On January 30, 2016, the project entitled “Theoretical Innovation and Technological Breakthrough on Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Infected with H7N9 Avian Influenza” hosted by Academician Lanjuan Li won the first prize of Chinese medical science and technology award.
Patients who are infected with H7N9 avian influenza virus are at high risk of death. At the first time of the outbreak, the team led by Academician Lanjuan Li achieved a series of major theoretical innovation and technological breakthroughs on molecular structure and origin of H7N9 virus, immunological pathogenesis, clinical treatment system, epidemiology, vaccine and development of diagnostic reagents, etc., and therefore they made significant contribution to prevention and treatment of H7N9 virus infection for our country and even the world. The team was the first one who reported that poultry market was the origin of H7N9 avian influenza virus. Meanwhile, this team has discovered that key genes mutation of H7N9 led to the transmission of the virus from birds to people and “cytokine storm” was the critical reason of severe H7N9 infection. The treatment strategy of “Four Resistances and Two Balances” was proposed systematically and Li’s Artificial Liver technique was used creatively to block “cytokine storm” in order to save patients with severe H7N9 infection. Remarkable achievements were obtained and mortality rate was minimized. Afterwards, the achievements and experience of clinical diagnosis and treatment in H7N9 avian influenza virus were summarized timely. Clinical characteristics and incidence regularity of H7N9 avian influenza virus was firstly revealed to the world. Moreover, China’s first H7N9 influenza virus vaccine strain was developed successfully, which obtained the first Medical Device Registration Certificate of H7N9 diagnostic kit.
Related research achievements were published in international top journal such as “Lancet,” “The New England Journal of Medicine and “Nature Communications,” and two of which were selected in “China's One Hundred Most Influential International Academic Papers in 2003.”
The government and state leaders fully affirmed the team’s achievements obtained in the major outbreak of H7N9 avian influenza virus i. Vice Premier Yandong Liu inspected the Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease of Zhejiang University on April 13th, 2013, and he spoke highly of the team’s outstanding contributions in fighting against H7N9 avian influenza virus. . US ambassador to China and experts from US CDC visited the Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease for several times to learn the experience, which can be acted as policy basis for America to deal with avian influenza in the future. Lanjuan Li was invited by WHO to participate in modification of the global guidelines of H7N9 avian influenza virus, which playis an important role in diagnosis and treatment for H7N9 avian influenza around the world.
