Researchers Warn Bird Flu in Asia May Not Be Eradicated

Researchers Warn Bird Flu in Asia May Not Be Eradicated. July. 08, 2004 22:17. by Jin Lee leej@donga.com.

Researchers warned that the bird flu virus which swept over the east Asian region in late 2003 and early this year may not be thoroughly rooted out, as it has changed into the area’s “endemic disease” and may develop into a pandemic which could be fatal to human beings.

In the latest edition (July 8) of the British science journal Nature, a joint research team from the U.S.A., China, Vietnam and Thailand released a report which was based on a study of the poultry markets of three cities in southern China and Hong-Kong from 2000 to 2004. In reality, the bird flu virus broke out again in China, Thailand and Vietnam.

--Bred ducks are the origin

The research team reported that bred ducks in southern China played a main role of producing H5N1 flu virus. Moreover, seasonal birds acted as the agents who rapidly spread the virus, added the researchers.

The research team analyzed that H5N1 virus keeps spread from southern China, and that October to the following March, when temperature falls under 20 degrees, was the peak season for virus expansion.

In 2000, the H5N1 virus was detected only in aquatic birds. However, the virus has spread to both aquatic and land birds since 2001.

--Risk of infection between continents

The researchers said there was no evidence which explained that why the H5N1 virus, although rarely contaminating human beings from poultry, cannot be transmitted between human beings. However, it could be fatal once human being is contaminated.

In particular, researchers are concerned that farmers who come closely into contact with poultry may experience a mutation of the virus or can be infected between human beings when the virus combines with human influenza (H3N2). They added that H5N1 can be unified with human influenza through agents such as pigs.

-Another emergency in Asia

China, Thailand, and Vietnam recently discovered the return of bird flu in their countries and the possibility of expansion alarmed every Asian nation.

The New York Times reported on July 8 that the World Health Organization was now in search of verifying the number of victims from the bird flu virus in Vietnam, and the status of virus outbreak in Indonesia.

On July 6, more than 22,000 chickens within 5 km radius in Anhui City, China, were killed and other poultry were injected with vaccine as the bird flu broke out at a chicken farm. In Vietnam, the bird flu occured in two cities, and another two potential cities are under investigation.

Thailand reported on July 7 that poultry contaminated by the bird flu virus was discovered at two farms located in the center of nation. The bird flu has occurred in ten Asian countries since late last year until this year, leaving 23 victims and 0.1 billion of poultry slaughtered.