HHS Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan

[sharon sanders]

Although a novel influenza virus could emerge anywhere in the world at any time, scientists are particularly concerned about the avian influenza A/(H5N1) that is currently circulating in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Outbreaks of H5N1 have occurred among poultry in Asia since 1997. H5N1 viruses are endemic among birds in Southeast Asia and are spreading to Europe and Africa via the transport of infected poultry and the migration of wild birds, the natural reservoir of avian influenza viruses. As of July 2006, H5N1 outbreaks have been reported in more than 54 countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Continued spread is likely. Human H5N1 cases have been reported. The reported death rate for human cases has been between 50 and 57 percent, although the true number of people exposed to and infected by the H5N1 virus is unknown. Studies investigating the seroconversion, or the presence of antibodies against H5N1 in serum, are needed to accurately document the infection rate in humans. While most of the reported cases seem to have resulted from direct contact with infected poultry, the source of infection has not been documented in every instance. Of concern are the few instances in which transmission from person to person may have occurred.

http://www.hhs.gov/pandemicflu/implementationplan/