Concern of the mutation of avian influenza in Egypt to a pandemic strain in humans

Last Updated: Friday, April 10, 2009 11:28 GMT Cairo

The Council of Ministers held an emergency meeting yesterday chaired by Dr.. Ahmed Nazif to discuss the rising incidence of disease, bird flu, amid fears it could mutate to a lethal strain passed from human to human.

Did not attend the meeting, a representative of the union of poultry producers, as the majority of casualties were among the last birds in the jam of houses and farms, which is not in a total of 17 people in the republic.

The World Health Organization warned of the increased risk of some Egyptians highly pathogenic virus without showing any symptoms of infection, which may enable the virus to mutate into a strain that can spread easily among humans. And after the growing incidence of the disease in Egypt, where the Ministry of Health recorded 12 cases including 11 cases of children under the age of 9 of them, which is the highest in the world 2009.

"John Gabor specialist emerging diseases and health organization based in Cairo: that« there is a need to conduct tests to prove the existence of such cases infected with bird flu symptoms without the emergence of the patient ». He pointed out that «the study will be the focus of the Egyptian government intends to hold the support of the organization».

Gabor said that the proliferation of such cases in Egypt, which has a total of 63 cases in which the case since 2006 «a matter of concern just now .. It is a question to be put (..) and added: The change in the pattern of avian influenza infection in humans in Egypt this year, raised concerns about the presence of the virus without showing symptoms ». According to Reuters.

He warned that «the presence of carriers of the virus show no symptoms would be a worrying development, because it may allow the virus more time to mutate into the human body .. If there were cases of this kind in Egypt, the aim is to treat immediately to stop the proliferation of the virus. Because it either through mutation or restructuring will lead to a pandemic strain. »

Of 12 Egyptians infected with bird flu this year were nine cases of children under three and I said, the incidence among adults a lot. All cases and corresponded to heal. The case differs significantly from the same period last year, as seven people were wounded, most adults and older children with HIV and three died.

Gabor said that the increase in cases among children under the emergence of similar injuries among adults raised questions about whether adults carrying the virus without showing any symptoms of the disease. He continued that «there was something strange is happening in Egypt. Why is the child now does not appear to adults? We need to know whether there are situations that do not show symptoms. »
He pointed out that «there are no known cases of this type of injury among people in other countries hit by the disease but does not yet exist».

For his part, said Dr. Abdel Rahman Shahin, spokesman of the Ministry of Health: The Ministry follows strict procedures to prevent mutation of the disease can be transmitted among humans, and that the Ministry of Health has been conducting regular research with an international high in America and Britain. He added that the death rates in cases in Egypt of the lowest world, which reflects the high degree of health care to them.