根據香港大學的研究人員與美國孟菲斯市聖朱得兒童醫學中心的科學家共同合作研究的結果顯示，2005年下半年發源於中國東南部的禽流感病毒H5N1的新型變種，是中國地區家禽感染增加以及目前人類病例出現的主因。
這個原本未知的病毒是H5N1禽流感病毒的亞型，自2003年12月以來，已造成2億禽鳥死亡，以及遍佈10個國家的152起人類死亡案例，這些案例是因為人類近距離接觸感染病毒的禽鳥所致。科學家表示，確認出這個新亞型是十分重要的，因為H5N1如果突變成容易在人與人之間傳染的變種，將會引發全球性人類流感的大流行。
香港大學與聖朱得研究團隊表示，這個新的病毒稱作類福建株（Fujian-like），在東南亞新一波的禽流感爆發中，已經傳播到香港、寮國、馬來西亞和泰國，並引發人類感染的案例。
研究指出，在2006年，歐亞大陸高傳染性的禽流感病毒在鳥類間傳播，且伴隨著人類傳染的增加，說明了病毒並未有效地控制，且傳染爆發的威脅仍然存在。根據他們對施打疫苗的鳥類所作的研究，香港大學與聖朱得研究團隊認定，疫苗本身可能是促使變種出現的原因。
本研究報告共同作者、聖朱得傳染病部的韋伯斯特博士表示，儘管疫苗計畫已於2005年9月開始進行，但由於類福建株的出現和快速散佈，也顯示目前對H5N1的控管方式仍不夠有力。研究調查人員同時也警告新的H5N1變種可能會經由亞洲進入歐洲而傳播得更遠，並演化成其他地域性的亞型。科學家表示，這個現象也在過去幾年H5N1的兩度傳染高峰出現。
A new variant of the bird flu virus H5N1 that arose in southern China late last year appears to be responsible for the increased occurrence of H5N1 poultry infections, as well as recent human cases in China, according to researchers at the University of Hong Kong in collaboration with scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.
The previously unknown virus is a sub-lineage of H5N1 avian influenza virus that has caused the deaths of more than 200 million poultry and 152 humans in 10 countries since December 2003. Most human deaths in this period have occurred when people have come into close contact with infected poultry. Identification of the new sub-lineage is significant, scientists say, because H5N1 is the most likely virus to trigger a worldwide human influenza pandemic if it mutates into a form that spreads easily from person to person.
The new virus, called Fujian-like, FL, has now been transmitted to Hong Kong, Laos, Malaysia, and Thailand, resulting in a new bird flu outbreak wave in Southeast Asia that has caused human infections as well, according to the Hong Kong/St. Jude team.
"The development of highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza viruses in poultry in Eurasia accompanied with the increase in human infection in 2006 suggests that the virus has not been effectively contained and that the pandemic threat persists," the study states. Based on their study of vaccinated poultry, the Hong Kong/St. Jude team suggested that the vaccination itself might have facilitated emergence of this new variant.
This appearance and rapid distribution of FL, despite the vaccination program that was started in September 2005, also suggests that the current H5N1 control measures are still inadequate, said Robert Webster, PhD, a co-author of the paper and a member of the Infectious Diseases department at St. Jude. The investigators also warned that it is possible that this new H5N1 variant will spread further through Asia and into Europe, as it evolves to form other sublineages that vary from place to place. This evolution into different sublineages also occurred during the previous two waves of H5N1 transmission that occurred during the past several years, they said.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
