9/3/12 Bird Flu (Avian influenza)

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BirdFlu(Avianinfluenza)
I. Introduction:
1. Bird Flu:
Infectious disease of birds caused by type A (H5N1) strains of influenza virus. Bird flu is also referred to as avian (bird)
influenza (flu). The H5N1 virus spreads rapidly among birds destroying their internal organs and has a mortality that could
reach 100% within 48 hours.
2. Migratory Water Fowl the Carriers of the Disease:
Migratory water fowl carry the virus. These infected birds shed the virus through their droppings, saliva and nasal secretions.
Domestic poultry become infected from contact through contaminated water, feed, and soil or by inhaling the airborne virus..
3. Spread of the Disease to Humans:
A strain of the virus, the H5N1 is responsible for the current incidence of disease in humans. Found in the intestine of birds,
the virus is excreted through faeces. It spreads through contaminated nasal, respiratory and faecal material from infected
birds. The World Health Organisation has not found proof to suggest that the virus is transmitted through food..
4. Human Deaths due to the Disease:
Since the outbreak of bird flu in 2003, the H5N1 virus has infected 388 people in 15 countries resulting in the death of 246
of them, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO)..
5. Fear of a Pandemic:
The avian influenza virus H5N1 could mutate and evolve into a form that is easily spread between people resulting in an
influenza pandemic which could sweep across the globe in a matter of months, killing millions and causing economic and
social havoc..
6. No Proof of Human-to-Human Transmission:
No human-to-human transmission has been confirmed in the current outbreak..
7. Symptoms in Humans:
Typical influenza-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches. Other symptoms include, eye infection,
acute respiratory distress, viral pneumonia, and kidney failure..
8. Treatment:
Antiviral drugs are effective against influenza A virus strains but have some limitations. Two drugs oseltamivir (commercially
called Tamiflu) and zanamivir (commercially called Relenza) are effective in treating seasonal influenza. The drugs have to
be administered early. Tamiflu is costly and in limited supply and fears have been expressed that the virus may develop
resistance to it..
9. First Pre-Pandemic Vaccine Against Bird Flu:
In May 2008 the European Commission granted licence to market the worlds first pre-pandemic vaccine against bird flu,
intended to be used in the first stages of a bird flu pandemic. Developed by the British pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline,
the Prepandrix vaccine targets the most virulent strain of the virus that can be fatal to humans. The vaccine is seen as a
significant step to cope with the influenza pandemic.
10. Precautions to be Taken:
Avianfluviruscansurviveinfrozenfood.
Allpoultrybasedediblesincludingeggsshouldbecookedthoroughly.
Boilingmeatkillsthevirus.
Keepawayfromlivepoultry,pigsandducks.
Washhandsfrequentlywhilehandlingrawmeat.
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II.Background:
1.Influenza:
Influenzaistheresultofaviralinfectionoftherespiratorytract.Itspreadsthroughtinyairbornedropletsofrespiratoryfluidsfrom
aninfectedperson.Thesedropletscanbereleasedintotheairwhensuchpersoncoughsandsneezes.
2.TypesofInfluenzaVirus:
Influenzavirusesaredividedintothreetypes:
A,BandC.ThetypeAinfluenzaviruseswhichinfecthumans,birdsandanimalssuchaspigandhorseareofparticularconcern
astheyarecapableofswappinggenesandcreatingnewvarietiesofthevirus.Thenewvarietiesarenotdetectedandstoppedby
theimmunesystem.
3.MutationsoftheInfluenzaVirus:
Experts believe that mutations commonly occur in the influenza virus and could produce a highly infectious form of new strain.
Oncesuchastrainappears,aflupandemiccaneasilyoccuraspeoplewouldhavenoimmunitytotheH5typeofhaemagglutinin.
4.AH5N1Strain:
AftercloselyexaminingthecasesofinfluenzafromthenewH5N1strain,healthexpertsbelievethatmultipleinfectionsofthenew
strainmighthaveoccurredandthatboththesourceandmodeoftransmissionarestilluncertain.
5.HistoryFluPandemic:
191819,SpanishFlu:
Mostlethalinfluenzapandemicever,killed20millionpeoplecausedbyH1N1subtypevirus.
195758,AsianFlu:
StartedinChinaandresultedinthedeathofmorethan750,000peopleworldwidecausedbyH2N2virus.
1968HongKongFluPandemic:
In1968HongKongflupandemic(worldwideepidemic)killed700,000peopleworldwidecausedbyH3N2virus.
HongKong1997,FirstHumanInfectionofBirdFlu:
The bird flu in Hong Kong represents the first documented human infections with the avian influenza A(H5N1) virus. The virus
infected18peoplekilling
6. In order to curb the spread of the disease, the authorities in Hong Kong slaughtered the regions 1.2 million chicken in
December1997.
20032005GlobalSpreadoftheVirus:
H5N1virusstrainaffectshumansinAsia,Europeandotherpartsoftheglobe.TheWHOwarnedthattheviruscouldmutateand
killupto150millionpeople.
III.CurrentGlobalConcernOvertheSpreadofBirdFlu:
1.GlobalSpreadoftheDiseaseMorethan65CountriesAffected:
Since the outbreak of the disease in December 2003 in East Asia, it has spread globally. More than 65 countries across Asia,
Europe,Africa,andtheMiddleEasthavebeenaffectedbybirdflu.Thespreadacrosscontinentsisattributedtomigratorybirds,
movementoflivebirdsandpoultryproducts.
2.Humancaseshavebeenreportedfrom14countriesofwhichsevenareinAsia.
3.MillionsofChickenKilledAcrossAsia:
FollowingtheoutbreakofbirdfluinDecember2003tensofmillionsofchickenandducksacrossAsiahadbeenkilledtoprevent
theavianinfluenzavirusspreadingtohumans.
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4.RecentOutbreaksinManyAsianCountriesConcernovertheRiskofIgnitinganInfluenzaPandemic:
Outbreaks of bird flu have been reported in recent months from a number countries in Asia including China, India, Indonesia,
Myanmar,ThailandandVietnam.ThereisgrowingconcernthatthattheH5N1viruscouldmutatebymixingwithotherseasonal
influenzastrainswhichcouldigniteaninfluenzapandemic.
5.WHOFeelsthattheBirdFluistheMostSeriousGlobalHealthThreat:
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned about the risk to the global community from the bird flu. It has observed that
avianinfluenzaisthemostserioushealththreatfacingtheglobalcommunity.
6.H5N1VirushasBecomeMoreLethal:
Scientists point out that the H5N1 virus has become more lethal with time. In May 2005, over a thousand migratory waterbirds
werekilledbytheH5N1virusinChina.Thevirushasgainedtheabilitytoinfectmorespecies,includingcatsandtigers.
7GeneticEvidenceofEvolutionoftheH5N1Virus:
ReportsfromChinasuggestthatpigsinChinawerefoundtobecarryingH5N1virus.ThereweresimilarreportsfromIndonesia.
Avianandhumanfluvirusescanbothinfectpigsandexchangegenes.Thus,pigscouldactasmixingvesselsthatproduceflu
strains dangerous to humans. This suggests that the H5N1 virus has become more infectious to humans. There is also genetic
evidencetoprovetheevolutionoftheH5N1virus.
8EquitableAccesstoBirdFluVaccines:
InJune2007,memberstatesoftheWHOagreedtoaddressthequestionofputtinginplaceanequitablearrangementforsharing
bird flu samples and benefits of research. Indonesia which bore the brunt of bird flu outbreaks, had stopped sending samples to
theWHOinprotestagainsttheabsenceofanyguaranteeofaccess,intheeventofapandemicoutbreak,tovaccinesthatmight
bedevelopedusingitssamples.
9.PreventionofPandemicContainingtheVirusatSource:
Experts point out that the best method of preventing a pandemic is containing the virus at source which is the animal sector.
Amongtheimportantcontrolmeasuresarepractisingbiosecurity,cullingofpoultryalongwithadequatecompensationtofarmers,
andvaccinationofpoultry.
IV.ThreatofBirdFluinIndia:
1.Background:
BirdFluOutbreakinMaharashtraandGujaratinFebruary2006:
The Avian influenza or bird flu disease is under control in India after the outbreak of the disease in Maharashtra and Gujarat in
February2006,accordingtoofficialsoftheAnimalHusbandryDepartment.
CountrywideSurveillanceAgainsttheDisease:
A regular countrywide surveillance mechanism is on to check any possible outbreak of the disease in future. Samples were
regularly being drawn on a countrywide scale and were being tested for H5N1 virus. Since the initial outbreak in February 2006,
only50samplesoutof2,00,000sampleshadtestedpositive,accordingtoofficials.Zoningsurveillancemechanismaspartofa
longtermstrategyisalsobeingconsideredbytheCentre.
10LakhBirdsCulled:
AftertheoutbreakofbirdfluinIndiaabout10lakhbirdshadbeenculled.Poultryfarmersgotcompensationona50:50basisfrom
boththeCentralandStateGovernments.
Rs.22,000CroreLossestoDomesticPoultryIndustry:
ThelosstothedomesticpoultryindustryaftertheoutbreakofbirdfluinIndiaisestimatedtobeRs.22,000crore.
BirdFluViruswascarriedbyMigratoryBirdsfromChina:
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BirdFluViruswascarriedbyMigratoryBirdsfromChina:
AccordingtotheHighSecurityAnimalDiseaseLaboratory(HSADL)thebirdfluvirusinIndiacamethroughmigratorybirdsfrom
ChinawhichcarriedthevirusviaEuropeandWestAsia.
July2007BirdFluStrikesinManipur:
In July 2007 an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza was noticed in a village near Imphal in Manipur after
samples of affected birds tested positive on July 25, 2007, at the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal and the
National Institute of Virology in Pune. Over 132 infected birds of a total flock of 144 from a single poultry unit died in six days
fromJuly7,2007.
1.5LakhBirdstobeCulledinManipur:
About 1.5 lakh birds within a 5km radius of the affected village would be culled in the next ten days from July 26, 2007. The
Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), comprising of animal husbandry and community health personnel, started the operations. The
Governmentwouldcompensatethefarmersforthedestructionofthebirds.
NoCaseofHumanInfection:
No case of human infection had been reported. The 21 family members in a cluster of three houses handling poultry and nine
veterinarystaff,whogotexposedtotheinfectedbirds,wereprovidedprophylacticcoverandwerereportedtobehealthy.
January2008BirdFluOutbreakin13DistrictsofWestBengal29LakhBirdsCulled:
InmidJanuary2008casesofbirdfluoutbreakwerereportedfromsomedistrictsinWestBengal.Thediseasesoonspreadto13
ofthe19districtsofWestBengal.About29lakhbirdswereculledinthe13districtstillFebruary2008.
Nosuspectedhumancasesofavianinfluenzaweredetected.
2.NovemberDecember2008OutbreakofBirdFluinNorthEastandWestBengal:
InthelastweekofNovember2008outbreakofbirdfluwasreportedfromAssamandinDecember2008partsofMeghalayaand
WestBengalwerealsoaffectedbythedisease.
NearlyfourlakhbirdswereculledinAssam,MeghalyaandWestBengal.
129RapidResponseTeamswereengagedinAssamduringthefinalphaseofculling.
3.BirdFluUnderControlinIndia:
OnDecember19,2008,theDepartmentofAnimalHusbandrysaidthattherewasnofurtherreportofunusualmortalityofpoultry
in any part of the country. The High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal did not report of any poultry sample testing
positiveforbirdfluinanypartofthecountry,includingAssamandWestBengal.
V.Conclusion:
1.SuggestedMeasurestoCombattheSpreadoftheAvianInfluenza:
ThefollowingmeasureshavebeensuggestedbyofficialsinEuropetocombatthespreadoftheAvianInfluenza:
A.ReducingtheChancesofHumanInfection:
Controlling the spread of the disease in poultry through culling and changes in the farming system. Increase in collaboration
between the animal and public health sectors. Strengthening communication to rural areas and improving the environmental
detectionofthevirus.
B.StrengtheningtheEarlyWarningSystem:
Improving the viral detection in humans combined with the detection of new outbreaks in birds with active searches of human
cases.
CoordinatingclinicalsearchinAsia.
Givingvulnerablecountriesincentivetocollaborateinternationally.
C.ContainingtheSpreadattheSource:
Establishinganinternationalstockpileofantiviraldrugsanddevelopingmassdeliverysystems.
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D.ReducingDeathsandSocialDisruption:
Monitortheevolvingpandemicinrealtime.
Introducingmeasuressuchasquarantine,travelrestrictionsandclosingofschools.
2.BioSecurityMeasures:
Undertheproposedbiosecuritymeasuresstepsaretobetakentobreakthelinkbetweenthemigratorybirdsanddomesticwater
fowl(ducksandchicken).Thisisdonethrough"netting"i.e.separatingmigratorybirds,theirimplementsandfeedfromdomestic
waterfowl.About20millionmigratorybirdsarriveinIndiabetweenFebruaryandMarchandJuneJulyfromNorthandNorthwest
countries.
3.WHOAdvisedCountriestoputinPlaceNationalPreparednessPlanstoContaintheSpreadofAvianInfluenza:
The World Health Organisation (WHO) urged all countries to put in place national preparedness plans to prevent avian influenza
andtocontainitsspread.

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