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| Bird flu 'still a major threat' | Bird flu 'still a major threat' |
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| By Fergus Walsh Medical correspondent, BBC News The trials will help doctors prepare for a pandemicThe world is still at risk from a new pandemic strain of flu according to leading scientists. | By Fergus Walsh Medical correspondent, BBC News The trials will help doctors prepare for a pandemicThe world is still at risk from a new pandemic strain of flu according to leading scientists. |
| The H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus has been out of the headlines for some time but experts say it still poses a potential threat. | The H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus has been out of the headlines for some time but experts say it still poses a potential threat. |
| I have been taking part in a vaccine trial against the virus and have just received my latest jab. | I have been taking part in a vaccine trial against the virus and have just received my latest jab. |
| It is two years since I volunteered for a clinical trial in Oxford for a vaccine against H5N1. | It is two years since I volunteered for a clinical trial in Oxford for a vaccine against H5N1. |
| In 2006 bird flu was a major news story in the UK following the discovery of a dead swan with H5N1 in Scotland. | In 2006 bird flu was a major news story in the UK following the discovery of a dead swan with H5N1 in Scotland. |
| In January that year there had been the first human deaths in Turkey and the threat to Western Europe seemed palpable. | In January that year there had been the first human deaths in Turkey and the threat to Western Europe seemed palpable. |
| Since then, although there have been further outbreaks among poultry in the UK, there have been no human fatalities in Western Europe. | Since then, although there have been further outbreaks among poultry in the UK, there have been no human fatalities in Western Europe. |
| The level of media interest in bird flu has subsided - but has the threat disappeared? Not really. | The level of media interest in bird flu has subsided - but has the threat disappeared? Not really. |
| Still killing people | Still killing people |
| It is very hard for humans to be infected by H5N1 - it requires very close contact with the virus. | It is very hard for humans to be infected by H5N1 - it requires very close contact with the virus. |
| We as a farming community, and the government, will continue to take the disease very seriously Robert NewberyNational Farmers' Union | We as a farming community, and the government, will continue to take the disease very seriously Robert NewberyNational Farmers' Union |
| The virus is endemic in poultry and bird stocks in south-east Asia - and 241 people have died after being infected, 24 so far this year. | The virus is endemic in poultry and bird stocks in south-east Asia - and 241 people have died after being infected, 24 so far this year. |
| However, bird flu, as the name suggests, still poses its biggest threat to poultry. | However, bird flu, as the name suggests, still poses its biggest threat to poultry. |
| Earlier this month there was an outbreak of H7N7 bird flu at a farm 30 miles north of Oxford, forcing the slaughter of 25,000 chickens. | Earlier this month there was an outbreak of H7N7 bird flu at a farm 30 miles north of Oxford, forcing the slaughter of 25,000 chickens. |
| Pandemic inevitable | Pandemic inevitable |
| Robert Newbery, poultry adviser at the National Farmers' Union, said avian flu was still a serious economic and animal welfare concern - but the level of risk was quite different compared to that in countries like Indonesia and Vietnam. | Robert Newbery, poultry adviser at the National Farmers' Union, said avian flu was still a serious economic and animal welfare concern - but the level of risk was quite different compared to that in countries like Indonesia and Vietnam. |
| "The systems in which poultry are kept in south-east Asia are completely unrecognisable compared to the UK," he said. | "The systems in which poultry are kept in south-east Asia are completely unrecognisable compared to the UK," he said. |
| We did not overreact to the threat from bird flu, and we should still be worried Professor Nick WhiteMahidol University | We did not overreact to the threat from bird flu, and we should still be worried Professor Nick WhiteMahidol University |
| But he went on: "Having said that, while the theoretical risk to human health exists, we as a farming community and the government will continue to take the disease very seriously." | But he went on: "Having said that, while the theoretical risk to human health exists, we as a farming community and the government will continue to take the disease very seriously." |
| The threat may be theoretical at present - but all of the infectious disease experts I have spoken to over recent years agree that it is not a matter of if but of when the next flu pandemic will occur. | The threat may be theoretical at present - but all of the infectious disease experts I have spoken to over recent years agree that it is not a matter of if but of when the next flu pandemic will occur. |
| H5N1 might not eventually be the virus responsible but the pandemic will almost certainly start in animals and then mutate into an infectious human disease. | H5N1 might not eventually be the virus responsible but the pandemic will almost certainly start in animals and then mutate into an infectious human disease. |
| We simply don't know when that will happen - which makes it hard for the media to maintain interest. | We simply don't know when that will happen - which makes it hard for the media to maintain interest. |
| Millions at risk | Millions at risk |
| Nick White is a leading expert on infectious disease and professor of tropical medicine at Mahidol University in Bangkok and Oxford University. | Nick White is a leading expert on infectious disease and professor of tropical medicine at Mahidol University in Bangkok and Oxford University. |
| He spends most of the year in Thailand where there have been 17 deaths from H5N1 but was in Oxford the day I had my third jab. | He spends most of the year in Thailand where there have been 17 deaths from H5N1 but was in Oxford the day I had my third jab. |
| "We did not overreact to the threat from bird flu and we should still be worried," he said. | "We did not overreact to the threat from bird flu and we should still be worried," he said. |
| "It is fortunate that nothing has happened so far but a flu pandemic could be cataclysmic for the human race. | "It is fortunate that nothing has happened so far but a flu pandemic could be cataclysmic for the human race. |
| "If it became as infectious as Spanish flu in 1918-9 it could kill hundreds of millions of people." | "If it became as infectious as Spanish flu in 1918-9 it could kill hundreds of millions of people." |
| Dr Alan Hay, director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre at the National Centre for Medical Research in the UK, says no-one is writing off the threat from H5N1. | Dr Alan Hay, director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre at the National Centre for Medical Research in the UK, says no-one is writing off the threat from H5N1. |
| "We are in a state of stasis. There are plenty of infections in birds and there have been isolated human cases in Africa which is worrying. | "We are in a state of stasis. There are plenty of infections in birds and there have been isolated human cases in Africa which is worrying. |
| "Thankfully, H5N1 does not readily infect people but when it does it can have disastrous consequences." | "Thankfully, H5N1 does not readily infect people but when it does it can have disastrous consequences." |
| Currently, for every 10 people who get infected, six will die. | Currently, for every 10 people who get infected, six will die. |
| No regrets | No regrets |
| I have no regrets about volunteering for the vaccine trial. | I have no regrets about volunteering for the vaccine trial. |
| Just because bird flu is not on the front pages any more doesn't mean that the potential threat has gone. | Just because bird flu is not on the front pages any more doesn't mean that the potential threat has gone. |
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| BBC correspondent takes part in a vaccine trial | |
| As for the injection itself, some people expressed surprise that I volunteered for the trial and concern for my well-being. | As for the injection itself, some people expressed surprise that I volunteered for the trial and concern for my well-being. |
| In fact the technology used to create the prototype vaccine is very well-established and any threat to my health was vanishingly small. | In fact the technology used to create the prototype vaccine is very well-established and any threat to my health was vanishingly small. |
| I have had no ill-effects from any of the three doses I received. | I have had no ill-effects from any of the three doses I received. |
| The first two contained a vaccine against the Vietnam strain of bird flu and the most recent was against the Indonesian strain. | The first two contained a vaccine against the Vietnam strain of bird flu and the most recent was against the Indonesian strain. |
| So if and when the next pandemic happens, will I and the other trial volunteers be better off than everyone else? That is a difficult question to answer. | So if and when the next pandemic happens, will I and the other trial volunteers be better off than everyone else? That is a difficult question to answer. |
| It is possible that H5N1 pre-pandemic vaccines may offer some protection but no one can be sure until it happens. | It is possible that H5N1 pre-pandemic vaccines may offer some protection but no one can be sure until it happens. |
| The real point of the trial is to help scientists understand the best way of creating a vaccine when a pandemic occurs. | The real point of the trial is to help scientists understand the best way of creating a vaccine when a pandemic occurs. |
| Only when scientists know the exact pandemic strain will they be able to tailor-make a vaccine against it and know what the right dose should be. | Only when scientists know the exact pandemic strain will they be able to tailor-make a vaccine against it and know what the right dose should be. |
| Let's hope that day is a long way off. | Let's hope that day is a long way off. |