> In experiment 1, a 4:1 challenge-to-contact ratio resulted in 100% transmission among direct-contact mice, with all mice succumbing to the infection. In experiment 2, a 1:1 ratio yielded 50% transmission, with all challenged mice also succumbing.
What's not supported from the title is that they only tested in mice. But they do keep mentioning "mammalian adaptation" so it might just be that it's expected all mammals to suffer the same fate without certain adaptations.
Not only that, but just a month earlier, South Korean scientists published another Virology Journal paper revealing that they had engineered a chimeric H5N1 virus using hallmark gain-of-function (GOF) techniques, combining gene segments from three different influenza viruses to increase the virus's heat resistance, alter host targeting, and enhance human cell entry.
"Recombinant viruses were generated using a pHW2000 plasmid-based reverse genetics system."
"Combining the R90K and H110Y mutations (22W_KY) resulted in a synergistic increase in thermal stability and maintained HA activity without measurable reduction even after 4 h at 52 °C."
"22 W HA and 22 W NA genes, along with six internal genomic segments (PB2, PB1, PA, NP, M, NS) from PR8 and a PB2 gene from 01310 containing the I66M, I109V, and I133V (MVV) mutations"
The study also confirmed enhanced antigen uptake and intracellular penetration in human cells:
"The highest level of intracellular entry was observed for BEI_22W_KY, confirming its superior effectiveness in penetrating cells."
