Virus H5N1

No! This is not yet another nuisance computer virus.

H5N1 is a "veterinary" virus which has seriously alarmed the World Health Organisation and many governments. Public health officials and medical laboratory scientists, at national and international levels, have been for the past months working feverishly on the problems caused by the bird influenza virus; a major economic disaster to the international poultry industry (the EU has imposed a ban on imported fresh and chilled poultry from the Far East) and a sword of Damocles hanging over the head of mankind, if ever this virulent avian virus succeeds in making the species jump from the avian to the human populations.

So far, only 22 human fatalities have been reported as against the many millions of domestic birds which have been culled in an immense effort to contain, stamp out and prevent the spread of this highly pathogenic bird virus.

The inquisitive and enquiring reader may wonder what the hieroglyphic nomenclature H5N1 means. Stated simply and briefly the influenza virus exists in many subtypes, distinguished and classified by two proteins carried on its surface envelope. At this moment I believe the tally stands at 16 H (haemagglutinin protein) and 6 N (neurominadase protein).

These proteins are important for its survival and spread and on the opposite hand for the manufacture of appropriate specific prophylactic influenza vaccines which we are advised to get annually (especially the elderly and the very young, the chronic sick, the immunologically disabled, HIV-Aids victims, pregnant mums).