Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
5.4 Avian Flu Virus Samples (Indonesia)
Avian flu (H5N1 influenza type A) is a contagious viral disease, most likely to
affect birds. The most dangerous form of avian flu spreads very rapidly and can
cause almost 100% mortality among birds within 48 hours. On rare occasions, the
virus can cross the species barrier and infect humans, although human-human
transmission is very rare. 35 As for age distribution, the majority of human avian
influenza cases, unlike seasonal influenza cases, are found in those below 25 years
of age. The disease became an international problem in the late 1990s and, since
then, the human death toll has been worst in Indonesia (Table 5.5 ). 36 , 37
Table 5.5 Avian Flu: Human Death Toll by Country, 2003 - June 2011
Indonesia
146
Cambodia
13
Nigeria
1
Vietnam
59
Azerbaijan
5
Pakistan
1
Egypt
48
Turkey
4
China
26
Lao
2
Thailand
17
Iraq
2
Total
324
Data: World Health Organization 38
The WHO collects virus samples for distribution to affiliated laboratories in an
effort to monitor and assess the risk posed by avian flu and other similar infectious
diseases, to detect mutations and to develop vaccines targeted to specific strains.
Indonesia reported its first human case of avian flu in July 2005, and continued
to report an average of five new cases per month from September 2005 to May
2007 (Sedyaningsih et al. 2008 : 483). From 2005 to 2006, Indonesia shared by far
the largest number of virus specimens with WHO laboratories, including the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, and Hong Kong
University. 39 This was in accordance with the WHO regulations on public health
emergencies of international concern (WHO 2005b ). However, towards the end of
2006, Indonesia lost trust in the WHO system and decided to withhold its samples
(Sedyaningsih et al. 2008 ).
Various factors, according to Indonesian officials, led to the breakdown of
trust: individuals who were outside of the WHO system were given access to sam-
ples that Indonesia sent to the WHO; laboratory results involving the Indonesian
35 http://www.who.or.id/avian/index.php
36 As of August 2010 there had been 139 deaths recorded in Indonesia out of a total 168 cases
( http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_inluenza/country/cases_table_2010_08_31/en/index.html ) .
37 See Footnote 35.
38 http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2011_06_3/en/
index.html
39 http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_inluenza/country/en/
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search