NY.– In the last two years, avian flu has been to blame for the deaths of millions of wild and domestic birds around the world.
It has killed legions of seals and sea lions, devastated mink farms, eliminated cats, dogs, skunks, foxes and even a polar bear.
But apparently it hasn’t affected people.
“That’s a puzzle,” although there are some likely explanations, said Richard Webby, an influenza researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
That would have to do with the way the infection occurs or because there are differences in species in the microscopic points that the influenza virus needs to root and multiply in cells, experts say.
Although that will keep scientists awake as to whether that situation changes.
“There are a lot of things we don’t understand,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who currently heads Resolved to Save Lives, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent pandemics.
Some researchers theorize that influenza viruses that originated in birds were the precursors to terrible scourges in humans, including the pandemics of 1918 and 1957.
These viruses became lethal human infections and spread to animals and people.
A group of experts thinks this virus is unlikely to become a lethal global contagion, based on current evidence. Although they are not sure.
Just in case, US health officials are preparing vaccines and other things.
Although they are not taking bolder measures because the virus is not causing severe illness in people and they do not have strong evidence that it is spreading from person to person.
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