cells that could make infections more serious. Influenza viruses infect cells by attaching to bead-like molecules on the outside of the cell, called receptors. Different viruses attach to different receptors, and if a virus cannot find its specific receptors, it cannot get into the cell.