The Latest News on the H5N1 Type A Influenza
The H5N1 is a type A influenza virus, also known as the avian influenza or the Bird Flu. It is naturally found in specific species of shorebirds and waterfowl. Currently, the discovery of the highly pathogenic avian influenza and its subtype, the H5N1 avian influenza, have raised a lot of concern for wild birds, domestic poultry, as well as the health of humans around the world, as well as in the United States. There are many ways this virus could make its way into the United States. These include illegal movement of domestic or wild birds, as well as the migration of infected wild birds. Also of concern would be the contamination of products, making their way into the US via an infected traveler, possibly as a bioterrorism event. Officials are focusing on many methods of detection and one recent plan includes the detection of a potential introduction of the H5N1 avian influenza by migratory birds. These types of viruses are classified by two proteins, hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), which are found on the surface of the virus. Each possible combination has one of the 16 H proteins, and one of the 9 N proteins resulting in 144 different possible combinations. It is these combinations that determine how pathogenic the virus is to an infected host. Wild birds are considered to be the natural reservoirs for all the different subtypes, especially waterfowl and shorebirds. These animals can survive with these subtypes and have adapted to cause little or no disease. However, a mutation can occur and one of those subtypes can infect other species of wild and domestic birds. This is called a gradual genetic drift. Although this mutation allows the virus to infect other species, it rarely causes illness in this new host. This change can also occur is a host is infected with another type A influenza at the same time. This can cause the genetic material to mix and can result in an entirely new strain of the virus. The combination of these mutations and rapid changes in the strain results in the production of a virus that now can cause death and severe illness. If this is significant enough, the new virus is classified as a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus. One such drift or mutation occurred in an avian influenza virus of wild birds in 1995-96, which allowed a virus to infect chickens in China. This highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza has been traveling though Asian poultry and domestic fowl since that time and has caused significant mortality to these species. It is believed that this H5N1 virus mutated even further which has allowed the infection of additional species of birds, mammals, and now humans. The virus has recently moved back into wild birds and caused the death of many of these animals in China. Although the spread of this virus has been mostly due to the movement of domestic birds, the movement of the virus into wild birds has caused concern that these species will spread the virus. There is increased concern that migrating species may introduce the virus to new regions of the world including North America. Therefore, the USDA and DOI are developing a coordinated National Strategic Plan for the early detection of the HPAI onto this continent by wild birds. The immediate concern is the introduction of the H5N1 avian influenza virus via migratory birds into Alaska and the Pacific Flyway (including Hawaii and other Pacific Islands). This group will also work on the detection of the virus in all the North American flyways. The U.S. Governments concern that the ongoing outbreaks of the avian influenza in birds will lead to a human influenza pandemic, has prompted President Bush to request $251 million in funds to aid in the detection of this virus and to contain outbreaks before they spread around the world. These outbreaks would have significant global, health, economic, and social consequences.
Latest News About Bird Flu:
Avian Influenza On People's Minds
Researchers at the Food Policy Institute at the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station have conducted a nationwide survey of public knowledge, attitudes, intentions and behaviors related to the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The researchers conducted a total of 1200 telephone interviews on the topic between May 3 and June 5, 2006.The results suggest that avian influenza is on the national agenda. [click link for full article] Survey Reveals Doctors' Complacency Over Risk Of Avian Flu
Less than half of doctors with an interest in infectious diseases in children believe that a flu pandemic resulting from an avian strain is very likely, according to a study published online ahead of print in Archives of Disease in Childhood. But despite this a sizeable minority keep a supply of the anti-viral drug oseltamivir at their disposal, just in case. [click link for full article] Confirmation Of Avian Influenza H7N2 Infection, UK
The Health Protection Agency is providing expert support and advice to the National Public Health Service for Wales after an H7N2 avian influenza infection was found in birds on a small farm in north Wales. The Agency has carried out tests on specimens from nine people associated with the incident; seven are from Wales and two were from north west England. Four of the test results were positive - two of these were from Wales and two were from north... FDA Finalizes Guidances For Pandemic And Seasonal Influenza Vaccines
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued final recommendations to increase the supply of safe and effective influenza vaccines for both seasonal and pandemic use. FDA's goal with the guidances is to outline the regulatory pathways for the rapid development and approval of these products. "FDA continues its commitment to help increase the supply of influenza vaccines and support the development of new approaches to vaccine production," said Jesse L. [click link for full article] Engineer Who Survived Pandemic Of '68 Creates Model To Track Outbreak
Nearly 40 years ago, MIT Professor Richard Larson spent a week sick in bed with the worst illness he'd ever had-the particularly virulent strain of flu that swept the globe in 1968. "That was the sickest I'd ever been," Larson recalled. "I really thought that was the end." It took him two or three months to recover fully from the illness. [click link for full article]
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