Giuseppe
Emeritus
Has H5N1 disappeared from Egypt? <HR style="COLOR: #cccccc; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cccccc" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->
The false reassurance that H5N1 would not be transmissible as H7N9 (since all these papers stating the pandemic potential of the novel strain in contrast with the ferret-transmissibility-defective H5N1) has driven most of media outlets and - most importantly - the WHO & other intl agencies to forget Egypt as birdflu viruses hotbed.
We collected hundreds of confirmed and suspected cases in the past from various egyptian governorates and then, suddenly, not a single case or cluster appeared.
Is this possible?
Yes, of course. If the virus underwent some major genes constellation mutations, drifting it from human and perhaps from chickens.
On the other hand, if the virus remains the same as we have known during the last seven years at least, human cases must be occurring actually in Egypt in number not inferior that in the recent past.
Why does the WHO not report anything from Egypt?
At least a call for surveillance, vigilance?
Is it wise to leave an avian influenza natural hotbed completely blinded?
MERS & H7N9 are obscuring in a worrying manner H5N1 especially in war-torne regions, such Egypt and ME in general.
GM
The false reassurance that H5N1 would not be transmissible as H7N9 (since all these papers stating the pandemic potential of the novel strain in contrast with the ferret-transmissibility-defective H5N1) has driven most of media outlets and - most importantly - the WHO & other intl agencies to forget Egypt as birdflu viruses hotbed.
We collected hundreds of confirmed and suspected cases in the past from various egyptian governorates and then, suddenly, not a single case or cluster appeared.
Is this possible?
Yes, of course. If the virus underwent some major genes constellation mutations, drifting it from human and perhaps from chickens.
On the other hand, if the virus remains the same as we have known during the last seven years at least, human cases must be occurring actually in Egypt in number not inferior that in the recent past.
Why does the WHO not report anything from Egypt?
At least a call for surveillance, vigilance?
Is it wise to leave an avian influenza natural hotbed completely blinded?
MERS & H7N9 are obscuring in a worrying manner H5N1 especially in war-torne regions, such Egypt and ME in general.
GM
