The impact of Bird Flu on human beings by Groshan Fabiola

The Avian flu is caused by the virus group called Influenza, a related virus to the ones that produce the flu in humans. The most contagious and dangerous Influenza is the strain H5N1 that causes almost 100% death in infected birds from all species.

The human catch of the virus occurs by direct or indirect contact with sick birds or with secretions, feces or oral discharges from infected chicken or ducks.

The first occurring symptoms of Influenza in humans are a sore throat, coughing, muscular weakness, fever and conjunctivitis. These symptoms almost always lead to complications and to death causing dysfunctions. On the Influenza field, several viral pneumonias can appear and also the respiratory distress syndrome and finally the multi-organ failure.

Respiratory conditions are very frequent in humans and the Bird flu can be easily mistaken to such diseases. But any patient shoeing the symptoms and that has had a contact with sick animals or their secretions are suspected to have caught the Influenza virus. The confirmation of the illness will be established by laboratory testing and the case will be connected to all other sudden, unusual deaths in the area where the patient lives or works.

The treatment for the avian virus is the same as those for treating regular flues caused by Influenza strains. The treatment can be administered for cure and for prevention and its benefic effects are likely to be obtained in clinical healthy children and adults. The treatment has however its limitations given by the rapid mutations of the virus. Antiviral drugs are usually very expensive and the supplies needed for the entire community are never enough.

In the present, a new vaccine against bird Influenza has been established and its used is highly recommended for poultry handlers, veterinary employees and breeders. The vaccine is called Tamiflu and can also be used as a medication in case of disease confirmation.

The first step in preventing a Bird Flu epidemic is to ban the import of poultry from countries with confirmed cases. The bird caretakers must avoid contact with wild birds, control the human traffic in poultries, practice proper washing and disinfection, and report to the authorities any case of strange illnesses in birds or workers.

The general public must wash their hands properly after handling chicken meat, clean kitchen surfaces well, cook poultry at high temperatures, not sell live chicken on market places, not allow birds to run free in the yard, not place other species in the same place with birds, avoid contact with wild birds and report any case of dead birds in their farm.

People can safely travel to counties with Bird Flu cases as the disease is not transmitted from a person to another. In such cases of travels, tourists must avoid visits to places where birds may occur.

Questions and Answers about bird flu(avian Influenza) by Groshan Fabiola

Bird Flu is an infectious disease of birds that can also affect people. It can present mild or severe forms of illness. The only subtype that can cause severe illness to people is Influenza A /H5N1 virus, initially it affects chickens, ducks and other birds by the process of mutation they can become highly pathogenic. Because highly pathogenic viruses can survive for long periods in tissue, water and in the environment, especially when temperatures are low is transmitted very easily in chickens and other birds through direct contact with feces and secretions from infected birds, eggs, feed, water, cages equipment, vehicles and clothing. The virus is excreted orally and in feces 10 days if the bird survives. Domestic birds can get infected when they roam freely or share water supply with other birds. The virus may be transported from farm to farm with contaminated equipment, vehicles, feeds, cages, or clothing, especially shoes. Luckily, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and through cooked chicken meat. But particles of discharges with the bird avian flu inhaled in market, poultry, surfaces and aerosols are very dangerous.Avian influenza affects chickens and the poultry industry, recombined with the human influenza viruses form a totally new influenza virus to which people do not have protection that spreads in the population and that causes serious illness and death in humans.

Signs and symptoms of bird flu in chickens: Infection determines many symptoms from mild illnesses to highly contagious and severe epidemics. Among them a decline in activity and in egg production, facial swelling and bluish-violet colored combs and wattles, diarrhea, hemorrhages, paralysis, sudden deaths.

Signs and symptoms of bird flu in humans are similar to other influenza viruses: sore throat and cough, fever, muscle weakness and/or pain with complications such as: severe viral pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome, multi- organ failure.

How to make a differential diagnostic between avian influenza, pneumonia or any other respiratory illness?

A laboratory and epidemiologic confirmation of the bird flu infection is needed and details required such as patient had direct or indirect contact with sick chickens or other birds.Treatments of bird flu are antiviral drugs, but some of these drugs are expensive and supplies are limited.

To prevent recombination of avian with the human influenza virus: is recommended a vaccine used against circulating strains in humans to those exposed to bird flu. Even better is recommended the prevention: to cease importating of live chickens and other poultry products from countries affected with bird flu, avoid contact of poultry with wild birds, proper hand washing and cleaning and disinfection procedures in poultries. Report to authorities any unusual death or illness of chickens other birds or humans. The rest of us should: wash hands with soap and water before and after handling chicken meat. Cook chicken well, not to let chickens roam freely, do not place chickens, ducks and pigs together in one area. Local Government Officials should: apprehend illegal trading of poultry, not allowing chickens to roam freely, correctly informate the community, advise public not to catch, get near or keep in captivity wild birds.

Avian influenza the disease that afects birds and humans by Groshan Fabiola

Avian Influenza first occurred in Italy, but nowdays is spread along the world.It is an infectious disease caused by type A strains of the influenza virus.

All birds are supposed to be susceptible to the avian influenza, but particularly domestic poultry. The only subtype that can cause severe illness to people is Influenza A /H5N1 virus, initially it affects chickens, ducks and other birds by the process of mutation they can become highly pathogenic. If the bird flu virus recombines with a human flu virus and mutate it may become possible the transmission from human to human as happened in Asia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia Thailand. The disease may affect the birds in two form: a mild one and a highly lethal one.

The lethal form manifests as a severe disease, rapid contagious and a high mortality rate in 48 hours. It has been named"chicken Ebola" because of the massive internal haemorrhaging. All 16 HA and 9 NA subtypes are known to infect waterfowl, but in wild birds routine testing will always find new viruses those are inactive viruses. Highly pathogenic viruses have a genetic mark which distinguishes them from other viruses, by combining sets of amino acids the low pathogenic viruses transform in highly pathogenic ones.

Avian influenza viruses are easily transported from farm to farm even to new geographical areas by migratory birds and by contaminated people, vehicles, equipment, feed, and cages. Viruses survive for quite long in low temperatures, in high temperatures viruses have been shown to survive fewer days. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) recommends vaccination against outbreaks. Control measures are of all infected or exposed birds, proper disposal of carcasses, the quarantining and rigorous disinfection of farms, and the implementation of strict sanitary, or biosecurity, measures.

Outbreaks are difficult to control and present a high risk of infection, poverty is a determining factor for transmission of bird flu when butchering and preparation of poultry meat for cooking. Restrictions on the movement of live poultry, both within and between countries, are another important control measure. In small rural areas an outbreak is hard to be detected because usually people are disinformed and tend to think that thing aren't so bad and that it could only be a natural death, not even thinking of avian influenza so they do not alert the authorities. The owners may even want to protect their birds when culling because if the avian influenza virus is found the birds will be killed and the farmers won???t be recompensated. Control is far more difficult under poultry production systems in which most birds are raised in small backyard flocks scattered throughout rural or periurban areas.