The death of a student raises the alarm for a strain of H5N1 bird flu. The vurs, in fact, would have evolved to better infect human cells: a case that worries the experts, according to whom it is a very worrying sign.
The victim is a very young student, died in Cambodia. The scientists who studied the case believe that the situation must be evaluated very carefully, also because some indications would reveal that the virus has already “got through” a human and collected new mutations before infecting the victim.
The Cambodian authorities have communicated that there have been two confirmed cases of H5N1 bird flu, both within the same family. One of the two, one 11 year old girli, then died: she is the first confirmed victim.
Avian flu, the WHO alarm
Sylvie Briand, Director of Outbreak Preparedness and Preventions at theOms, took stock of the situation with the press, explaining that he is in contact with the country’s authorities to evaluate the evolution of the epidemic. Furthermore, the global situation is considered worrying due to the very high spread of the virus in birds. Added to this is the fact that reports of cases in mammals, including humans, are also increasing.
Mortality and risks of avian influenza
Again Briand explains that the H5N1 flu is one severe respiratory disease which implies symptoms which can be from mild to much more serious and even fatal. The mortality rate among the registered cases it is more than 50% and for this reason the WHO does not hide its concern about the risks associated with this virus, asking all countries to increase vigilance.
Avian alarm, the risks for humans
AND Joseph Remuzzidirector of the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, to explain to beraking latest news Salute that the risk to humans “it appears to be low”. That’s not to say there’s no danger, though:”These viruses can mutate and acquire the ability to infect humans more easily than is happening now”.
It cannot be excluded, however, that there are cases of person-to-person transmission, according to Remuzzi. In any case, it should be emphasized that the virus has been circulating for 25 years and that it is not easy for them to exist mutations of this type, despite the several cases also recorded in men.
Remuzzi recalls how in 2009 the A/H1N1 virus, when it became pandemic, was born from a gene reabsorption, with a subtype of human influence which was the result of a combination of two swine flu viruses containing genes of avian and human origin. Phenomena that can occur arbitrarily and that can even register again, even becoming the cause of the next pandemic.
The possibility that flu passes to humans, therefore, is concrete and has already registered. The man, however, must come into direct or very close contact with a infected bird, whether alive or dead, or with surfaces contaminated by biological material from infected animals. Not surprisingly, the expert points out, it is more likely that these steps take place in countries where people live at home with chickens.
