Bird flu not only pandemic risk, U.S. experts warn

Bird flu not only pandemic risk, U.S. experts warn

www.reuters.com

CHICAGO (Reuters) - While many health experts see the H5N1 bird flu virus as a likely cause for an influenza pandemic, another influenza virus could just as likely mutate into a global killer, U.S. health experts said on Tuesday.

"You can not accurately predict if and when a given virus will become a pandemic virus," said Anthony Fauci, head of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Fauci said too little is known about exactly how and when a virus will mutate. Focusing too much on one suspect -- even a very likely suspect such as H5N1 -- may be a mistake.

"We should not ... forget the fact that historically pandemics have evolved. We should be building up the knowledge base and expanding the capabilities of making vaccines," he said in a telephone interview.

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The risk is still there, even if the media stop talking about it.... Pretty sure what will destroy the world will not be WMD but will be a little virus.... We all know that we are due for a Pandemic.... The only question is when

www.reuters.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well, I don't agree with the "time table" that we are over-due for a pandemic. Most modern countries have become so afraid of germs and sanitized that it makes it harder for germs to build up, therefore, less germs, less mutation. However in Eastern Asia, they arn't even close to germ aware as "the west". Thats why most of the major out breaks have come from Eastern Asia. Moist + Lots of people + Unsanitary conditions = Breeding grounds for new disease's.

[edit on 9-5-2007 by Reform America]