Avian Flu

EPHA Briefing note on the International Health Regulations

In our increasingly interconnected world international travel is more common for more people and over longer distances, leading to greater concerns over the threats posed by infectious disease outbreaks.
There has long been recognition of the need to put in-place a systematic approach for authorities to respond to such in the form of agreements on international cooperation on infectious diseases.
These agreements have evolved from being rather straightforward and covering a limited number (...)

Pandemic Flu - How Would You and Your Hospital Cope?

On Tuesday 19 september 2006, the Royal College of Physicians organises a conference on how to prepare for an influenza pandemic, in London.
This conference aims to:
inform relevant hospital doctors and nurses about the practical aspects of a flu pandemic;
educate doctors who are not normally involved with acute medicine on what they may be called upon to do during a pandemic;
Stimulate debate about managing a pandemic.
Agenda and registration form
For further information please (...)

Briefing note on Influenza

A flu pandemic is the world’s worst nightmare.
Influenza is the infectious disease which could cause a global health emergency with the potential of economic collapse and public unrest.
Pandemics are a fact in human history. In the last century there were three major flu pandemics. Most famously the Spanish flu of 1918-19 killed up to 40 million people, more than the devastating first world war. The South East Asia flu pandemic of 1957 resulted in an estimated 2 million dead and 1968 saw (...)

World Health Report focuses on Health dimension of Security

The annual World Health Report of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for 2007 addresses the health threats to global security.
This year’s World health report, entitled "A safer future: global public health security in the 21st century", was published on 23 August 2007.
Its message is that more than at any time in history global public health security depends on international cooperation and the willingness of all countries to act effectively in tackling new and emerging threats. At (...)

**Avian Influenza - Update January 2008**

**Latest Update 21/01/2008.** It aims to focus on developments at international level.
Animal Avian Influenza is now in Europe - Increase of HUMAN cases in Indonesia
Poultry in Turkey and Romania have been hit by cases of Avian Influenza. Croatia also confirms a case of H5N1 in wild birds. Hence the decision from the European Commission to suspend imports of birds, feathers, poultry meat and avian species from Romania and Turkey. Both countries have quarantined the affected zones and (...)

**Updated** Animal Avian Influenza: new cases in Europe in June and July 2007

After the H5N1 was detected in the Czech Republic on 21 June 2007, as of the 4 July 2007, it has been confirmed that the virus is in Germany as well as in France. At the same time an other case has been suspected in Austria.
In the Czech Republic the virus was detected following the death of around 1800 birds on two poultry farms in the centre of the country.
In Germany, the disease was confirmed to be in Thuringia, near Saxony, in a black-necked grebe, after a case, two weeks previous, (...)

Preparing the EU against health emergencies - generic guidance

In order to prepare the European Community against health emergencies, the European Commission published a communication and technical guidance on "generic preparedness planning for public health emergencies".
Against the backdrop of SARS, or potential terrorist attacks using biological agents and the threat of pandemic influenza, the need to have a comprehensive and streamlined health emergency preparedness plan has become essential. Following recommendations from the Council in May and (...)

Avian Flu: destroying myths

The following information is meant to complement EPHA’s FAQ on Pandemic Influenza and answers some myths about animal/human pandemic Influenza, effects of vaccines and antivirals.
Bird Flu outbreaks or pandemic flu?
Avian Influenza affect primarily birds and not humans Avian Influenza refers to a group of viruses which affect bird species. Rarely, one of these viruses affect human beings. The current H5N1 is also known as the “Avian plague”, having led to cullling of billions (...)

Library of links on Influenza

You will find below a list of links to different materials on influenza compiled by the EPHA Secretariat.
The World Health Organisation
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a whole range of materials on Influenza. The frame below intends to give links to some of the latest available documents.
; INFLUENZA PANDEMIC ; AVIAN INFLUENZA ; Global Influenza Programme ; Avian Influenza portal ; Pandemic Influenza FAQ ; Avian Influenza FAQ ; Global Influenza Preparedness Plan ; (...)

Avian Influenza monthly update - August 2005

Despite strong efforts to control the current epidemic of Avian Flu in South Asian countries, the H5N1 strain has increased its geographical range. It is getting closer to Europe, while various governments begin to consider the threat seriously.
Cases of infected chickens closer to Europe - Stabilisation of human cases
At the beginning of August, experts from the OIE (the World Organisation for Animal Health...) and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) have (...)

Coordinating response to Influenza pandemic at EU level

*This article has been updated with details of the European Parliament activities.*
Given the current Avian Flu emergency in South Asia, the European Commission has taken two measures to address a potential Influenza pandemic at EU level: reviewing the Directive on Avian Influenza and designing a comprehensive integrated zoonoses strategy.
According to experts, the H5N1 strain that devastates South Asian poultries has the potential to spark off the next pandemic, to which humans have no (...)

Plans to reduce the impact of the next influenza pandemic

An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus appears against which the human population has no immunity, resulting in several, simultaneous epidemics worldwide with enormous numbers of deaths and illness.
Many experts are presenting evidence that supports that the world is now closer to a flu pandemic than it has been at any time since 1968.
Even if the cause of the next pandemic and the potential magnitude are still uncertain, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated (...)

Avian flu represents a real pandemic threat

** Latest update: 22/07/2005.**
Many experts say that the world is now closer to a flu pandemic than it has been at any time since 1968. The key pre-requisites for a flu pandemic are: a novel virus of animal origin which jumps the species barrier and is able to replicate in the human body and be easily transmitted from human-to-human.
The current avian flu virus, H5N1 fails just the final test.
Avian Flu human cases
In September 2004, a possible human-to-human transmission of the Avian (...)

Animal link to human health

The link between animal viruses and human health is under the spotlight. Diseases like SARS, HIV and Avian flu probably originated in animals and evolved to humans. A new flu pandemic, which many experts believe is inevitable, combined with an animal virus could have a devastating impact across the world.
Scientific experts at a British Royal Society conference in London in January 2004 said there was a growing risk that more viruses will jump the species barrier and infect humans. (...)