When avian influenza, or influenza A subtype H5N1, appeared in China a decade ago, it caused the mass slaughter of fowl in an attempt to contain the disease. Today, the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, in the United States have gained much information about the flu's causes and means of transmission.
History
Although it was first recognized in 1878 in Italy, the 1997 outbreak of avian flu in Hong Kong brought world attention to the strain. Avian flu, whose clinical name is avian influenza 1, subtype H5N1, originally affected Southeast Asia. According to "Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment," outbreaks emerged in 2003 which involved people from 65 countries of East and Southeast Asia, Eurasia, Western and Eastern Europe and Northern Africa. The 387 confirmed cases include 245 fatalities as of January, 2009.
Features
Avian flu presents like most other flu types. The only way to identify it properly involves doing an antigen test of the swabbed contents of the nasal cavity or throat of an infected person. NYTimes.com states in its health guide that the flu brings with it fever, headaches, breathing difficulty and gastrointestinal complaints. Children, prone to severe cases, have died of respiratory failure.
Causes
Avian flu, aptly named for its source, comes from birds, chickens, ducks and turkeys. According to the CDC, the virus spreads easily between the birds as they eat and drink from the same source and have exposure to each other's droppings. Thus, the virus spreads more rapidly through flocks of poultry and domestic birds. On a chicken farm mortality runs as high as 90 to 100% within 48 hours. In many cases of infectious disease, humans and animals don't contract illnesses from one another. Of the few that do cross the barrier, avian flu has had the largest number of transmissions, according to the CDC.
Treatment
H5N1 avian flu is resistant to the drugs amantadine and rimantadine, anti-virals normally used to treat influenza A. "Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment," says that the current first-line treatment for avian flu as of 2010, oseltamivir, doses at 75 mg twice a day for five days within 48 hours of flu onset. In some areas of the world where amantadine and rimantadine still show susceptibility, a higher dose of oseltamivir for a longer duration may accompany those medicines. A human vaccine has received license approval in the United States. Non-medical controls like wearing masks, social distancing, quarantine and limiting travel help contain an outbreak.
Prevention
To lessen the probability of spread of avian flu, take some precautions. Always handle poultry with hygienic practices. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching poultry or its juices. Clean all surfaces with an anti-microbial cleaner and disposable cloth such as a paper towel. Keep all utensils used on poultry separate from other foods. Dishwasher washing best cleans utensils, plates and cutting boards. Cook poultry thoroughly. Its inner temperature should reach 70 degrees before eating. Never use a fractured egg that came that way in the carton. If the egg's contents spill onto an intact egg, clean the shell thoroughly before breaking open the good egg. Discard any broken eggs if you don't know how they got that way. The risk of contracting avian flu from consuming cooked poultry is low due to cooking temperatures. Never eat raw or undercooked poultry.
References
- Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment; Stephen J. McPhee and Maxine A. Papadakis; 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Key Facts About Avian Influenza; 2007
- NY Times Health Guide: Avian Influenza; 2010
