Bird Immunity Breakthrough Offers New Hope for Combating Respiratory Infections in Humans.

Researchers from Australia and the Netherlands have uncovered a remarkable evolutionary trait in birds that may unlock new methods for combating respiratory infections in humans and animals, including avian flu, pneumonia, and COVID-19.

The study, published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, focuses on two proteins—CL-10 and CL-11—present in bird lungs. These proteins help identify and neutralize harmful microbes and appear to take over the role of surfactant protein D (SP-D), which is vital for lung immunity in humans and other mammals.

Professor Sandra Orgeig, a pulmonary biologist at the University of South Australia, explained that birds possess a unique respiratory system with rigid lungs and one-way airflow, an adaptation for flight. “Unlike mammals, birds do not have expanding lungs. Our findings show that CL-10 and CL-11 are highly conserved, suggesting they’re essential to lung immunity, likely compensating for the evolutionary loss of SP-D,” she said.

Because birds are known carriers of zoonotic diseases—those that jump between animals and humans—understanding their immune defense could prove crucial in developing better methods for disease prevention and control. Diseases such as avian influenza often originate in birds and can have significant public health impacts.

To explore this further, the researchers conducted a molecular and genetic analysis of two evolutionarily distant bird species: the zebra finch and the turkey. Both were found to possess the immune proteins CL-10 and CL-11, reinforcing the idea that these proteins play a universal role in avian lung protection.

Co-author Dr. Albert van Dijk from Utrecht University noted that birds’ lack of SP-D has led them to rely on other immune strategies. “By studying how CL-10 and CL-11 function in birds, we might identify new approaches to boost respiratory immunity in humans—particularly against conditions like pneumonia and COVID-19,” he said.

The researchers believe this discovery could open the door to novel medical and veterinary treatments, offering new possibilities for managing infectious respiratory diseases and enhancing global health outcomes.

Source:https://phys.org/news/2025-04-birds-remarkable-clues-human-animal.html

This is non-financial/medical advice and made using AI so could be wrong.