By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    FDA Approves Diabetes Pill
    May 2, 2011
    Patient Gets Drunk on Hand Sanitizer
    June 20, 2011
    Cultivating Health Improvement
    July 20, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Scientists Look to TBHQ for Solution to Bird Flu
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Scientists Look to TBHQ for Solution to Bird Flu
Public Health

Scientists Look to TBHQ for Solution to Bird Flu

Susan Scutti
Last updated: October 25, 2013 8:11 am
Susan Scutti
Share
0 Min Read
avian flu solution
SHARE

avian flu solutionTBHQ, an FDA-approved additive widely used as a preservative, can be found in crackers, oils, margarines, chocolate, soymilk, and even 

avian flu solutionTBHQ, an FDA-approved additive widely used as a preservative, can be found in crackers, oils, margarines, chocolate, soymilk, and even McDonalds Chicken McNuggets. Now, in an ironic twist, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have demonstrated that this food additive can block a strain of bird flu virus.

TBHQ (tert-butyl hydroquinone) works by binding to a part of the avian influenze virus that has never before been targeted by any of the existing antiviral drugs. The discovery that TBHQ could stop the spread of the virus comes not a second too late. “The recent H7N9 outbreak in China this past March had a mortality rate of more than 20 percent,” Michael Caffrey, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics at UIC, stated in a press release. “The need to develop new antiviral therapeutics now is crucial.”

Types of Flu Viruses

There are three types of influenza viruses: A, B and C. Human influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal epidemics and whenever a new or very different virus emerges, it can cause an influenza pandemic. Influenza type C infections, which cause only mild respiratory illness, are not feared as a cause of epidemics.

Influenza A viruses are divided into subtypes based on two proteins on the surface of the virus: the hemagglutinin (H) and the neuraminidase (N). There are 17 different hemagglutinin subtypes and 10 different neuraminidase subtypes which may be further broken down into different strains. Contrarily, influenza B viruses are not divided into subtypes, though they are broken down into different strains.

The Bird Flu circulating in China is a type of ‘A’ virus. H7N9 is one of a subgroup of influenza viruses that normally circulate among birds, and has not been seen in people until recently. Other subgroups of H7 influenza viruses (H7N2, H7N3, and H7N7) have caused human infections in the Netherlands, Italy, Canada, U.S., Mexico and the U.K. Most of these infections, according toWorld Health Organization  (WHO) reports, have occurred in conjunction with poultry outbreaks and have not been serious. So far they have caused only conjunctivitis and mild upper respiratory symptoms, with the exception of a single death in the Netherlands.

The H7N9 virus in China is different. Most patients infected with this strain have become severely ill, and in quite a few cases, the disease has proven deadly. To date, a total of 136 confirmed cases of human H7N9 infection have been reported by the WHO, including 45 deaths. Most human cases present first with pneumonia. The new strain of bird flu in China has shown resistance to the majority of existing drugs, so many fear preventing an outbreak that might cause mass casualties would be difficult.

Bird Flu’s Achilles’ Heel

Influenza A viruses enter host cells by using hemagglutinin, which acts as a “key” to open receptors on the cell surface. When hemagglutinin is disabled, though, the virus is effectively locked out from infecting cells. During the original outbreak of H7N9 virus in China last spring, Caffrey and his colleagues had been in the midst of exploring possible treatments for H3 viruses. In particular, they had observed how the preservative TBHQ possessed virus-blocking effects.

Naturally, when the new flu was reported, they decided to test it the preservative defense method on H7 viruses. Soon enough the researchers discovered that TBHQ can “stick” to the hemagglutinin molecule. Further laboratory tests proved that the preservative, by blocking the hemagglutinin molecule, could even prevent the virus from infecting human lung cells.

Essentially, the additive “attaches to the Achilles’ heel of the virus—a loop-shaped portion of hemagglutinin necessary for binding to cells, making cell infection impossible,” Caffrey stated in a press release; he also noted that existing drugs do not target this Achilles’ heel. “Any drugs that focus on the hemagglutinin loop would be totally novel to flu viruses, and so resistance, if developed, would still be a long way off,” he added.

Now, the researchers are searching for ways to enhance TBHQ’s unusual flu-preventing abilities. One idea they are considering is adding it to poultry feed. By preventing a spread of the virus in chickens, they hypothesize, the likelihood of it jumping to humans could be minimized.

Source: Caffrey M, Wardrop D, Rong L, et al. PLoS ONE. 2013.

(Image: Reuters)

TAGGED:avian flu
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

diabetes costs
FinancePolicy & LawPublic Health

Dissecting Diabetes: Costs and Chronic Disease Impact

April 12, 2014
Medicaid Expansion
BusinessPolicy & LawPublic Health

Medicaid Expansion: How Does It Affect You?

November 14, 2014
Health carePolicy & LawPublic Health

Medication Errors And Their Painful Impact On Patients

January 22, 2019

When Culture Trumps Knowledge: Breaking Habits Takes More than New Research

March 2, 2016
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?