A second human case of H5N1 bird flu has been detected in the UK, sparking concerns about a potential global health threat. Scientists warn that the virus could mutate into a more dangerous form, making it essential to prepare for the worst.
A second human case of H5N1 bird flu has been detected in the UK, sparking concerns about the potential for a global health threat. The risk to humans is considered low by health experts, but others warn that the virus could mutate into a more dangerous form.
Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is a viral infection that affects birds and can be transmitted to humans.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there have been 866 reported cases of human bird flu since 2003, resulting in 449 deaths.
The virus is highly contagious among birds and can spread quickly through poultry farms and markets.
Humans typically contract the disease by coming into close contact with infected birds or their droppings.
The outbreak of H5N1 bird flu has mainly affected the US, where it has infected over 700 dairy herds and 1,200 commercial and backyard poultry facilities. Around 60 people have been infected, mostly agricultural workers who have come into contact with infected animals.
Scientists are concerned that a single genetic change to the circulating H5N1 virus could enable it to jump more easily from other mammals to humans. A study published in the journal Science found that this mutation could make the virus a major public health concern.
‘We’re particularly worried about pigs because we know from many other outbreaks that pigs are a mixing vessel for influenza viruses,’ said Meghan Davis, an environmental health researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. ‘Influenza’s ability to exchange genetic information inside mammals means a much different, potentially dangerous pathogen could develop.’
Governments and health experts are taking precautions to prevent the spread of H5N1 bird flu. The UK government has ordered five million doses of an H5 influenza vaccine, while other nations are increasing surveillance and monitoring of people exposed to avian influenza.
‘We have to get ready for H5N1,’ said Peter Jay Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. ‘We’ve also got this rise in Ebola and other filovirus infections that we’re seeing — we have to be ready for that.’
Health experts are concerned about the appointment of individuals who oppose vaccination to key health positions. ‘They’re contrarians, they’re activists,’ said Hotez. ‘We need people with established experience in health issues, not those who openly campaign against vaccines and interventions.’
