Avian Influenza - Basic Information

DIAGNOSIS

The symptoms of avian influenza in humans range from typical flu-like symptoms including cough, sore throat and sore muscles, to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory disease, organ failures, and other severe life threatening complications. Avian influenza can only be detected in humans by a laboratory test. The main risks for human health are the risk of direct infection from bird to human, and the risk that the disease will change into a form that can be passed from human to human.

Treatment

The most recent available influenza vaccines do not protect against avian influenza. In the United States, four antiviral medications are approved for treatment of the influenza. The four are Amantadine, Rimantidine, Oseltamivir, Zanamivir. There is limited data that some of the newer antiviral agents, such as Oseltamivir and Zanamivir, are active against H5N1 influenza viruses. However, a strain of H5N1 virus is resistant to Oseltamivir and was recently identified in a Vietnamese girl. The strain retained susceptibility to Zanamivir. It is not recommended that travelers bring along an antiviral medication or treat themselves.

History

The First avian influenza outbreaks were reported for the first time from Russia and Kazakhstan (starting in July) and from Turkey and Romania (starting in October). Avian Flu was actually first recorded in Italy more than 100 years ago in 1878. Besides its devastating effect on domestic poultry, Avian Flu has received a lot of publicity because of what occurred in Hong Kong in 1997. Before that time, Avian flu was thought to infect birds only, however, a different strain of Avian Flu virus was found in humans, this was the first time that Avian Flu was transmitted to humans. During this outbreak, 18 people were hospitalized and 6 of them died. To control the outbreak, authorities killed about 1.5 million chickens to remove the source of the virus. in Italy in 1878, As the cause of massive poultry epidemics, this disease was then known as “Fowl Plague”. This disease first occurred

in the United States in 1924-25, and then again in 1929. In 1955, it was determined that the virus causing Fowl Plague was one of the influenza viruses.

Transmission

Almost all human cases have occurred in people who had direct contact with live, infected poultry. A small number appear to have been caused by long close contact with a family member who was critically ill with the disease. In general, person-to-person transmission appears to be difficult and infrequent. At present, the World Health Organization does not recommend any travel restrictions for any country as of now that are experiencing outbreaks of avian influenza. However, those