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Brasseur JW – An outbreak of pandemic influenza is only a matter of time, and the Asian strain of avian influenza virus type A(H5N1) is recognized as the most likely current threat. Diligent public health and medical planning and preparation can minimize the impact of this impending cataclysm on humanity.

Laboratory viral typing is highly valuable in identifying and tracking influenza virus during an outbreak, but diagnosis of type A influenza is generally based on the patient's symptoms. For proper laboratory evaluation of viral specimens from a patient suspected to be infected with H5N1 virus, the preferred collection method is by pharyngeal swab. Polymerase chain reaction assays return preliminary results within 4 hours.

The incubation period for H5N1 influenza is similar to that for other type A influenzas; the onset of symptoms starts about 1 to 3 days after exposure to the virus. No current data indicate how many people who have been exposed to the H5N1 virus will experience flu symptoms, nor is there any indication that the disease lasts longer than annual flu strains have traditionally lasted. But there are strong concerns that the H5N1 virus will be much more devastating to the population than the routine annual flu outbreak.

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