Bird flu has again struck another victim in Egypt bringing the toll to 14. Marianna Kameel Mikhail who was 15 years old contracted the H5N1 bird flu virus last week.
She was admitted to hospital in Cairo on Thursday and died of respiratory failure on Tuesday evening. Although being treated in hospital with the antiviral Tamiflu, it was too late as she was admitted 7 - 10 days after developing advance symptoms. None of her family members were found to have the virus.
With a total of 34 humans who have caught bird flu in Egypt, 14 have died and 19 have recovered. A two-year-old girl from central Egypt is under treatment and is in good condition.
Egypt has the highest number of confirmed human bird flu cases outside Asia.
Bird Flu or the Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. The influenza viruses occur naturally among birds especially wild birds that carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them.
Avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them. Birds infected with the virus shed the influenza virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds then become infected when they have contact with contaminated secretions or excretions or with surfaces that are contaminated with secretions or excretions from infected birds.
Domesticated birds may become infected with avian influenza virus through direct contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry, or through contact with surfaces (such as dirt or cages) or materials (such as water or feed) that have been contaminated with the virus.
Infection with avian influenza viruses in domestic poultry causes two main forms of disease that are distinguished by low and high extremes of virulence. The “low pathogenic†form may go undetected and usually causes only mild symptoms (such as ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production). Unfortunately, the highly pathogenic form spreads more rapidly through flocks of poultry. This form may cause disease that affects multiple internal organs and has a mortality rate that can reach 90 - 100% often within 48 hours.
An avian flu vaccine will be developed by The Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the prestigious Bionostra Group of Spain . The vaccine will protect against the lethal infection of the H5N1 virus.
Founded in 2000, Bionostra - in collaboration with members of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cient?cas (CSIC) which is the Spanish High Council of Scientific Research - has developed a new technology based on virus-like-particles to provide a new generation of vaccines for human and animal health. These novel technology, will offer researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine a great jumping off point in the creation of the vaccine.
“We are enthusiastic with this promising collaboration between Bionostra and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine which is renowned for its prestigious scientific research,” said Juan Carlos del Castillo Tamayo, CEO of Bionostra. “This is the first step for a revolutionary new generation of vaccines against the influenza virus.”
Mount Sinai School of Medicine has been at the forefront in the study of the influenza virus. The reconstruction of the 1918 influenza virus, a recent scientific breakthrough, was made possible by a technique developed and patented by Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers. The virus was reconstructed using reverse genetics, a technique developed by Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, PhD, Professor of Microbiology and Peter Palese, PhD, Professor and Chairman of Microbiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The collaboration with Bionostra will offer Mount Sinai’s researchers an even greater understanding of the pathology of the H5N1 virus and will result in the development of a novel vaccine that combats this burgeoning pandemic.
Source: News Medical
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