Bird Flu
Bird flu is also called avian influenza. It is a viral infection that can infect not only birds but also humans and other animals. Most forms of the virus are restricted to birds.
H5N1 is the most common form of bird flu. It’s deadly to birds and can easily affect humans and other animals that come in contact with a carrier. According to World Health Organization, H5N1 was first discovered in humans in 1997 and had killed nearly 60% of those infected.
Currently, the virus isn’t known 犀利士
to spread via human-to-human contact. Still, some experts worry that H5N1 may pose a risk of becoming a pandemic threat to humans.
In India, till 22nd January, 2021 outbreaks of Bird flu have been confirmed in 9 States – Kerala, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab for poultry birds and in 12 States – Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab for Crows/Migratory/ Wild birds.
The disease is transmitted to humans through contact with infected bird feces, nasal secretions, or secretions from the mouth or eyes. H5N1 has the ability to survive for extended periods of time. Birds infected with H5N1 continue to release the virus in feces and saliva for as long as 10 days. Touching contaminated surfaces can also spread the infection.
Persons like poultry farmers, travelers visiting affected areas, those exposed to infected birds or someone who eats undercooked poultry or eggs have a greater risk of contracting H5N1.
Consuming properly cooked poultry or eggs from infected birds doesn’t transmit the bird flu, but eggs should never be served runny. Meat is considered safe if it has been cooked to an internal temperature of 165ºF (73.9ºC).
Symptoms of H5N1 include – cough, diarrhea, respiratory difficulties, fever (over 100.4°F or 38°C), headache, muscle aches, malaise, runny nose or sore throat. Some potential complications include – sepsis (a possibly fatal inflammatory response to bacteria and other germs), pneumonia, organ failure or acute respiratory distress.
It is recommended to call your doctor if you have flu symptoms within 10 days of handling birds or traveling to areas with a known avian flu outbreak.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have approved a test designed to identify avian influenza. The test is called influenza A/H5 (Asian lineage) virus real-time RT-PCR primer and probe set. It can offer preliminary results in only four hours. However, the test isn’t widely available. Therefore, doctors may perform tests like auscultation (a test that detects abnormal breath sounds), white blood cell differential, nasopharyngeal culture and chest X-ray. Additional tests can be done to assess the functioning of your heart, kidneys, and liver.
The treatment for this disease may vary from case to case. But in most cases, treatment with antiviral medication such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) can help reduce the severity of the disease. However, the medication must be taken within 48 hours after symptoms first appear.
The CDC has issued no recommendations against traveling to places that are affected by H5N1. However, you can minimize your risk by avoiding open-air markets, contact with infected birds and to have undercooked poultry.
Be sure to practice good hygiene and wash your hands regularly.