大流行性流感:古老的疾病,人类的灾难

300年来,有10次全球性流感大流行。流感大流行有一定的周期性、不可预见性、灾害性、持久性,至今人类依然没有找到准确预见、避免一场新的流感大流行的良策。2003年末以来,高致病性H5N1禽流感呈现前所未有的暴发,席卷整个亚洲、部分欧洲国家,尽管人类采取积极的控制措施,但H5N1在亚洲已经顽固地存在下来,成为地方病,并且病毒不断进化(宿主范围扩大、病毒致病性增强、环境中耐受力增强)、人类病例不断出现,已使世界比1968年以来任何时刻都更加靠近一场流感大流行。因此,人类紧迫地需要通力合作、全力准备、从容应对,延缓、减弱或避免这场大浩劫。

Pandemic Influenza:a time-honored disease and a great calamity to human

In the passing three hundred years,no less than 10 times influenza pandemic have been recorded. Due to its periodicity , unpredictability,calamity and durability, we the human have not had ways to accurately predict as well as effectively avoid a start of pandemic yet. Since December 2003, highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus has swept through poultry populations across Asia and parts of Europe. The outbreaks are historically unprecedented in scale and geographical spread. It has established an ecological niche in poultry, making it extremely difficult to control outbreaks. Outbreaks have recurred despite aggressive control measures.Evidence shows that the H5N1 virus is most likely endemic in many parts of Asia.Meanwhile,the virus continues to evolve(including expanded host ranges, increased pathogensis and stability ) and to cause human infections with high mortality.For these reasons, the current outbreaks of influenza A(H5N1) in poultry and humans in Asia, has moved the world closer to a pandemic than any time since 1968, when the last such event occurred.