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Nasal Wipes for Influenza A Virus Detection and Isolation from Swine
Published on: December 4, 2015
Avian influenza virus: the threat of a pandemic
Shih-Cheng Chang1, Yi-Ying Cheng, Shin-Ru Shih
1Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Abstract:
The 1918 influenza A virus pandemic caused a death toll of 40 to approximately 50 million. Currently, because of the widespread dissemination of the avian influenza virus (H5N1), there is a high risk of another pandemic. Avian species are the natural hosts for numerous subtypes of influenza A viruses; however, the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) is not only extremely lethal to domestic avian species but also can infect humans and cause death. This review discusses why the avian influenza virus is considered the most likely candidate for the first flu pandemic of the 21st century.
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