Other countries should not back US attempts to suppress details about the mutation of a killer bird flu to become highly contagious, an Auckland scientist says.
US regulators are concerned details about the manipulation of the virus in scientific reports might be used by terrorists to create a bio-weapon.
The virus is an H5N1 avian influenza strain that was genetically altered in Rotterdam's Erasmus Medical Centre and passed easily between ferrets.
It's estimated it could have a catastrophic 60 per cent mortality rate among humans.
Scientific reports are due to be published in the prestigious journals Science and Nature, but the editors are considering the suppression request.
Auckland University microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles says the government should help the public understand why such research was important.
"I do not believe the New Zealand government should support the suppression of the Erasmus study," she said on the Science Media Centre's website on Wednesday.
The United States National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (USABB) has requested the two journals delete details regarding scientific methodology and specific viral mutations before publishing articles on the research.
"The greatest risk was that such mutations could occur naturally where people and animals such as poultry lived together, and it was absolutely crucial scientists monitoring the viruses in the environment knew what mutations to look out for," Dr Wiles said.
"While there may be little risk to New Zealand of H5N1 from infected migratory birds, our proximity to Asia and the ever-increasing popularity of air travel, make this a far more likely route for the virus onto our shores.
"It is important for everyone, policy makers and the public alike, to understand that a weaponised form of H5N1 may already be brewing in nature.
"In fact, this scenario is more likely than some so-called rogue state acting on the data in the two manuscripts submitted to Nature and Science."
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