“The passage of the virus is now established in the USAH5N1 avian flu come on birds at cowsbut the risk – much feared – is that there could be a transit of the virus even in pigs and, as we have seen for other diseases, this would then facilitate the possibility of it reaching humans.”
To raise the level of attention is Massimo Andreoniscientific director of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (Simit), interviewed by the agency Adnkronos Health. “To date – he underlines -, it is important to clarify this so as not to generate alarmism, no human-to-human transmission has ever been recorded”. The professor intervenes on the preliminary assessment of the risk associated with the pathogen – “low but evolves together with the virus” – made by the World Health Organization (WHO) together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Fao) and to Woah (World Animal Health Organization).
WHO, FAO and Woah have suggested “do not consume raw milkbut only pasteurized”. “In the infected animal, the virus is not only transmitted by nasopharyngeal route it is also found in fresh milk – recalls Andreoni, reached by telephone in Barcelona where the European congress begins tomorrow Excmid, which brings together experts in infectious diseases and microbiology -. It is therefore clear that it should not be consumed and maximum attention is needed from the operators who work on farms and in the supply chain.”
