Manufacture for post-pulmonary virus: ‘It does not appear likely that this virus will be mutated’

In our country the post-pulmonary virus has arrived in the last few days, the first appeared in the case of scientists, however, not to be particularly concerned. The Professor of Epidemiology Preventive Medical EDP and a member of the Board of EODY Dimitris Paraskevi appears reassuring with regard to post-pulmonary virus, for which, as he points out in an interview with the Agency fm, there is no evidence that it has changed characteristics and has become more infectious since the cases in Thessaloniki. CORVERSE “We currently have nothing to compare the situation to that of 2019, which we had incidents of unknown aetiology, which were suffering from a virus we did not know about.” In order to arrive at safe conclusions we need to put the data on the right basis, stresses the professor and explains: “It is a period that throughout the northern hemisphere, as expected, we have increased circulation of respiratory infections. This is currently in our country, but also in other countries, generally due to influenza A, and secondary to Sars Cov 2, but also to other respiratory pathogens, other viruses including post-pulmonary virus (HMPV). It is not a new pathogen, but a virus known since 2001, it has been circulating around the globe and is raging at this time of the year, such as most respiratory pathogens. It is transmitted in the same way as influenza virus or covid, i.e. with droplets and causes mild symptoms, with the exception of individuals belonging to vulnerable groups, or young children. The way of precaution is the same as flu and covid,” the professor said. EOMI oversees 20 respiratory pathogens in a large number of hospitals As to how HMPV is detected, which is genetically similar to RSV, Professor Friday says there is no test in the form of rapid, or self test, because it is a virus that is not systematically supervised, as there is no particular reason. It is diagnosed with PCR molecular control. Also, EOMI oversees about 20 respiratory pathogens systematically, from the incidents which are hospitalized in a large number of hospitals, across the territory. CORVERSE Mutations usually occur when a pathogen is transmitted from another species To the question whether there is a chance that this virus will mutate and become more dangerous, Mr. Friday replies: “In my personal opinion it does not seem likely that this virus will mutate. It’s not something we can rule out, but experience has shown us that this usually happens when we have transmission of a pathogen, from another species, from an animal to man. As long as this virus remains in this host for many years, we do not have such changes easily. I don’t think that’s a very likely scenario.” While, on the contrary, bird flu is increasingly concerned by the scientific community about this happening. And the question to Dimitris Friday, which is reasonable, is whether we should be concerned after the first case of avian influenza has been detected in humans in the United States, who died. Because avian influenza virus unlike HMPV can become dangerous ‘Avian influenza has different characteristics because it is a virus that infects other animals, i.e. birds and incidents of transmission from birds to humans may manifest serious symptomology. As it concerns a new pathogen for the human organism with different characteristics at present and according to official communications from international bodies, there is no high risk to the community, since this virus cannot be transmitted from human to human, yet. However, in order to minimise or eliminate the risk of causing problems, or of becoming infectious to humans, systematic surveillance is carried out and very strictly preventive measures are applied in both animals and poultry if diagnosed. But also to people who have individual incidents of transmission from animals to humans.” With regard to the concern that bird flu should be the next pandemic expressed by a number of scientists, Mr. Fridays says that this is a scenario and not exactly a concern. “It is a virus, which is quite virulent and therefore constitutes a potential risk. That’s not something that came up now. It has been in force for many years, and that is why there is an international effort to monitor and implement measures to prevent the risk of causing a new pandemic. But it is not the only virus, which is a potential danger. There are other viruses, but surely this is a virus, which gathers some possibilities of causing trouble in the future,” he added. 30% of people with symptoms have flu – At high levels until the end of February However, the virus circulating at higher rates in the community is the influenza virus. “About a 30% of people who have symptoms. This may increase over the next one or two weeks. And it will certainly remain high throughout January, perhaps until mid or late February. However other pathogens are circulating in the community such as coronavirus, RSV, and the rest of the viruses and germs, as transmission is favoured due to co-administration in enclosed spaces. The flu is on the rise, the covid has no growth effect.”