Is influenza A (H5N1) virus the only avian influenza virus of concern regarding a pandemic?

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Answer:

Although highly pathogenic H5N1 currently poses a pandemic threat, other avian influenza A subtypes have infected people in recent years. For example, in 1999, H9N2 infections were identified in Hong Kong; in 2003, H7N7 infections occurred in the Netherlands and in 2004, H7N3 infections occurred in Canada. These examples of other avian influenza viruses that have infected humans demonstrate the potential of an influenza virus to evolve into a pandemic strain.

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Last Updated: 04/04/2007