MSU researchers found that a strain of H5N1 isolated from dairy cattle could spread through the bodies of pregnant mice, infect the placenta and fetus and, when infection occurred later in pregnancy, reach newborn offspring through their mother’s milk. The offspring also showed developmental and behavioral changes that persisted after the initial infection.
The study, published in Nature Communications, establishes a new preclinical model researchers can now use to investigate how H5N1 affects pregnancy and to test potential ways to prevent or treat the disease.
“The very first thing is avian flu probably is not going to go away,” Michigan State University veterinary pathologist Jack Harkema said. “It’s very crucial that we understand the disease and how to treat it way in advance.”