AVIAN INFLUENZA - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
News: Bird
culling begins in Kottayam
What's in the news?
● With
bird flu spreading to more parts of the district, the authorities have started
the culling of more than 7,000 birds in Kottayam in a bid to keep the disease
under control.
● The
presence of the avian influenza virus
(H5N1) was confirmed in two duck farms in Arpookara and Neendoor and a
broiler chicken farm in Vechoor recently.
Bird Flu:
● Bird
flu or avian influenza is a disease caused by avian influenza Type A viruses found naturally in wild
birds worldwide.
Avian Influenza Virus:
● Avian
Influenza type A viruses are classified based on two proteins on their surfaces
– Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA).
● There
are about 18 HA subtypes and 11 NA subtypes.
● Several
combinations of these two proteins are possible e.g., H5N1, H7N2, H9N6, H17N10,
etc.
Infected population:
● The
virus can infect domestic poultry
including chickens, ducks, turkeys and there have been reports of H5N1
infection among pigs, cats, and even tigers in Thailand zoos.
Transmission to humans:
● Bird
flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections
with bird flu viruses have occurred.
● The
most common route of virus transmission is direct
contact - when a person comes in close contact with infected birds, either
dead or alive.
● Humans
can also be affected if they come in contact with contaminated surfaces or air
near the infected poultry.
● There
is no sufficient evidence suggesting the
spread of the virus through properly cooked meat.
Symptoms:
According
to the US CDC, the reported signs and symptoms of avian influenza A virus
infections in humans have ranged from mild
to severe influenza-like illness.
● Fever,
cough, sore throat, muscle aches, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting.
● Severe
respiratory illness (e.g., shortness of breath, difficulty breathing,
pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, viral pneumonia, respiratory failure).
● Neurologic
changes (altered mental status, seizures).
Risk groups:
● Children
and adults below 40 were seen to be the most affected and mortality was high in
10-19 years olds.
Measures against Bird Flu:
● Revised
Action Plan for Prevention, Control & Containment of Avian Influenza (2021)
● Opting Culling method.
● Cleansing
and disinfecting and reduction of people’s movement.
● Vaccination to humans:
Avian Influenza vaccine is available outside India e.g. the USA has developed
the vaccine for Human infection.