What is Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)?

Avian Influenza or Bird Flu is a contagious disease of birds. Migratory waterfowl especially wild ducks are a natural reservoir of avian influenza viruses. Domestic poultry (chickens, ducks, turkeys) are susceptible to the infection. Avian influenza rarely affects human but the recent outbreak in Viet Nam and Thailand and also the outbreak in Hong Kong in 1997 showed that close contact of live infected poultry was the source of human infection.

Avian influenza is caused by type A influenza virus which have many sub-types depending on the surface antigen, haemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). The symptom varies depending on the infected strain. The current avian influenza outbreak is caused by H5N1 strain. This strain is higy fatal with death rate up to 100% in domestic chicken.

How is The Diseases Transmitted?

Infected birds shed the virus in saliva, nasal secretions, urine and faeces. The virus can lived up to 30 days in the infected faeces. The disease can spread from infected birds to human through:
1. Direct contact with infected birds/chickens
2. Handling of manure of infected birds/chicken
3. Contaminated water ponds with infected bird/chicken faeces
4. Transfer of infected faces on clothing and contaminated equipment

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the avian influenza also affect human?
In most cases, avian influenza do not normally infect other than birds and pigs. The first documented outbreak of human with an avian influenza virus occurred in Hong Kong in 1997.
The most recent outbreak occurred in January 2004 when H5N1 avian influenza virus was isolated in human cases in Vietnam and Thailand.

What are the sysmptoms of Avian Influenza when infected human?
The symptoms are similar to the other common diseases like common cold; high grade fever, sore throat and dry cough. In severe fatal cases it can lead to severe respiratory distress secondary to pneumonia. In young and the old, the disease is much worse because of lowered immunity thus giving the virus a chance to replicate faster. So, personal health care is the important part in our normal life to prevent chronic diseases and other common diseases.

How can we avoid the infection?
A void contact with infected poultry and their faeces or dust/soil contaminated with faeces can result in human infection.

Who are at risk?
Those working in poultry farms and those involved in culling of infected poultry and birds. Eggs from infected poultry can also be contaminated with the virus.

How can those at risk be protected?
1. Practice’ good animal husbandry’ such as wearing of mask, gloves, gown and
boots.
2. Must wash their hands frequently.
3. Good hygiene practices during handling of raw poultry meat.

Is the current flu vaccine effective for avian influenza?
It is not effective.

Is it safe to travel to the affected countries?
World Health Organization do not posed a restriction to travel to these affected countries, however it not advisable to visit their poultry, bird farms or animal ‘wet market’ .

Do we need to avoid eating chicken and duck meat?
No. Properly cooked meat is safe.

See your doctor today and take the necessary medical tretaments if you suspect yourself affected by Avian influenza virus.