- Hello, Jeff - I was releived to read the following concerns
of other scientists regarding working with the letal 1918 flu hybrid using
BSL 3 instead of BSL 4.
-
- In my opinion finding and working with the two genes
expressing lethality should mandate the pathogen as a bioweapon and clearly
should be worked on using BSL 4.
-
- I shutter to think what accidental release of this new
1918 flu strain would mean in terms of lives lost. ....or, theft of the
pathogen by persons unknown!
-
- Patricia Doyle
-
- INFLUENZA A VIRUS, VIRULENCE, 1918 PANDEMIC STRAIN (02)
-
- A ProMED-mail post
- ProMED-mail is a program of the
- International Society for Infectious Diseases
- http://www.isid.org
-
- Date: Fri 8 Oct 2004
- From: Karl M Johnson
-
- A comment on appropriate level of containment...
-
- Professor Kawaoka's team is to be congratulated for successful
recreation of the 1918 influenza virus with it apparent increased virulence
for mice. But if that virulence transfers to humans, I am deeply concerned
about his decision to take the agent from BSL-4 [biosafety level 4] containment
to BSL-3 [biosafety level 3] after finding that level of pathogenicity.
We have already experienced 3 breaks in technique and containment of the
SARS coronavirus this year. Escape of this influenza strain could lead
to a repeat of history that would be completely preventable if that virus
were "put back in its box".
-
- Personally, I would never permit work with this agent
under conditions lower than BSL-4. The University of Wisconsin and appropriate
federal agencies should convene an emergency meeting to sort this out,
ensuring that Dr Kawaoka has ongoing access to BSL-4 containment so that
he can continue this undeniably important work.
-
- --
- Karl M Johnson
- <KarlMJohnson@aol.com>
-
- [Dr Johnson expresses valid concerns about the disease
security aspects of Dr Kawaoka's research, particularly in view of the
finding of the enhanced pathogenicity of the construct containing the 1918
HA subunit. His call for a reassessment of the situation should be heeded.
- Mod.CP]
-
-
- Patricia A. Doyle, PhD
- Please visit my "Emerging Diseases" message
board at: http://www.clickitnews.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?
Cat=&Board=emergingdiseases
- Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
- Go with God and in Good Health
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