close
close

The time to act is now, not after the H5N1 virus has become so widely transmitted from person to person.

Leonard A. Mermel
| Guest columnist

Dr. Leonard A. Mermel is medical director of the Division of Epidemiology and Infection Prevention at Lifespan Healthcare System and professor of medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

As an infectious disease physician/epidemiologist/researcher, I have been concerned for several years about the possibility of avian influenza successfully crossing over to humans and being transmitted from person to person.

The H5N1 bird flu infects cows and leads to high levels of virus in their udders. Not surprisingly, farm cats became infected by drinking raw milk from infected cows and more than half of the cats died.

Cow udders contain cells with receptors that the H5N1 virus uses to bind to the respiratory tract of birds and that allow the H5N1 virus to bind to the respiratory tract of humans. Because there can be millions of H5N1 viruses with receptors for the human respiratory tract in a cow udder, and because H5N1 is a virus that mutates rapidly, the cow udder is a potential “mixing vessel” where a mutation could cause the H5N1 virus to preferentially bind to human cells. This potential brings us to the brink of a pandemic that could resemble or surpass the 1918 flu pandemic.

More: Before his confirmation, McKee's choice to head the Department of Health defends RI's response to the pandemic

The global fatality rate for COVID-19 is about 1.4%; however, the global fatality rate for H5N1, a viral infection, is about 52%. Therefore, the impact of an H5N1 pandemic with potentially 40 times higher mortality compared to COVID-19 is, frankly, unimaginable.

Our federal government does not have the authority to test livestock for the H5N1 virus, to require H5N1 testing of people who have had contact with infected cows, or to prevent raw, unpasteurized milk from being consumed by humans until infection among cows is under control.

So the H5N1 virus is right here with us: There are millions of virus particles in the udders of many cows in the United States, infecting their tissues that contain human flu receptors. This creates the possibility that the virus could jump from cow to human, leading to possible human-to-human transmission and a frightening H5N1 pandemic in humans.

It is unbelievable that we have not learned from the COVID-19 pandemic that the time to act is now and not after the H5N1 virus is again being transmitted so strongly from person to person.

More: These major Rhode Island companies have switched to remote work during the pandemic. What do they think about the future of work?

What is needed?

∎ Authority to identify the H5N1 virus in the United States, whether in humans, livestock, etc.

∎ Authority to reduce potential exposure to the H5N1 virus from animals or animal products

∎ Greater economic support for affected farmers

∎ Resources for mass production and distribution of an H5N1 vaccine or, ideally, a universal flu vaccine

∎ Resources for mass production and distribution of antiviral agents effective against H5N1

∎ Resources to significantly improve the ability to manufacture and distribute personal protective equipment

∎ An effective and well-thought-out campaign to ensure that the public, regardless of their level of education and political or religious beliefs, is honest and informed about the challenges and the reasons why this action is necessary.

God willing, there will not be an H5N1 pandemic. God forbid if it does happen and we are not prepared.

Tags:

You may also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *