Thursday, July 13, 2006

WHO Still Hoarding H5N1 Sequence Data

Recombinomics Commentary
July 12, 2006

One possibility is that the father simply caught a different strain of virus from birds, although other mutations in his virus are similar to those in the strain isolated from his son.

None of the sequence data from the Indonesian cluster has been deposited in public databases - access is restricted to a small network of researchers linked to the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.

But Paul Gully, who joined the WHO two months ago as senior adviser to Margaret Chan, head of the agency's pandemic-flu efforts, defends the agency's position. He points out that the WHO's priority is investigating outbreaks, not academic research. And he adds that although calls for more complete genome data and wider sharing of samples are "a valid point", labs are stretched during outbreaks, and don't have the time or resources to do high-quality sequencing.

He agrees that sharing samples with other researchers would allow such work to be done. But he says the WHO must work within the constraints set by its member states - they own the data, and decide whether to share it. "As more countries share data, hopefully that research will get done," he says.

The WHO has not formally asked Indonesia to share the sequences, Gully adds. "We would rather wait and see what Indonesia decides."

The above comments from tomorrow's Nature highlight the dangers of H5N1 spread in large familial clusters, and clearly demonstrates WHO's unwillingness to release the sequence data they are hoarding at the Los Alamos flu database.

The large number of polymorphisms in the father of the nephew supports a dual infection in the father, He acquired one of the rare polymorphisms from his son via recombination. The polymorphisms were not evenly distributed, indicating there was also reassortment. Dual infections lead to rapid genetic change. Moreover, testing of patients in Indonesia remains poor.

Most of the human sequences in Indonesia do not match any published avian sequence, although a large number of bird sequences from Indonesia have been made public in databases or have been presented at scientific meetings. H5N1 bird flu is rapidly evolving in Indonesia, but the evolution may not be in avian hosts.

The testing remains poor because a connection with dead or dying birds is required for H5N1 testing, yet the only match for the human H5N1 has been H5N1 from a cat (see phylogenetic tree)..

Indonesia has already indicated the data can be released, but WHO refuse to make such a request, so the data hoarding continues.

These sequences should be released immediately.

Philadelphia Bird Market Closed After Positive Bird Flu Tests

A live bird market in Philadelphia was temporarily closed Wednesday after birds there tested positive for a type of avian influenza, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture said in a press release.


Stephanie Meyers, press secretary for the state agriculture department, told Dow Jones Newswires the signs point to a mild, or low-pathogenic, strain of avian influenza.

There have been no bird deaths and no birds are sick, she said.

The discovery of the avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, was the result of routine surveillance, the release said.

"Mild strains of avian influenza are very common in poultry, and we have no reason to think this strain is any different," Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff in the release.

Meyers said while the exact strain of avian influenza isn't known yet, the department has sent samples to be tested and expects to have the results in three to five days.

The closure of the bird market was simply a routine precaution, the department said.

"We have the measures in place to detect avian influenza quickly, and this occurrence shows that our procedures are working," Wolff said. "As soon as the department was made aware of the positive test, state and federal veterinarians were sent to the site to close the market, dispose of the birds and clean the facility according to state protocols."



The department is investigating the distribution channels to and from the market to ensure isolation of all sources of the virus, the release said.



Source: Angie Pointer; Dow Jones Newswires; 312-750-4075; angie.pointer@dowjones.com

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

New York unveils bird flu emergency plan

AFP

Mon July 10, 2006

NEW YORK - New York officials unveiled an emergency response plan to limit the havoc a global flu pandemic might wreak on one of the world's densest, busiest cities.

The plan, drawn up by the Department of Health with input from all the main city agencies, covers critical health areas involved in a pandemic, including disease monitoring, laboratory capacity, vaccine and medicine delivery, as well as hospital preparedness.

"We have to be ready for the possibility -- no matter how remote," said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

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