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[Cross-posted from the Israel H1N1 thread]
Israeli scientists fear spreading of more animal-to-human diseases
2009-07-28 22:54:16
by David Harris
JERUSALEM, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Israel's health authorities have confirmed that the A/H1N1 flu played a role in the recent death of a 35-year-old resident of the Red Sea resort city of Eilat.
It is the first known death case of this influenza in the country with a population of seven million, but a high number of 1,300 A/H1N1 cases among the some 140,000 cases worldwide.
Scientists in the country say they cannot rule out more deaths in the weeks ahead. The Health Ministry has also looked into the death of a child in central Israel who showed signs of A/H1N1 flu complications, but test results later ruled the virus out as a cause.
While doctors and scientists are dealing with the A/H1N1 flu, they are painfully aware that other unknown infections could be around the corner -- and Israeli experts are warning that there is nothing to stop the transfer of more unwanted diseases from livestock to humans.
Such risks cannot be ruled out because of the density of human and animal populations and the fact that the two work so closely together, said Shimon Perk, who is with the government's veterinary institute and a lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Even AIDS spread from animals to people in some cases and adapted itself to human beings, he said, adding the A/H1N1 flu should actually now be renamed as it is a human-adapted virus.
Scientists have been surprised time and again during the last 30 years. From Legionnaires Disease and AIDS, through bird flu and the hantavirus, doctors have had to cope with many unexpected epidemics and occasional pandemics. It makes the future very hard to predict, but Perk is sure more lies ahead.
As a result of previous experiences and fears for the future, it is crucial that veterinary and public health experts closely cooperate, said Perk. The Israeli experience of avian flu was one of working together, which provided the country with better coping mechanisms.
As with other countries, the real test when it comes to the A/H1N1 flu will be in the winter. As with other forms of flu, doctors and scientists said it is that time of year when many cases are likely to be detected.
Experts are trying to discover why the figure of the flu cases is so high in Israel, yet the fatality rate is roughly the same as the rest of the world at one death in every 1,000 cases.
One possible explanation for the seemingly high proportion of cases in Israel could simply be that Israel has been screening and testing on a wider scale than many other countries.
"In Israel the diagnostics were very intensive. The more diagnostics the more positive you will get," said Perk.
That view is shared by Michael Alkan, an expert on infectious diseases at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's Medical School for International Health.
"The World Health Organization recommended about two weeks ago to stop testing everybody. All this might be that the doctors in Israel tested more people. Whoever sneezes is tested," said Alkan.
However, a week ago, Israel followed the international advice and reduced its testing levels. Now checks are only conducted on patients in hospitals with serious breathing diseases or on the recommendation of senior regional medical officials.
Events like the decision to limit testing and the first death in the country from the A/H1N1 flu have led to increased public concern and media interest. Dr. Alkan happened to be in Yoseftal Hospital in Eilat when news broke there was the death from the A/H1N1 flu of 35-year-old Shimon Azran.
Rather than doing their day jobs and trying to understand what had happened, the senior doctors at the hospital were "sweating" over having to deal with the cameras and the questions, said Alkan.
Yet the media's coverage of such events also has a positive side -- it can be used as an educational information service, to get the health officials' messages across. (
)
Alkan sees it as a double-edged sword. "On one hand you increase awareness, which is wonderful....on the other hand, if you remember the anthrax scare when people didn't want to open their mail without gloves and a mask on -- there's no limit to the panic and fear that can be created by writing articles about terrible dangers which are not there," he said.
But no one is denying there is a problem in Israel right now. In Bnei Brak, a town on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, there is a reported outbreak among some 50 children in a single educational institute. For the time being, most of them have been ordered to stay at home, with just a couple being hospitalized.
There are a handful of patients in hospitals around the country said to be in serious condition, with dozens more currently being treated.
Israeli scientists fear spreading of more animal-to-human diseases
2009-07-28 22:54:16
by David Harris
JERUSALEM, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Israel's health authorities have confirmed that the A/H1N1 flu played a role in the recent death of a 35-year-old resident of the Red Sea resort city of Eilat.
It is the first known death case of this influenza in the country with a population of seven million, but a high number of 1,300 A/H1N1 cases among the some 140,000 cases worldwide.
Scientists in the country say they cannot rule out more deaths in the weeks ahead. The Health Ministry has also looked into the death of a child in central Israel who showed signs of A/H1N1 flu complications, but test results later ruled the virus out as a cause.
While doctors and scientists are dealing with the A/H1N1 flu, they are painfully aware that other unknown infections could be around the corner -- and Israeli experts are warning that there is nothing to stop the transfer of more unwanted diseases from livestock to humans.
Such risks cannot be ruled out because of the density of human and animal populations and the fact that the two work so closely together, said Shimon Perk, who is with the government's veterinary institute and a lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Even AIDS spread from animals to people in some cases and adapted itself to human beings, he said, adding the A/H1N1 flu should actually now be renamed as it is a human-adapted virus.
Scientists have been surprised time and again during the last 30 years. From Legionnaires Disease and AIDS, through bird flu and the hantavirus, doctors have had to cope with many unexpected epidemics and occasional pandemics. It makes the future very hard to predict, but Perk is sure more lies ahead.
As a result of previous experiences and fears for the future, it is crucial that veterinary and public health experts closely cooperate, said Perk. The Israeli experience of avian flu was one of working together, which provided the country with better coping mechanisms.
As with other countries, the real test when it comes to the A/H1N1 flu will be in the winter. As with other forms of flu, doctors and scientists said it is that time of year when many cases are likely to be detected.
Experts are trying to discover why the figure of the flu cases is so high in Israel, yet the fatality rate is roughly the same as the rest of the world at one death in every 1,000 cases.
One possible explanation for the seemingly high proportion of cases in Israel could simply be that Israel has been screening and testing on a wider scale than many other countries.
"In Israel the diagnostics were very intensive. The more diagnostics the more positive you will get," said Perk.
That view is shared by Michael Alkan, an expert on infectious diseases at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev's Medical School for International Health.
"The World Health Organization recommended about two weeks ago to stop testing everybody. All this might be that the doctors in Israel tested more people. Whoever sneezes is tested," said Alkan.
However, a week ago, Israel followed the international advice and reduced its testing levels. Now checks are only conducted on patients in hospitals with serious breathing diseases or on the recommendation of senior regional medical officials.
Events like the decision to limit testing and the first death in the country from the A/H1N1 flu have led to increased public concern and media interest. Dr. Alkan happened to be in Yoseftal Hospital in Eilat when news broke there was the death from the A/H1N1 flu of 35-year-old Shimon Azran.
Rather than doing their day jobs and trying to understand what had happened, the senior doctors at the hospital were "sweating" over having to deal with the cameras and the questions, said Alkan.
Yet the media's coverage of such events also has a positive side -- it can be used as an educational information service, to get the health officials' messages across. (
)Alkan sees it as a double-edged sword. "On one hand you increase awareness, which is wonderful....on the other hand, if you remember the anthrax scare when people didn't want to open their mail without gloves and a mask on -- there's no limit to the panic and fear that can be created by writing articles about terrible dangers which are not there," he said.
But no one is denying there is a problem in Israel right now. In Bnei Brak, a town on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, there is a reported outbreak among some 50 children in a single educational institute. For the time being, most of them have been ordered to stay at home, with just a couple being hospitalized.
There are a handful of patients in hospitals around the country said to be in serious condition, with dozens more currently being treated.