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 Bird Flu Has Deadly Friends:
Health Experts
By Alistair Thomson
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Bird flu may
be the tip of the iceberg. Experts meeting
in Mali say the deadly H5N1 virus
is just one of a plethora of diseases
threatening animals and people around
the world as global warming, intensive
farming, increased travel and trade
help dangerous microbes breed and spread.
“Avian flu is just one of many diseases
that are impacting the continent
(of Africa). The experts are telling us
that other diseases are going to emerge
or re-emerge,” said Francois Le Gall,
the World Banks lead livestock specialist
for Africa.
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“Almost every year there is a new
disease appearing, and 75 percent of
these emerging or re-emerging diseases
are coming from animals; 80 percent
of those have zoonotic potential,”
he said in an interview.
Le Gall said such zoonoses - animal
diseases that humans can - also
catch included Rift Valley fever, rabies
and anthrax.
“These could come together to create
what the experts are calling the perfect
microbial storm,” he said.
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