MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti commentator Tatyana Sinitsyna) - While the Beijing authorities were accusing the Dalai Lama of boycotting the Olympics, a real threat emerged as a surprise. It was enterovirus 71.
Having started its journey in the southern province of Guangdung, the virus has quickly spread to the central provinces of Henan and Hubei, and has already reached the north of the country.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the virus. By the afternoon of May 6, it had already proved fatal in 26 cases. All in all, the number of those infected is approaching 12,000. Some 1,500 cases were registered in Beijing, and the virus worries those who want to watch the Olympics.
This virus is spreading like an epidemic although officially it is not referred to as such. This is only natural since the Olympic flame was just welcomed in the port of Haikou on the island of Hainan, and is now on its way to the capital, which will host the world's best athletes, and hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the globe. In this context, the virus may create a number of dramatic problems. China's health minister has taken charge of the efforts to combat it, but if the Chinese fail, they will have to face unpredictable consequences.
Tatyana Yeremeyeva, a biologist and leading associate of the department of poliomyelitis and other enteroviruses at the M.P. Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalites of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told RIA Novosti: "People get this virus from direct contact with the mucus, saliva or feces of an infected person. The virus shows no symptoms in some people, but sometimes it is like cold, and in other rarer cases it becomes very serious and develops into meningitis, encephalitis or paralysis."
There are many enteroviruses, and this is why they are assigned numbers. Enterovirus 71 is now causing the outbreak in China. Yeremeyeva explained that most often enteroviruses cause infections in children because their immune systems are not as strong. Adults are better protected against them - they make anti-bodies against different viruses as a result of "passive immunization."
Scientists do not quite understand the nature of viruses. The most popular theory is that viruses change with their circulation, and then become a danger to humans. They often attack people with weak immune systems.
This virus is transferred through contact feces and oral secretions; more often than not, its outbreaks occur in organized groups - for instance, in kindergartens or schools. There is no treatment for the virus so care focuses on an individual's specific symptoms and preventing complications. The outbreak stops when the virus hits a certain number of people. Its self-reproduction cycle is rather short, and all outbreaks have the same style - spread rapidly and aggressively, and hit all those who are unprotected.
An outbreak may last from one week to a month, and it may spread to new areas. Thus, the main task of medical and sanitary workers is to stop its dangerous voyage, and localize the epidemic by traditional quarantine barriers, disinfection and isolation.
How dangerous is this for the upcoming Olympics? Yeremeyeva said, "Water matters most of all. Enteroviruses are rather stable in water, and may be easily transferred. This virus goes through the gastrointestinal tract, and because of its fecal excretion, it is very important to clean sewage which can contaminate rivers. Otherwise, infection can rapidly spread across vast distances." Russian territories bordering China and common rivers are certainly at risk.
As for the Olympics, experts believe that it is possible to remove this risk by maintaining a high quality water supply, and organizing good medical services. This virus is not likely to be transferred by air, but this threat should not be ignored, either.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.
