Flu season is starting - How to avoid getting the flu?
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu!!)
Bird flu refers to
a severe or fatal strain of influenza viruses that affect domesticated or wild
birds and can at times also be transmitted to humans. Bird flu as it is
conventionally referred to is Avian influenza or Avian flu.
The microscopic
infectious agent which replicates only inside living organisms is "VIRUS "a
common contagious viral infection that in the higher risk-prone groups could
prove deadly is "INFLUENZA or FLU "
and the one brought about by viruses adapted to birds is “AVIAN INFLUENZA or AVIANFLU".
There are four
types of Influenza viruses ''A", "B",
"C"&"D" out of these
types "A" is acclimated almost entirely to birds and
for most purposes referred to as Avian Influenza. The strain of avian influenza
can be categorized into two based on their pathogenicity (potential ability to
produce disease) in birds particularly:
(i) High
Pathogenicity (HP) -severe and at times deadly
(ii)Low
Pathogenicity (LP)-mild
Most strains
of avian influenza are not highly pathogenic and cause very little signs of
disease in wild birds while they can mutate and cause drastic illness in
poultry birds.
OUTBREAK of 2021
The first week of
January 2021 was filled with anticipations and hopes wherein our nation was
busy manufacturing vaccines for the world's biggest inoculation program and
conducting dry runs to deal with SARS -COV-2, another virus fled to the nation
affecting drastically not humans but birds this time.
Highly
pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was detected in birds across India and was confirmed
in Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Himachal
Pradesh also alert has been sounded in Maharashtra,
Delhi, and several other states too.
Eyes rose to the
issue when several wild birds were found dead in Kerala and Pong Dam Wildlife
Sanctuary of Himachal Pradesh.
After the bizarre
bird deaths, their samples were sent to Bhopal in the National
Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases for investigation,
and the strain H5N8 of avian influenza was detected.
The strain H5N8
outbreaks were reported in 2016, in Asia, and was found in domestic ducks in
China. Though this strain shows a low risk to humans but is highly fatal to
wild birds and poultry.
In Kerala,
around 1700 ducks were found dead belonging to a single farmer's flock due to
the strain.
Himachal
Pradesh reported
3000 birds mostly bar-headed geese infected. Madhya Pradesh officials
found 155 crows dead.
Rajasthan reported infection in peak flows and
crows.
Under
section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 Indian government can take actions to contain
the spread of the flu.
The mass killing
of infected birds to avoid the spread of infection is culling. Culling of local
chickens and ducks began on 12 January itself in Kerala's Alappuzha and
Kottayam areas. Around 69000 birds in Kerala have culled so far. The state has
reported the same strain in 2016 too. Maharashtra government ordered the
culling of 8000 hens in Parbhani.
Other states are
on high alerts too.
The primary source
of inception of the infection scientifically speculated are migratory birds who
travel to India from Central Asian nations during the winter months and the
secondary source of spreading includes human handling (fomites).
RISK TO HUMANS :
Type A viruses at
times can stably adapt to humans and hence zoonotic i.e. can be transmitted
from animals to humans thus putting humans also at risk. But not all strains of
avian influenza viruses infect humans only 5 subtypes H5N1, H7N3,
H7N7, H7N9, H9N2 do. Though the spread of the virus in humans is
quite low the mortality rate is alarming and is 60%.
The first case of
human infection was reported in Hong Kong in 1997 when a poultry farm worker
caught the infection from infected birds.
People who are
poultry handlers and who deal with the sale of live animals are the ones at the
highest risk of getting infected. Another vulnerable group of people include
ones with comorbidities or aged above 65 years, pregnant women, and infants
aged below 2 years.
SYMPTOMS :
-runny nose
-sneezing
-sore throat
-dry cough
-headache
-fever
-body pain
-chills
-avoid consuming
uncooked or partially cooked eggs and chicken
-avoid coming in
close contact with infected poultry
IS IT SAFE TO CONSUME EGGS OR CHICKEN?
There is this myth
attached to the consumption of poultry items during the outbreak of this
epidemic.
So should one eat
them or not?
Scientifically
there is little evidence to prove and support the fact that consumption of
poultry eggs and meat can infect healthy people.
Therefore it is
safe to eat them after thorough washing and cooking.
In fact WHO has
also stated that Heat kills any germs /pathogens present on the surface or even
beneath the poultry.
-avoid using a
microwave for cooking
- avoid using
runny eggs
- allow the yolk
to become firm before eating
-cook food at or
above the temperature of 70-degree Celsius
-strictly avoid
using slaughtered meat
and you are
good to go.
Humans are at risk
of the bird flu but the strain H5N8 subtype detected in birds in 2021 in India
has fewer chances of spreading to humans as compared to the H5N1 subtype. This
strain is much more lethal for birds. Yet it by no means give us a reason to
take it casually. It is important to first segregate the healthy birds and
contain the infection and at the same time remain cautious.
