The current strategies to contain theavian flu in mammals they are demonstrating their ineffectiveness, leaving experts faced with a worrying lack of data. A study published in Natureled by the virologist Thomas Peacock of the Pirbright Institute in the United Kingdom, points out that the H5N1 virus could spread in mammals more silently and dangerously than expected.
The research team analyzed epidemics of avian flu affecting diverse mammals, from fur farms in Europe to marine mammals in South America and dairy cattle in the United States. The goal was to understand how changes inecology and evolution of the virus could facilitate its spread among mammals and, potentially, transform it into a pandemic threat.
Lack of data and ineffective monitoring
One of the main problems highlighted by the study concerns the lack of data sufficient and accurate. In many cases, tests onH5N1 avian flu they are limited to certain contexts, such as poultry in the United States, while in mammals, such as cattle, monitoring is almost non-existent. For example, in the United States, testing is only done on lactating cattle before they are transported interstate, leaving the door open to the uncontrolled spread of the virus.
Too limited surveillance
In addition to the lack of testing, current practices involve controlling wildlife only through testing on animal carcasses, without monitoring live animals. This approach leaves the virus free to spread without being promptly detected. As the study authors point out, the fear is that the virus could spread invisibly between agricultural workers and animals, especially in developing countries, where resources for monitoring and testing are limited.
Scientists fear that theavian flu can continue to evolve under trackincreasing the chances of a pandemic. The current gaps in containment strategies and the reluctance to use modern technologies for vaccination and monitoring are worsening an already delicate situation.
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