Tweet
Spanish to English translation
Disease control experts concerned about H1N1 virus mutation
If there were a recombinant virus would be a super-flu
28.12.2009 15:57
Experts worry that the flu virus in humans, birds and pigs to recombine and mutate to create a new kind of super flu.
Professor Su Ih-jen, former director of the Center for Disease Control in Taiwan, said the H1N1 flu has low mortality but high infection rates, while the H5N1 avian influenza infection rate is low but high mortality. If the two viruses recombine and mutate, a pandemic could emerge.
"We are worried that the H1N1 recombining with seasonal flu," he said Its a Sound of Hope Radio. "The possible recombination of the two virus types H5N1 and H1N1 or pandemic with a tendency to avian influenza is of great concern. The mortality rate from bird flu was as high as 60%, and Taiwan is that organized groups of experts to investigate and share information on avian influenza through communication with Guangzhou in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong. "
Beijing, which did not make public the status of the pandemic on the continent, also admitted that the central issue for global experts is the recombination and mutation can create a super-flu.
Its said that Asia would become the first victim in the case of a new wave of bird flu as the virus exists in poultry and in many Chinese cities.
"Avian influenza has become an epidemic in the southern Chinese provinces and cities such as Fujian and Guangzhou, especially in local communities, spreading among chickens and ducks," said Su. "About 3% of terrestrial or aquatic birds are carriers. Because of this, WHO is concerned that, apart from influenza H1N1, H5N1 flu becomes a pandemic in the coming years."
Her added that the disease control system in Taiwan improved after the SARS outbreak and can now monitor and help stop the spread of influenza in Taiwan. Taiwan controlled the spread of H1N1 influenza without using the isolation of patients who adopted the scheme on the continent, he said.
The containment of H1N1 in China is more costly and time consuming, and increases the risk of contagion, said Su. Beijing issued no reasonable data on the pandemic of H1N1 in China for international experts to evaluate.
Su said the 12 laboratories in Taiwan, the analysis and results can be provided within several hours if you have any reports. He said the lack of effective systems for reporting of H1N1 infections in China, means that international experts do not accept the number of cases of H1N1 influenza officially reported by Beijing.
The H1N1 flu was originally a type of swine influenza, caused by Type A influenza virus.
Original article in Chinese