聯合國衛生機構警告，研究高致病性禽流感可能造成負面的後果。
世界衛生組織（WHO）12月30日表示，一旦將研究成果出版發表，生化恐怖份子將取得關於這種人傳人的致命病毒突變的關鍵資訊。
世衛組織說，近來對H5N1禽流感病毒株變異後是否更容易在人與人之間感染的研究，可能引發「潛在風險以及濫用」。
世衛組織警告，「雖然應該要繼續進行研究以取得相關知識，但很明顯，這類研究-特別是使已存在的病毒更具危險性的研究有其風險。」
世衛組織指出，任何進一步的研究都應該「僅在所有重要公衛風險以及效益經過評估與確認後進行。」
自2003年以來，已有4億隻家禽因H5N1病毒死亡或被撲殺，造成大約200億美金的經濟損失。
雖然禽流感病毒多數時候不會感染人類，但一旦遭到感染者，死亡率高達60%。最近一例死亡的病例在2011年稍早發生於柬埔寨，該地2011年已發生8起人類感染病例，他們全數都死亡了。
雖然一般認定H5N1病毒已在63個感染國家中的多數地區被根除，2011年8月聯合國農糧署仍提出了病毒爆發的報告，指出2010年至2011年間，共有將近800個感染病例。
The United Nations health agency is warning that scientific research on a strain of highly pathogenic bird flu could have negative consequences.
If published, details of the research could provide bioterrorists with crucial information on how to mutate the virus into a deadlier, human-to-human transmissible form, said the World Health Organization in a statement on Friday.
The WHO said that recent studies on whether changes to the H5N1 strain of bird flu could make it more transmissible between humans might lead to "possible risks and misuses."
"While it is clear that conducting research to gain such knowledge must continue, it is also clear that certain research, and especially that which can generate more dangerous forms of the virus than those which already exist, has risks," warned the global health body.
The organization noted that any further research should be done "only after all important public health risks and benefits have been identified and reviewed."
Since 2003, the H5N1 virus has killed or forced the culling of more than 400 million domestic poultry and caused an estimated $20 billion of economic damage.
Although it does not infect humans often, about 60 percent of those infected with the disease die. The latest death occurred earlier this year in Cambodia, which has registered eight cases of human infection this year - all of them fatal.
While H5N1 was believed to be eliminated from most of the 63 infected countries, in August 2011 the UN Food and Agriculture Agency reported a surge in outbreaks of the virus, with almost 800 cases recorded between 2010 and 2011.
作者
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.
