A molecular virologist at Erasmus University in the Netherlands has engineered a new H5N1 bird flu virus so lethal that it would kill 59 percent of those infected.

Dr. Ron Fouchier and his team, who used ferrets as test subjects, found five genetic mutations to the virus. Based on these mutations, they were able to develop a new H5N1 strain that became airborne and infected ferrets in different cages. The increased rate of infection indicates the new strain can potentially become as contagious as a normal cold.

The H5N1 virus, which originally only affected birds, crossed over to humans in 1997 and first struck in Asia. It eventually spread all over the world until it killed more than 300 people.

Considering the 59 percent mortality rate of the new H5N1 strain, many fear that it would result in a pandemic on a global scale.

There is now a debate on whether or not Fouchier's research should be published, given the inherent danger it poses.

Those in favor of publishing the study say that it can help other scientists prevent pandemics in the future. But others say it is too dangerous and it could be used as a biological weapon by terrorists.

The study is currently being reviewed by the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, which makes decisions on research about life sciences, according to the Daily Mail. The NSABB, which has influence over scientific journals, can prevent the research from being published but does not have any power in stopping it entirely.

"This study reveals that biological sciences are now in a situation similar to that of atomic physics at the time when key discoveries were made that enabled the production of the first atomic weapons," said Dr. Michael Selgelid, the deputy director of the Centre for Human Bioethics at Monash University, as quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald.

"This study, from what I can tell, may be the most worrisome and controversial biological dual-use research that has occurred," he added.