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Avian Flu Epidemic in Humans Possible in Russia Without Vaccination - Expert

Posted on: Friday, 5 August 2005, 21:00 CDT

MOSCOW. Aug 5 (Interfax) - An avian flu pandemic among humans is possible if the public is not vaccinated, leading member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Rem Petrov told a Friday news conference.

"The virus may spread from one person to another. It belongs to a type that has never been vaccinated against and if a person contracts it, the ensuing illness will be grave. And a pandemic may break out," he said.

Petrov said that, so far avian flu has not spread from one human to another but there is a chance of that happening. "That may happen in a year or in five years, but then it may not happen," he said. "It is most likely that it will happen because the virus has developed the ability to cross the border of spices and mutate," he said.

Petrov said that the AH5N avian flu first appeared in chicken but can now be contracted by pigs and humans.

Petrov said that there is no vaccine against avian flu as of yet, but for a year now various countries, including Russia, have been working on one and it may be developed in 2006. "All the essentials for that exist. About a year will be needed to work with the virus," he said.

So far, no cases of avian flu in humans have been registered in Russia.

Source: Daily News Bulletin; Moscow - English

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