INFLUENZA NEEDS AN APPROACH AS A ONE HEALTH PROBLEM IN COLOMBIA.

Influenza is an important viral disease of worldwide distribution. It is caused by the Alfainfluenzavirus or influenza virus type A (IAV). A segmented ssRNA genome in the influenza viruses confers high variability and reassortment capability to the virus. That and the broad range of susceptible hosts, along with the possibility of inter-species transmission, represents a challenge to human and animal health. The IAV is able to infect a large variety of hosts such as several wild and domestic avian and mammalian species, including humans, as well as reptiles and amphibians, among others. There are 16 hemagglutinin (HA) and 9 neuraminidase (NA) subtypes recognized until know, whose main reservoir are the wild aquatic birds. In addition, two new subtypes (H17-18 and N10-11) have been recognized in bats, and these have been designated as influenza-like viruses. Taking this into account and knowing the richness of biodiversity in Colombia, there is an imperative need to study and to know about the IAV circulating in the field  in order to establish risk factors and to analyze the past, the current and the future effect that climate change, sociodemographic factors and the role that different species could play in the eco-biology of this viral agent. This should be considered under the one health concept of influenza virus infection as a whole, considering the fact that Colombia is a country in which the circulation of IAV has been demonstrated in the swine and human population and there are preliminary results of the presence of Orthomyxovirus in bats.