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Editorial - Commissioned

Highly pathogenic avian H5N8 influenza viruses: should we be concerned?

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Pages 20-21 | Received 27 Sep 2017, Accepted 27 Sep 2017, Published online: 27 Nov 2017
 

ABSTRACT

Avian influenza A viruses pose a constant threat to global human health as sporadic infections continue to occur with associated high mortality rates. To date, a number of avian influenza virus subtypes have infected humans, including H5N1, H7N9, H9N2 and H7N7. The majority of ‘bird flu’ cases are thought to have arisen from direct contact with infected poultry, particularly in live markets in Asia.Citation1 While human cases of the H5N8 subtype have not been documented as yet, there is the potential that H5N8 viruses could acquire mutations which favour infection of human cells. There is also the possibility that novel viruses with a tropism for human cells could be generated if H5N8 should reassasort with other circulating avian viruses, such as those of the H5N1 subtype. The emergence of a novel H5N8 virus with the capability of infecting humans could have drastic consequences to global health.

This article refers to:
Altered virulence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N8 reassortant viruses in mammalian models