|
 What
is avian influenza (bird flu)?
Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses.
These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry
the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them.
However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated
birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.
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Do
bird flu viruses infect humans?
Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but more than 100 confirmed
cases of human infection with bird flu viruses have occurred since 1997.
For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) maintains situation updates
and cumulative reports of human cases of avian influenza A (H5N1). Please
visit the WHO links for additional information, as well as links to previous
situation updates and cumulative reports.
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How
are bird flu viruses different from human flu viruses?
There are many different subtypes of type A influenza viruses. These subtypes
differ because of certain proteins on the surface of the influenza A virus
(hemagglutinin [HA] and neuraminidase [NA] proteins). There are 16 different
HA subtypes and 9 different NA subtypes of flu A viruses. Many different
combinations of HA and NA proteins are possible. Each combination is a
different subtype. All known subtypes of flu A viruses can be found in
birds. However, when we talk about “bird flu” viruses, we
are referring to influenza A subtypes chiefly found in birds. They do
not usually infect humans, even though we know they can. When we talk
about “human flu viruses” we are referring to those subtypes
that occur widely in humans. There are only three known A subtypes of
human flu viruses (H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2); it is likely that some genetic
parts of current human influenza A viruses came from birds originally.
Influenza A viruses are constantly changing, and they might adapt over
time to infect and spread among humans.
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What
are the symptoms of bird flu in humans?
Symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from typical flu-like symptoms
(fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia,
severe respiratory diseases (such as acute respiratory distress), and
other severe and life-threatening complications. The symptoms of bird
flu may depend on which virus caused the infection.
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How
does bird flu spread?
Infected birds shed flu virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces.
Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with contaminated
excretions or surfaces that are contaminated with excretions. It is believed
that most cases of bird flu infection in humans have resulted from contact
with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces. The spread of avian influenza
viruses from one ill person to another has been reported very rarely,
and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond one person.
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How
is bird flu in humans treated?
Studies done in laboratories suggest that the prescription medicines approved
for human flu viruses should work in preventing bird flu infection in
humans. However, flu viruses can become resistant to these drugs, so these
medications may not always work. Additional studies are needed to prove
the effectiveness of these medicines.
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What
is the risk to humans from bird flu?
The risk from bird flu is generally low to most people because the viruses
occur mainly among birds and do not usually infect humans. However, during
an outbreak of bird flu among poultry (domesticated chicken, ducks, turkeys),
there is a possible risk to people who have contact with infected birds
or surfaces that have been contaminated with excretions from infected
birds. The current outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) among poultry
in Asia and Europe (see below) is an example of a bird flu outbreak that
has caused human infections and deaths. In such situations, people should
avoid contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces, and should
be careful when handling and cooking poultry. For more information about
avian influenza and food safety issues, visit the World Health Organization
website. In rare instances, limited human-to-human spread of H5N1 virus
has occurred, and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond
one person.
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What
is an avian influenza A (H5N1) virus?
Influenza A (H5N1) virus – also called “H5N1 virus”
– is an influenza A virus subtype that occurs mainly in birds. Like
all bird flu viruses, H5N1 virus circulates among birds worldwide, is
very contagious among birds, and can be deadly.
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What
is the H5N1 bird flu that has been reported in Asia and Europe?
Outbreaks of influenza H5N1 occurred among poultry in eight countries
in Asia (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand,
and Vietnam) during late 2003 and early 2004. At that time, more than
100 million birds in the affected countries either died from the disease
or were killed in order to try to control the outbreak. By March 2004,
the outbreak was reported to be under control. Beginning in late June
2004, however, new outbreaks of influenza H5N1 among poultry were reported
by several countries in Asia (Cambodia, China [ Tibet ], Indonesia, Kazakhastan,
Malaysia, Mongolia, Russia [ Siberia ], Thailand, and Vietnam). It is
believed that these outbreaks are ongoing. Most recently, influenza H5N1
has been reported among poultry in Turkey and Romania. Human infections
of influenza A (H5N1) have been reported in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand,
and Vietnam.
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What
is the risk to humans from the H5N1 virus in Asia and Europe?
The H5N1 virus does not usually infect humans. In 1997. However, the first
case of spread from a bird to a human was seen during an outbreak of bird
flu in poultry in Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region. The virus
caused severe respiratory illness in 18 people, 6 of whom died. Since
that time, there have been other cases of H5N1 infection among humans.
Recent human cases of H5N1 infection that have occurred in Cambodia, Thailand,
and Vietnam have coincided with large H5N1 outbreaks in poultry. The World
Health Organization (WHO) also has reported human cases in Indonesia.
Most of these cases have occurred from contact with infected poultry or
contaminated surfaces; however, it is thought that a few cases of human-to-human
spread of H5N1 have occurred.
So far, spread of H5N1 virus from person to person has been rare and
has not continued beyond one person. However, because all influenza viruses
have the ability to change, scientists are concerned that the H5N1 virus
one day could be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person
to another. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there
is little or no immune protection against them in the human population.
If the H5N1 virus were able to infect people and spread easily from person
to person, an influenza pandemic (worldwide outbreak of disease) could
begin. No one can predict when a pandemic might occur. However, experts
from around the world are watching the H5N1 situation in Asia very closely
and are preparing for the possibility that the virus may begin to spread
more easily and widely from person to person.
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How
is infection with H5N1 virus in humans treated?
The H5N1 virus currently infecting birds in Asia that has caused human
illness and death is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine, two antiviral
medications commonly used for influenza. Two other antiviral medications,
oseltamavir and zanamavir, would probably work to treat flu caused by
the H5N1 virus, but additional studies still need to be done to prove
their effectiveness.
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Is
there a vaccine to protect humans from H5N1 virus?
There currently is no commercially available vaccine to protect humans
against the H5N1 virus that is being seen in Asia and Europe. However,
vaccine development efforts are taking place. Research studies to test
a vaccine to protect humans against H5N1 virus began in April 2005, and
a series of clinical trials is underway. For more information about the
H5N1 vaccine development process, visit the National Institutes of Health
website.
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What
is the risk to people in the United States from the H5N1 bird flu outbreak
in Asia and Europe?
The current risk to Americans from the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Asia
is low. The strain of H5N1 virus found in Asia and Europe has not been
found in the United States. There have been no human cases of H5N1 flu
in the United States. It is possible that travelers returning from affected
countries in Asia could be infected if they were exposed to the virus.
Since February 2004, medical and public health personnel have been watching
closely to find any such cases.
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What
does CDC recommend regarding the H5N1 bird flu outbreak?
In February 2004, CDC provided U.S. health departments with recommendations
for enhanced surveillance (“detection”) in the U.S. of avian
influenza A (H5N1). Follow-up messages, distributed via the Health Alert
Network, were sent to the health departments on August 12, 2004, and February
4, 2005; both alerts reminded health departments about how to detect (domestic
surveillance), diagnose, and prevent the spread of avian influenza A (H5N1).
The alerts also recommended measures for laboratory testing for H5N1 virus.
CDC currently advises that travelers to countries with known outbreaks
of influenza A (H5N1) avoid poultry farms, contact with animals in live
food markets, and any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with feces
from poultry or other animals. CDC does not recommend any travel restrictions
to affected countries at this time. For more information, visit
Travelers' Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
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What
is CDC doing to prepare for a possible H5N1 flu pandemic?
CDC is taking part in a number of pandemic prevention and preparedness
activities, including:
- Providing leadership to the National Pandemic Influenza Preparedness
and Response Task Force, created in May 2005 by the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Working with the Association of Public Health Laboratories on training
workshops for state laboratories on the use of special laboratory (molecular)
techniques to identify H5 viruses.
- Working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
and others to help states with their pandemic planning efforts.
- Working with other agencies such as the Department of Defense and
the Veterans Administration on antiviral stockpile issues.
- Working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Vietnamese Ministry
of Health to investigate influenza H5N1 in Vietnam and to provide help
in laboratory diagnostics and training to local authorities.
- Performing laboratory testing of H5N1 viruses.
- Starting a $5.5 million initiative to improve influenza surveillance
in Asia.
- Holding or taking part in training sessions to improve local capacities
to conduct surveillance for possible human cases of H5N1 and to detect
influenza A H5 viruses by using laboratory techniques.
- Developing and distributing reagents kits to detect the currently
circulating influenza A H5N1 viruses.
- Working together with WHO and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
on safety testing of vaccine seed candidates and to develop additional
vaccine virus seed candidates for influenza A (H5N1) and other subtypes
of influenza A virus.
Working together with WHO and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
on safety testing of vaccine seed candidates and to develop additional
vaccine virus seed candidates for influenza A (H5N1) and other subtypes
of influenza A virus.
(Source: Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention)
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