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H5N1 vs SARS Case Fatality Rate
Recombinomics Commentary
November 29, 2004
>>While SARS had a mortality rate of around 15 percent, the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu kills up to a third of the people it infects. H5N1 has proven to be versatile and is now able to latch itself onto more hosts, Omi said.
"It has gone through huge genetic changes and become more pathogenic. It has affected not only birds, but cats, pigs and tigers ... ducks are now playing a more important role," Omi said.<<
SARS CoV had a case fatality rate of about 15% while it is 70% for H5N1. The H5N1 has undergone a series of recombination which has expanded its host range. The reported human cases are limited to Thailand and Vietnam, which is also the location of transmissions to tigers and domestic cats. This virus can also kill ferrets and mice in lab settings.
Both SARS CoV and H5N1 (as well as all viruses including human influenza A) evolve and emerge via recombination,
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