Avian influenza prevention and treatments

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. 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. 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, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Eygpt, China, and Iraq where people died. Bird flu affected Australia in 1997 but, was eradicated.Water birds are supposed to carry the avian influenza type A virus inside their intestines and to distribute it in the environment through bird faeces. Infection determines many symptoms in wild and domesticated birds 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. Signes 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, eye infections, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain and heart. Health experts have made research into tests and vaccines, and rigorous quarantine practices. Spanish flu was the worst influenza pandemic and occurred in 1918-19. There have been adopted governmental federal plans Australian Action Plan for Pandemic Influenza, to prevent an outbreak among poultry farms. Treatments of bird flu are antiviral drugs, Relenza and Tamiflu, 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. A vaccine against bird flu is in development.Suggestions for people travelling to affected countries: Wash eggs thoroughly before breaking and wash your hands thoroughly after handling eggs. Don't go to farms or market places. Wash hands, utensils thoroughly after handling raw poultry. Cook poultry at high temperatures.You may get help from: a doctor, Avian Influenza Hotline, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Communicable Diseases Section.Remember: Although bird flu is spread between birds it affects humans through bird faeces and discharges.If you seem to get flu symptoms see immediately a doctor and explain him how exposed you have been to avian influenza.

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Avian influenza

Whether it is something to be feared of, avian influenza commonly known as bird flu is certainly present on our planet. Possibly wide spreading contagious or even deadly for humans, bird flu has brought great controversy to our society.The causes of avian influenza also known as bird flu are different types of influenza viruses. The disease is common with wild birds around the planet but they seem not to be affected by the infection. On the other hand domestic poultry like chicken, turkeys, ducks can catch the flu through bird to bird transmission, the mortality rate being very high. Even more, scientists have discovered different types of bird flu: H5N1, H1N2 and H3N2, the former being the most commonly spread. The letters and numbers that give the name of the disease represent the various types of proteins forming the virus: Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidaze.Furthermore, there have been cases of the H5N1 virus affecting humans. All the people infected with the avian flu are living in extreme poverty and in close quarters with their domestic birds. Another example of possible transmission of the H5N1 virus is to workers of poultry farms who are in everyday contact with the infected birds and their secretions and remains that are highly contagious.Moreover, it is unlikely for the disease to be transmitted from one human to another. Be that as it may, the main concern in scientific circles is the mutation of the virus. This replication can cause new avian influenza strains and it is not known whether they will be deadly for people or not. At the moment the little data on avian influenza in humans has made it impossible to create an efficient vaccine. Nonetheless, antiviral drugs do exist and they are well targeted in stopping the replication of the viral enzymes.In the past years bird flu has enjoyed special attention from the media who have been more than happy to transform th infection into a 21th century Armageddon. Consequently, due to the bad publicity, a large majority of the world population has shifted to alternative medicine. Even more, there has been a decrease in vaccination against common diseases such as rubella, measles and even common flu which are known to be lethal unless protection and prevention methods are taken.And so, nowadays there are no clear answers whether bird flu will become a world wide pandemic threatening our health and existence. But what is certain is that the H5N1 virus is present, it is constantly mutating and the need for a vaccine is greater now than ever.

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Avian influenza in birds

Avian influenza is an an infection brought on by avian (fowl) influenza (flu) A viruses. These influenza A viruses happen naturally amongst birds. Wild birds worldwide get flu An infections in their intestines, however normally don't get sick from flu infections. Nevertheless, avian influenza could be very contagious among birds and a few of these viruses can make certain domesticated fowl species, including chickens, geese, and turkeys, very sick and kill them. Infected birds can shed influenza virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Inclined birds develop into contaminated once they have contact with contaminated secretions or excretions or with surfaces which can be contaminated with secretions or excretions from contaminated birds. Domesticated birds may develop into infected with avian influenza virus through direct contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry, or by means of contact with surfaces (such as dirt or cages) or materials (comparable to water or feed) which were contaminated with the virus. An infection with avian influenza viruses in domestic poultry causes two main forms of disease that are distinguished by high and low extremes of virulence. The "low pathogenic" kind could go undetected and normally causes solely delicate signs (reminiscent of ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production). Nevertheless, the highly pathogenic kind spreads extra quickly by means of flocks of poultry. This type might cause disease that impacts a number of internal organs and has a mortality fee that may reach 90-one hundred% usually inside 48 hours. Extremely pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1)Highly pathogenic Influenza A (H5N1) virus - also known as "HPAI H5N1 virus" - is an influenza A virus that happens primarily in birds, is very contagious amongst birds, and can be lethal to them, particularly home poultry. HPAI H5N1 virus does not usually infect individuals, however infections with these viruses have occurred in humans. Most of these cases have resulted from people having direct or close contact with H5N1-contaminated poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces. Treatment and vaccination for HPAI H5N1 virus in humansThe HPAI H5N1 virus that has triggered human illness and loss of life in Asia is proof against amantadine and rimantadine, two antiviral medications licensed by the US Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) for influenza A. However, these medicine aren't beneficial for influenza therapy at this time because of resistance among both HPAI H5N1 and resistance in opposition to circulating human influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 viruses. . Two different antiviral drugs, oseltamivir and zanamivir, can be utilized for the therapy of HPAI H5N1 although WHO guidance includes a preference for oseltamivir.

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