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Bird flu
Bird or Avian flu (in particularly H5N1 virus) hit World headlines in Autumn 2005, however it was first documented in birds in Italy 1878, and first documented in humans in Hong Kong 1997. The virus re-emerged in humans in 2003. The outbreak in 2003 to 2005 is thought to have killed about 100 people - more than half of the people who have caught Avian flu have died from it. Bird flu viruses have 16 H subtypes, and 9 N subtypes. Four types of the virus are known to infect humans; H7N3, H7N7, H9N2, and H5N1 which is by far the most serious
THE
RISK FROM BIRDS
At the moment people at risk in the UK are those who work closely with
infected birds. Avian flu is highly contagious and deadly in birds, and
is spread by them, mainly in their faeces. People who work with birds
in the UK are instructed to observe good hygiene and disinfection procedures
The risk of infection from domestic or wild birds is extremely low, so the practice of thoroughly washing hands with soap and water (followed by drying) after contact with wild or domestic birds, or after visiting areas where there could be bird faeces (such as parks and woodland) will help minimise the risk of infection
AVIAN FLU EPIDEMIC
At the moment Avian flu does not transmit easily to humans. Most cases
have been traced to the accidental ingestion of faeces from an infected
bird. Experts say it is still safe to eat poultry in the UK providing
it has been properly cooked, and as a safety measure the Government has
banned imports to the UK of chicken from all affected countries
The big worry is that the virus will mutate into one that can be passed from human to human. The situation that could enable this to happen would be if a person has Influenza, and Avian flu at the same time, and the virus manages to mutate. If the virus mutates into a form that can easily be passed from human to human the consequences could be severe, because such a virus would be a new strain of flu, nobody would have immunity against it, and there is not yet an effective vaccination. So far there is no confirmed evidence of this virus spreading from one person to another
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms in humans who get H5N1 range from fever, sore throat and
cough to severe respiratory illness and organ failure in fatal cases.
Early symptoms in humans are likely to be similar to normal influenza
such as fever and cough, and the time from exposure to the source of infection
to onset of influenza is likely to be between three and five days, with
a maximum time of seven days
IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING TO AN AFFECTED AREA
If you are visiting countries with reported outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu
among poultry, you should observe the following measures:
- do not visit bird or poultry farms or markets
- avoid close contact with live or dead poultry
- do not eat raw or poorly-cooked poultry
- do not eat raw or poorly-cooked poultry products, including blood
- wash your hands frequently with soap and water
If you have been in contact with live or dead poultry in an affected country be aware of the symptoms of bird flu in humans. They are similar to ordinary flu symptoms and can appear suddenly. They may include - a fever (temperature of 38°C or more), cough, shortness of breath, headache, sore throat, sore eyes, muscle aches - if you have these symptoms whilst abroad and have been in close contact with live or dead poultry you should seek medical advice locally
IF YOU ARE RETURNING FROM AN AFFECTED AREA
If you develop the above symptoms within seven days of leaving an affected
country and you had close contact with live or dead poultry, it is very
important that you:
- seek immediate medical attention
- telephone your doctor or ring NHS Choices on 0845 4647 stating your symptoms and recent travel history
- follow the advice you are given
Medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol may help relieve the symptoms. Follow the instructions with the medicine. Do not give aspirin to children under 16 years of age. As with any respiratory infection, you should follow good hygiene practices by: covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using tissues only once when coughing or sneezing and, disposing of them promptly and carefully, washing your hands frequently with soap and water
For further travel advice consult the National Travel Health Network
Centre (NaTHNaC) www.nathnac.org
and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site www.fco.gov.uk
Sources: Adapted from information supplied by; Chief Medical Officer, World Health Organisation, Health Protection Agency, Department of Health
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