title: Avian influenza: are our feathers ruffled?
abstract: During the past century, three major influenza pandemics took place, leading to a devastating number of deaths. Pandemics occur through the emergence of a new strain of influenza virus that can infect humans, to which there is little pre-existing immunity and which spreads easily from human to human. The H5N1 influenza virus has the potential of becoming a pandemic virus, since it can infect humans and is highly pathogenic. All that remains is the final step of acquiring the genetic material to enable efficient human-to-human transmission. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared pandemic alert phase 3, the last phase before there is actual evidence of increased and efficient human-to-human transmission. In addition, every case of transmission of an avian influenza virus to humans is regarded by WHO as a cause for heightened alertness and surveillance. The circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in large numbers among the poultry population in a growing number of countries is a major concern. Since the influenza viruses are highly unstable, the co-circulation of highly pathogenic animal viruses with human viruses may create opportunities for different species-specific viruses to exchange genetic material, giving rise to a new influenza virus to which humans would have little, if any, protective immunity. In this article, we highlight the current avian influenza situation from its different aspects with a special focus on the Hajj since we host over 2 million pilgrims a year in the holy cities of Mekkah and Medina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Hanan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Balkhy
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Hajjar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001717:Birds; D003441:Crowding; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D007514:Islam; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014195:Travel
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053139:Oseltamivir