Human infection with bird flu virus feared possible

The Jakarta Post Jakarta

If the latest findings about pigs becoming infected with the avian influenza virus proves to be true, there is a possibility that the virus could later infect humans, a researcher has said.

Such a finding might mean that the deadly virus has taken a step closer to infecting humans.

"Pigs are known to be mixing vessels that allow a change in the structure of the virus, from a type that cannot infect humans to one that can," National Institute of Sciences (LIPI) molecular virology researcher Andi Utama said on Thursday.

Last week, a local newspaper reported that a researcher at Airlangga University had found that the virus, previously known to infect only poultry, had infected pigs.

According to the World Health Organization, avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by type-A strains of the influenza virus. The disease, which was first identified in Italy more than 100 years ago, now occurs worldwide.

Avian flu viruses found in Indonesia are of the H5N1 type, similar to those found in China, which is known to be infectious only to certain hosts, in this case poultry.

A different type of avian flu virus hit Vietnam in 2003 and killed 46 people -- 33 Vietnamese, 12 Thais and a Cambodian. Almost every person who has fallen ill with bird flu is known to have caught the virus from contact with sick birds.

The infection of pigs by the H5N1 virus is made possible by a continuous mutation of the micro-organism, which allows it to infect intermediate hosts such as pigs or horses, Andi said.

"Those most likely to be infected are people working with the pigs," he said. "We still need further studies to determine whether it would then be transferable to humans."

However, in his research paper, Andi stated that the creation of a new virus could happen if a pig was infected with the avian flu and human flu virus at the same time. Although such a newly formed virus has not been found, it could be transferable to humans.

He added that one possible precaution against an outbreak of the virus was vaccination. "It should be given both to pigs and poultry, as well as to humans," he said.

Currently, the Veterinary Research Agency has only developed vaccines for poultry, as the development of human vaccines was still difficult.

Despite the difficulties and lack of research on the development of avian flu vaccines that could be used on humans, safeguards could still be taken by minimizing direct contact with animals that could have been infected.

The Ministry of Health has suggested on its website that people working on farms should wear masks and be sprayed with disinfectant before and after entering livestock areas.

Andi added that consumers of poultry and pigs should not worry about getting infected. If meat is cooked properly, avian flu viruses will be killed as it cannot survive high temperatures. (003)