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Tue, Apr 03 2012 14:44:00

H5N1 conference at the Royal Society

Two teams of scientists have mutated the H5N1 ‘bird flu’ virus so it can spread easily between mammals. The Royal Society convened a meeting to discuss the controversial research.

  1. First, an important disclaimer!
  2. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    I want to clarify that all H5N1 tweets are me writing quickly as ppl speak quickly. May include mutations!
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 06:14:33
  3. Robert Webster gave the basics of H5N1
  4. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    Simon Wain-Hobson: "We're dealing with two scientific papers that have been more press-reviewed than peer-reviewed." #H5N1
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:05:30
  5. FluTrackers
    FluTrackers.com@FluTrackers
    Professor Wain-Hobson: "Science can attack & address very complex issues." @royalsociety #H5N1 #fb
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:06:51
  6. FluTrackers
    FluTrackers.com@FluTrackers
    Wain-Hobson:If we make conditions (to research & publish) too rigid,we will frighten people away from infect disease @royalsociety #H5N1 #fb
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:11:25
  7. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    I *think* this is the first public meeting w/ both Fouchier and Kawaoka since this story went big. #H5N1
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:06:20
  8. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    Rob Webster giving the basics of flu: "If we go to the park next door, we can probably isolate the majority of influenza viruses." #H5N1
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:15:42
  9. AdamCommentism
    Adam Smith@AdamCommentism
    Robert Webster: "Avian carriers of influenza show little or no signs of disease... has the current #H5N1 now broken the rules?"
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:18:27
  10. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    Webster: H1, H2 and H3 are firmly established in humans, and others, e.g. H5/H7 sometimes "try it on". #H5N1
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:19:14
  11. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    H5/H7 viruses barely cause disease in wild birds, but can evolve rapidly after transmission to domestic poultry. #h5n1
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:20:54
  12. FluTrackers
    FluTrackers.com@FluTrackers
    Recent studies show that there may be more than 1 animal reservoir for #H5N1 @royalsociety #fb
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:19:22
  13. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    Webster coughs. I resist urge to run screaming from the symposium hall. Also, shouldn't have watched Contagion 2 wks ago. #H5N1
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:26:30
  14. AdamCommentism
    Adam Smith@AdamCommentism
    First human #h5n1 case: "Noone believed that an avian influenza virus was actually infecting that child... every1 thought it was a mistake"
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:26:50
  15. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    Current #H5N1 toll: 598 human cases, 352 human deaths, 500+ million poultry slaughtered
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:27:33
  16. AdamCommentism
    Adam Smith@AdamCommentism
    #H5N1: "this is a totally diff paradigm where the virus has been present for 16 years and continues to be present in the world" - Webster
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:28:25
  17. FluTrackers
    FluTrackers.com@FluTrackers
    Stamping out is more effective than vaccination for control. @royalsociety #H5N1 #fb
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:30:40
  18. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    Webster: Egypt is one of the countries where the #H5N1 virus has become endemic.
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:30:17
  19. FluTrackers
    FluTrackers.com@FluTrackers
    Reviewing current #H5N1 situation in #Bangladesh. H9N2 also in live poultry markets. May be interacting w/ H5N1 @royalsociety #fb
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:35:09
  20. FluTrackers
    FluTrackers.com@FluTrackers
    Continuing threat from #H5N1 with multiple epicenters in world @royalsociety #fb
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:36:35
  21. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    Webster's esp concerned about a lineage of #H5N1 called "Clade 2.3.2.1". Found in Bangladesh, Japan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, India, Korea, HK
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:34:51
  22. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    Webster: "Don't tie our hands by raising biosecurity level to Lvl4. Nature will provide the greatest threat." #H5N1 (Assume not the journal)
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:36:52
  23. edyong209
    Ed Yong @edyong209
    Webster says we can't stamp out #H5N1 anymore. Audience asks about tipping point. Webster says it's possible, but not enough political will
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:40:31
  24. AdamCommentism
    Adam Smith@AdamCommentism
    #H5N1 Webster doesn't buy that the poultry industry has been partly responsible for facilitating the evolution of the virus
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:43:08
  25. AdamCommentism
    Adam Smith@AdamCommentism
    "if #H5N1 is perpetuated in wild birds, stamping out wouldn't be possible." - Webster
    Tue, Apr 03 2012 01:46:48

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Ed Yong

Science writer, creator of Not Exactly Rocket Science, freelance journalist, sci-comms @ Cancer Research UK. Opinions are my own. Obviously.

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