Gripa aviară – aspecte etiologice şi epidemiologice | [Avian influenza – Ethiological and epidemiological aspects]

Abstract

Avian influenza viruses can be distinguished as “low pathogenic” and “high pathogenic” forms. Each virus can be partnered with any one of the nine neuraminidase surface proteins resulting nine different forms of each subtype (e.g., H₅N₁ , H₅N₂, H₅N₃ , … H₅N₉ ). The avian influenza viruses subtypes isolated in humans were H₅N₁ , H₇N₂, H₇N₃ , H₇N₇ and H₉N₂ . After the H₅N₁ subtype outbreak in Asia in 2003, the world has moved closer to a pandemic than any other time. The risk of further human cases will persist, as will opportunities for a pandemic virus to emerge.