WHO: New Wave of Bird Flu Outbreaks Shows Threat to Humans

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New Wave of Bird Flu Outbreaks Shows Threat to Humans, WHO Say

By Gale

Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- A fresh wave of bird flu outbreaks in Egypt, Indonesia,

Vietnam and Thailand highlights the threat to public health caused by the H5N1

virus, which risks swapping genes with other influenza strains to spawn new

variants, the World Health Organization in Manila said in a statement today.

Last Updated: November 23, 2009 23:45 EST

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601202 & sid=aM.uCL0W1ewU

WHO says stay vigilant for avian flu, H5N1 risk in poultry workers, community

MRSA up 7-fold. Nov 24, 2009.

WHO warns countries to stay on guard for H5N1 threats

The World Health Organization (WHO) today warned that recently confirmed cases

of H5N1 avian influenza in poultry in Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam

serve as a reminder that the virus is still a threat to humans. In a statement

posted on the Web site of the WHO Western Pacific regional office, the WHO said

H5N1 in poultry poses two threats: illnesses to those in direct contact with

sick birds and a risk that the virus could reassort with another influenza

virus, such as the pandemic H1N1 strain. Dr Shin Young-soo, WHO regional

director, said scientists are on alert for any reassortment, particularly one

between the lethal H5N1 virus and the highly transmissible pandemic H1N1 strain.

He said international partners and governments are building surveillance systems

to identify virus changes and response capacity to reduce potential threats to

human health.

Nov 24 WHO Western Pacific regional office statement

Study finds H5N1 transmission risk in highly exposed workers

A study of cullers and poultry workers who were exposed to large-scale H5N1

avian influenza outbreaks in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City between 2003 and 2005

confirmed that transmission was low, but that it is a risk in those who have

heavy contact with the virus. The findings appeared yesterday in the journal

Public Library of Science (PLoS) One. When investigators tested the blood of 500

poultry workers and cullers for H5N1 antibodies using microneutralization

assays, all tests came back negative, but three samples showed serologic

evidence of H5N1 infection, but below or at the lower end of cutoff values. The

three subjects who showed evidence of exposure to the H5N1 virus were all

cullers and had been involved in the activity for more than a year. They did not

have poultry at home or in their neighborhoods. Two used only masks and gloves

during culling; the other also wore coveralls and boots. None of the three

reported any clinical symptoms in the month before blood samples were obtained.

Nov 23 PLoS One study

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/nov2409scan.htm\

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