Genetic mutations in bird flu viruses could be monitored by a simple and inexpensive method using natto, or fermented soybeans, a Japanese research team announced on Tuesday.

Takashi Suzuki, a professor from the Shizuoka University's School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, said his research team jointly developed with its partners a new method to detect signals of the viruses' mutation into potentially new forms that could be transmitted from human to human.

In their experiment, adhesive substances in natto were used to fix cells from birds and humans on the surface of test plates, and viruses were then placed on the cells to check whether the form of the viruses has changed, the newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Wednesday

The method boasts higher sensitivity than conventional ones, Suzuki said.

Source: Xinhua