Looking for weaknesses of the West Nile virus

2002/08/21 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Genetika
• Mikrobiologia
• Osasuna

West Nile virus is becoming a serious problem in North America. The virus was detected on the continent four years ago and since then it continues to spread.

West Nile disease is a bird disease transmitted through mosquitoes. But infected mosquitoes can also bite the man, and it has been seen that in some punctured people the disease can develop. However, not all affected people develop the disease.

Now, a group of virologists from the Institut Pasteur de France has managed to identify the disease-resistant gene. The gene encodes the enzyme OAS L1 or oligoadenylase synthetase L1. The enzyme has the ability to destroy the virus RNA and stimulates the death of infected cells.

Scientists claim that this discovery will serve to open new avenues to fight the spread of the disease.

For more information about the disease
click here