Bird flu: if or when? Planning for the next pandemic

Abstract

Avian influenza or “bird flu” is causing increasing concern across the world as experts prepare for the possible occurrence of the next human influenza pandemic. Only influenza A has ever been shown to have the capacity to cause pandemics. Currently A/H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, is of particular concern. Outbreaks of this disease in birds, especially domestic poultry, have been detected across Southeast Asia at regular intervals since 2003, and have now affected parts of Africa and Europe. Many unaffected countries across the world are preparing for the possible arrival of HPAI A/H5N1 in wild birds and poultry within their territories. All such countries need to prepare for the rare possibility of a small number of human cases of HPAI A/H5N1, imported through foreign travel. Although it is by no means certain that HPAI A/H5N1 will be the source of the next pandemic, many countries are also preparing for the inevitable occurrence of human pandemic influenza.

Respiratory health issues in the Asia–Pacific region: An overview

“…Respiratory viral illnesses such as influenza A and the SARS coronavirus have become important global health problems in recent years, attracting significant attention from both the media and disease control agencies. With the increasing ease of international travel, an outbreak of a highly pathogenic virus in one country or region can rapidly become a worldwide health problem, raising the importance of preparedness in both source countries and distant nations 4 . In some subtropical areas in Asia, influenza is endemic, producing a perennial pool of infectious patients rather than the seasonal peaks observed in temperate regions 5 …”

“…With the increasing ease of international travel, an outbreak of a highly pathogenic virus in one country or region can rapidly become a worldwide health problem, raising the importance of preparedness in both source countries and distant nations. 4 In some subtropical areas in Asia, influenza is endemic, producing a perennial pool of infectious patients rather than the seasonal peaks observed in temperate regions. 5 In the recent past there have been outbreaks of Influenza A H5N1 ('avian flu') 4 and H1N1 ('swine flu') 6 as well as a novel coronavirus causing the illness known as SARS.…”

“…4 In some subtropical areas in Asia, influenza is endemic, producing a perennial pool of infectious patients rather than the seasonal peaks observed in temperate regions. 5 In the recent past there have been outbreaks of Influenza A H5N1 ('avian flu') 4 and H1N1 ('swine flu') 6 as well as a novel coronavirus causing the illness known as SARS. 7 Influenza A H5N1 was first isolated in birds in Hong Kong in 1997 and the few reported human cases had an extremely high mortality (6 deaths from 18 cases), which were all related to the handling of live or recently killed birds; 6 later, the worldwide spread resulted in significant human illness and efforts to prevent further spread among both animals and humans.…”

“…In the Asia-Pacific region as elsewhere, there are four main approaches to the prevention and control of influenza outbreaks: (i) social measures to reduce Table 1 Countries of the Asia-Pacific region transmission via person-to-person contact in the general population; (ii) isolation and treatment of proven or suspected cases; (iii) vaccination; and (iv) antiviral medications. 4,10,14,15 National and international plans use each of these approaches to varying degrees. Developing countries tend to use social measures where health system capacity and economic factors limit the availability of other approaches.…”

Household Responses to School Closure Resulting from Outbreak of Influenza B, North Carolina

“…Preparation for the next infl uenza pandemic has become a major focus of public health activities. Use of vaccines containing antigens matched for a pandemic infl uenza A strain is the best control measure for reducing illness and death during a pandemic (1,2). However, specifi c vaccines will take >4-6 months to be produced once a pandemic strain is identifi ed.…”