Scientists working on the transmission of the H5N1 influenza strain have signed a letter agreeing to stop the research for 60 days, giving a research community time for considering the benefits and potential harm of the virus, reports Medscape.

The letter declaring a voluntary 2 month suspension of research and explaining their decision to conduct the flu research was published in two journals, Science and Nature.

The web resource learns that the research on the influenza virus was being conducted by two research groups, one led by Ron Fouchier, MD, from the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and other spearheaded by Yoshihiro Kawaoka, MD, from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Explaining the importance of the research, Dr. Fouchier said contrary to the previous assumptions, our research shows that the H5N1 virus can be easily transmitted without losing its lethality, indicating the need for revising the plans to cope with a human pandemic that can be caused by the outbreak of a viral aerosol transmission.

Study authors in the letter wrote that information about the specific mutations and biological traits that make the virus lethal can help develop effective control methods, notes the web resource for physicians and other health professionals.

Citing the progress of the research, scientists unveiled in the letter that work on aerosol transmission of highly pathogenic influenza A (HPAI) virus is complete and the decision to perform the work was reached upon serious local, national, and international consultation," write the authors.

Since its first detection in 1997, the H5N1 virus has already taken its toll on human life and scientists warn that if it mutates, it can become even more contagious, learns Medscape.

Daniel Perez, a virologist at the University of Maryland, feels that the 60 days respite should be used to give out the message that the research is useful as it aims at developing the preparedness of countries to outweigh the risks of flu pandemic.