Avian influenza: a pandemic waiting in the wings?
Recent widespread outbreaks of avian influenza and, associated with these a growing number of human infections with a high mortality rate, have raised concerns that this might be the prelude to a severe pandemic of human influenza. As a background to these concerns the present article reviews influenza as a human disease, its origins and the involvement of other species, properties of the influenza viruses and the current status of influenza prevention and control.
Hampson
Alan W
AW
Australian Influenza Specialist Group, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. interflu@bigpond.net.au
D001210:Asia, Southeastern / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000472:pathogenicity
D007252:Influenza Vaccines