WHO: "Every country at risk"

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   Every country is at risk

9 February 2006 (excerpt)

Avian influenza in Africa: statement by the Director-General of WHO

The confirmation of H5N1 avian influenza in poultry in Africa is a cause 

for great concern and demands immediate action. This is the first 

reported incidence of this highly pathogenic virus on the continent, where 

people are already enduring the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other serious 

infectious diseases. The H5N1 virus now confirmed in Nigeria poses a risk 

to human health and livelihood.

This latest outbreak confirms that no country is immune to H5N1. Every 

country is at risk. Every country must prepare. There is a risk that 

outbreaks of H5N1 infection in birds could spread within Nigeria and into 

neighbouring countries. Nigeria is one of several African countries 

located on the Black Sea-Mediterranean flyway used by migratory birds. 

Human and animal health services must be on high alert, sharing 

information and quickly reporting any signs of disease in birds or humans 

that could be due to H5N1 avian influenza.

African health systems are already struggling to cope with children and 

adults suffering from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, respiratory 

infections and other infectious conditions. Human cases of H5N1 may be 

difficult to distinguish from other illnesses. 

We simply do not know what the impact of exposure to avian influenza 

will be on the many people who may be already immunocompromised 

and in a fragile state of health. 

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2006/s03/en/

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: WHO: "Every country at risk" Posted: February 12 2006 at 11:19pm
	Every country is at risk 9 February 2006 (excerpt) Avian influenza in Africa: statement by the Director-General of WHO The confirmation of H5N1 avian influenza in poultry in Africa is a cause for great concern and demands immediate action. This is the first reported incidence of this highly pathogenic virus on the continent, where people are already enduring the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other serious infectious diseases. The H5N1 virus now confirmed in Nigeria poses a risk to human health and livelihood. This latest outbreak confirms that no country is immune to H5N1. Every country is at risk. Every country must prepare. There is a risk that outbreaks of H5N1 infection in birds could spread within Nigeria and into neighbouring countries. Nigeria is one of several African countries located on the Black Sea-Mediterranean flyway used by migratory birds. Human and animal health services must be on high alert, sharing information and quickly reporting any signs of disease in birds or humans that could be due to H5N1 avian influenza. African health systems are already struggling to cope with children and adults suffering from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, respiratory infections and other infectious conditions. Human cases of H5N1 may be difficult to distinguish from other illnesses. We simply do not know what the impact of exposure to avian influenza will be on the many people who may be already immunocompromised and in a fragile state of health. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2006/s03/en/

seesthelight Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List V.I.P. Member Joined: January 28 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 194	Post Options Post Reply Quote seesthelight Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 13 2006 at 2:34pm
	Isn't the real question not how will the people who are already immunocompromised fair with the bird flu virus but instead- Doesn't it just scream MUTATION. I would not expect to see a cytokine storm like in a person with a healthy strong immune system...so the question I am asking is...what does "THAT" mean? ~your thoughts?

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 13 2006 at 7:08pm
	Seesthelight, Here is an excerpt from Reuters News about Cytokine Storms. It is a strange twist of events that this virus could be more dangerous for those with strong immune systems vs. immuno-comprimamized: ... "Although the H5N1 virus cannot move easily between people, experts fear it could mutate into one which can and set off a pandemic in which millions might die. The virus in its current form has killed around half of the people it has infected. Scientists in Hong Kong said H5N1 apparently causes a �storm� of immune system chemicals that overwhelms the patient. The H5N1 virus caused proteins known as cytokines to rush to infected lung tissue -- evidence of a so-called cytokine storm, an immune system overreaction that can be fatal. The study, published in the online medical journal Respiratory Research, might suggest that if H5N1 does cause a pandemic, it could disproportionately affect the young and healthy as compared with seasonal flu, which kills many elderly people but few young adults."