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Health experts warn of major resurgence of bird flu

Read more: http://www.smh.com.a...l#ixzz1WaUgzWmM


THE resurgence of deadly ''bird flu'' in Asia, Europe and the Middle East could trigger a global flu pandemic, especially if the virus mutates to spread more easily between people, experts have warned.

While the federal government yesterday said it was well prepared for an outbreak of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, leading scientist and Nobel prize winner Peter Doherty said the increasing spread of the virus in and around Asia was ''dangerous'' because it could rob developing countries of food while creating a new pandemic.

Last night, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation urged heightened readiness and surveillance against a possible major resurgence of bird flu amid signs a mutant strain of the virus was spreading in Asia and beyond ''with unpredictable risks to human health''. The mutant strain in China and Vietnam has side-stepped vaccines.


Professor Doherty said that while Australia was well protected by its geography and quarantine procedures, it was possible human and pig exposure to the virus could produce a mutant or reassorted H5N1 virus that spreads between people, triggering a global pandemic.

''The recent H1N1 'swine flu' pandemic was caused by the reassortment of genes from two pig viruses. That virus was incredibly infectious and went around the world in six months though, fortunately, it was not especially virulent as it took about six months before we started getting vaccine into peoples' arms,'' he said in a statement.

''If, however, a pig became infected simultaneously with an HP (Highly Pathogenic) H5N1 virus and the 2009 pandemic [swine flu] strain, it is possible that an extremely virulent variant that spreads readily between humans could emerge. That is one of the many reasons why the current, global effort to develop much more cross-reactive influenza vaccines for production ahead of time (perhaps as a strategic reserve) is so important."

(continued, with a ten to twenty percent mortality rate everywhere?)



Read more: http://www.smh.com.a...l#ixzz1WaVEAyD3

[Universal Credit]

http://www.newscient...o-the-news.html

1 of Anti Virus/Swine Flu, Surgical/Face Masks x50 = £4.00 although price rises are to be expected in the near future regardless of inflation.

[mias]

Just read this. I wondered what would rear its ugly head next.

In fact, what on earth next. Is it because I now take more notice of what is going on in the World or are more and more epic things happening out there. It seems one disaster or problem or war after another.

'Head in the sand' people have less to worry about.

[Universal Credit]

Then there's probably someone somewhere trying to weaponise Bird Flu too.

e