Multiple mutations in Indonesian bird flu strain

LONDON (Reuters) - Multiple mutations have been found in the H5N1 bird flu virus that killed seven family members in Indonesia although scientists are unsure of their significance, a leading science journal said on Thursday. But researchers believe the findings reinforce the need for bird flu data to be more widely available to improve understanding of the deadly virus. "The functional significance of the mutations isn't clear -- most of them seem unimportant," the journal Nature said in a report in the latest issue on Thursday. An analysis of virus samples from six of the eight members of the family showed 32 mutations accumulated as it spread, according to the confidential research obtained by Nature. More Bird Flu News