MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY ON-LINE |
The World Health Organization
(WHO) has developed a global influenza preparedness plan , which defines the
stages of a pandemic, outlines the role of WHO, and makes recommendations for
national measures before and during a pandemic. The phases are:
Interpandemic period
Phase 1 : No new influenza virus subtypes have been detected in humans. An
influenza virus subtype that has caused human infection may be present in
animals. If present in animals, the risk of human infection or disease is
considered to be low.
Phase 2: No new influenza virus subtypes have been detected in humans. However,
a circulating animal influenza virus subtype poses a substantial risk of human
disease.
Pandemic alert period
Phase 3: Human infection(s) with a new subtype but no human-to-human spread,
or at most rare instances of spread to a close contact.
Phase 4: Small cluster(s) with limited human-to-human transmission but spread is
highly localized, suggesting that the virus is not well adapted to humans.
Phase 5: Larger cluster(s) but human-to-human spread still localized, suggesting
that the virus is becoming increasingly better adapted to humans but may not yet
be fully transmissible (substantial pandemic risk).
Pandemic period
Phase 6: Pandemic: increased and sustained transmission in general population.
Notes: The distinction between phases 1 and 2 is based on the risk of human
infection or disease resulting from circulating strains in animals. The
distinction is based on various factors and their relative importance according
to current scientific knowledge. Factors may include pathogenicity in animals
and humans, occurrence in domesticated animals and livestock or only in
wildlife, whether the virus is enzootic or epizootic, geographically localized
or widespread, and other scientific parameters.
The distinction among phases 3, 4, and 5 is based on an assessment of the risk
of a pandemic. Various factors and their relative importance according to
current scientific knowledge may be considered. Factors may include rate of
transmission, geographical location and spread, severity of illness, presence of
genes from human strains (if derived from an animal strain), and other
scientific parameters.