A mutant strain of bird flu that has emerged in Russia has “a fairly high degree of probability” of human-to-human transmission, the head of the country’s health surveillance dog warned in a report.
Anna Popova, who heads Rospotrebnadzor, made the troubling prediction nearly a month after scientists detected the first case of H5N8 transmission to humans on a poultry farm in southern Russia, the Moscow Times reported.
Humans can be infected with other subtypes of bird and swine flu, but the H5N8 strain, which is lethal to birds, has never spread among humans.
“It simply came to our notice then. Colleagues say the mutation continues to be very active, “Popova said, adding that Rospotrebnadzor and Vektor’s state research laboratory in Siberia have time to develop a test kit and vaccine, and then “control the situation.”
“If we don’t need it, it will be lucky. But if necessary, we will be ready, “Russia’s chief medical officer told Russia’s TASS news agency.
“In other words, we will be able to warn the entire global community of the threat.”
Last month, Popova reported to the World Health Organization on the first case of the H5N8 strain that passed to human birds in the World Health Organization.
In addition to Russia and Europe, outbreaks of H5N8 have been reported in China, the Middle East and North Africa in recent months, but so far only in poultry.
Other strains of bird flu, such as H5N1, H7N9 and H9N2, are known to spread to humans.
Seven workers at a Russian poultry plant had been infected with the H5N8 mutation in an outbreak at the plant in December, Popova said, adding that everyone recovered quickly.
“This situation did not develop further,” he said in late February.