Sir, The Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, should choose his words more carefully when talking about an avian flu pandemic (report, October 17), particularly when he seems to describe it as inevitable and with possible deaths in this country reaching 750,000.

Undoubtedly avian flu poses a serious problem for the poultry industry and is quite rightly taken very seriously by the veterinary profession. Its impact on humans is, however, far from clear. On the available facts, the disease does not seem to transfer very readily from birds to humans, only 100 or so people have been affected in Asia so far, and furthermore there is no evidence that it can spread from human to human.

Yes, it is possible that it might and yes, it is further possible that it would be sufficiently virulent to cause a pandemic.

It is also possible that this country will be hit by a large meteorite with similarly devastating results. However, like an avian flu pandemic, this impact is not very likely this winter.

R. HANKA
Wolfson College, Cambridge

From Mr Robert Sturdy, MEP (Conservative) for the Eastern Region

Sir, I blame greedy supermarkets for unwittingly causing avian flu by putting pressure on Asian poultry farmers to produce the cheapest birds, at the same time destroying the UK poultry industry, where hygiene, animal welfare and EU standards have always been paramount.

This includes buying poultry kept in cages in appalling conditions, far short of those of the EU. I believe it is impossible for supermarkets and other retailers to check all sources of poultry to ensure that full hygiene standards have been met. However, in order for these producers to meet the same high standards in Europe that we have put in place, it may mean that supermarkets will have to pay more.

I urge consumers when they buy poultry to check where it has been produced. It is totally safe to eat any poultry meat produced within the EU.

ROBERT STURDY
Cambridge

From Dr Richard J. Pleass

Sir, There are diseases that are far more worrying than avian flu. Since 1997 approximately 65 people have died from it. In this time, 6 million children have died from malaria for which there are few effective drugs and no immediate prospect of an effective vaccine.

Before we all get too obsessed about avian flu we should ask how underdeveloped countries deal with their daily crises. In the time it has taken to pen this letter 30 more children under the age of 5 will have died from malaria in underdeveloped countries.

RICHARD J. PLEASS
(Lecturer in Parasite Immunology, School of Biology, University of Nottingham)

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