A leading Chinese virologist said here Wednesday that people need to use risk governance framework to identify possible improvements to existing preparedness plans and structures for preventing virology risks.

At the 2005 General Conference of the International Risk Governance Council, Hou, also academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said, a virus infection is a nano-particle infection or a molecular infection, which is different from other pathogenic infections and also more risky.

Therefore, he said, virology risk governance even seems to be more important.

Since 1957 there were three flu pandemics which all originated from Asia. Avian flu is now prevalent in Southeast Asia, and avian flu H5N1 may become a potential human pandemic virus.

Many of the important factors are connected with the development of flu within animals and the interaction of those animals with humans, mostly within the agricultural economy model in less-developed regions, Hou said.

There are many priority issues for dealing with viral infectious diseases in developing countries in the next five years, such as the need for preparedness for the control of a flu pandemic and of SARS recurring, AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases and viral hepatitis, Hou said.

Dr. Henk Bekedam, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative to China, said at the same conference, since 75 percent of emerging diseases are zoonotic, there must be a coordinated response between ministries of health, agriculture and authorities responsible for domestic and wild animals.

"A disease in one country is a threat to another," Dr. Bekedam said, "the best chance to eradicate or contain a new infectious disease is when it emerges."

As for human surveillance and animal surveillance, Dr. Bekedam said, the WHO tries to strengthen the detection of diseases in animals, as the identification of human cases will rely heavily on detecting the diseases in animals first.

With regard to virology risk governance, Dr. Bekedam said, strengthening laboratory diagnostics networks and sharing of information are also vitally important.