A recent study has said that if appropriate measures are not taken in time, Bangladesh could be affected by the new strain of influenza A virus, H5N1, commonly known as 'bird flu', local media reported today.

The study, conducted by the International Center for Diarroheal Disease and Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) said that two strains of influenza A virus, H3N2 and H1N1, have already been spreading among children in Bangladesh, which made it highly probable that 'bird flu' may break out in Bangladesh.

The study said if bird flu spreads among poultry in Bangladesh,there is a possibility that avian influenza strains may jump from poultry to humans.

Since 1996, influenza A (H5N1) has been identified in domestic poultry in 21 countries and in wild birds in 20 countries in the world. Between January 2004 and February 27 this year, 173 human cases have been confirmed in laboratory tests and 93 of them have died.

The study said "Bangladesh is close to several countries that have reported bird flu. Many residents of Bangladesh have regular contact with live poultry and it also has the highest human population density in the world, except for small city-states."

"Thus, there is a high risk of new influenza strains emerging from Bangladesh, than from most other countries," it added.