Catastrophes after crossing species barriers

CATASTROPHES AFTER CROSSING SPECIES BARRIERS

Albert Osterhaus à l’Académie de Médecine Paris Juin 2004

 

CATASTROPHES AFTER CROSSING SPECIES BARRIERS

Albert Osterhaus *

Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam

“Probably the most tragic examples of virus infections that have caused the deaths of many millions of people in the past century were the influenza and AIDS pandemics. These events occurred as a direct result of the introduction of animal viruses into the human population.

Similarly, mass mortalities among aquatic and terrestrial mammals were caused by the introduction of viruses into species in which they had not previously been present. It seems paradoxical that at a time when we have managed to control or even eradicate major human virus infections like polio and smallpox we are increasingly confronted with new or newly emerging virus infections of humans and animals. A complex mix of social, technological and ecological changes, and the ability of certain viruses to adapt rapidly to a changing environment, seems to be at the basis of this phenomenon. Extensive diagnostic and surveillance networks, as well as novel vaccine- and antiviral development strategies should provide us with the safeguards to limit its impact.”

* Department of Virology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands –

email : a.osterhaus@erasmusmc.nl

Source Académie de Médecine Séances publiques : "Virus, agents transmissibles non conventionnels et barrières d’espèces".06/2004 PDF

Vu sur le site de la SPLF

PDF de  son intervention  au congrès de l’ERS dans le cadre des sessions Hot Topic (Copenhague, 19 septembre 2005) lorsqu’il évoque la pandémie grippale, Albert Osterhaus (Professeur de virologie, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam) commence par ces deux questions : « Sommes-nous à la veille d’une nouvelle pandémie grippale ? » et « Sommes-nous prêts ? ».