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2007-9-3 23:41:37 |
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The H5N1 strain that causes highly pathogenic bird flu killing more than 160 people worldwide was confirmed in chicken in southern Japan, The Associate Press cited the Japanese Agricultural Ministry as saying Tuesday. No human case of H5N1 bird flu has been reported this time. There has been only one non-fatal human case since 2003. The confirmation tests were conducted on Thursday by the National Institute of Animal Health, according to Agriculture Ministry official Hiroyuki Ozono. Earlier tests Saturday confirmed the bird flu strain was an H5 virus; but the type of the virus was unknown. The bird flu outbreak killed about 4,000 chickens last week at a poultry farm in Kiyotake town in Miyazaki state. The survival chickens along with all the dead birds were burned on Monday, according to health officials. In response to the outbreak, the government has prohibited the shipment of eggs and chickens at 16 farms within a 6-mile radius of the affected farm, The AP reported. Health officials disinfected the affected area on Tuesday. Meanwhile in northern Thailand, the virulent bird flu virus was confirmed to be the cause for the deaths of more than 100 ducks in northern Phitsanulok province, The AP cited Manet Runluang, an official at the Public Health Ministry's Department of Communicable Disease Control as saying. As a measure to curb the spreading of the disease, wide and free range ducks within a three mile radius of the affected area have been gathered to be slaughtered. The outbreak was the first in last six months. In Thailand, 17 people were killed by the H5N1 virus, according to The AP. The bird flu virus has infected 267 people in ten countries and killed more than 161 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. The virus has spread across Asia, into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, infecting wide migrating birds, poultry, and humans in rare cases. The WHO has recently warned countries in Asia, Africa and Europe of the persistent risk of the H5N1virus. But the European Union was cited by Reuters as saying on Tuesday that it does not need new measures against bird flu for now despite the recent outbreaks of H5N1in Asia. "All the measures that we have currently are sufficient to protect the community in that development," European Commission spokesman Philip Tod told a daily news briefing. As a precaution, the EU has restricted imports of poultry and related products from some Asian countries where outbreaks of bird flu occurred. Questions and Answers about avian influenza (bird flu) from cdc.gov How is avian influenza detected in humans? Avian influenza cannot be diagnosed by symptoms alone, so a laboratory test is required. Avian influenza is usually diagnosed by collecting a swab from the nose or throat during the first few days of illness. This swab is then sent to a laboratory, where they will either look for avian influenza virus using a molecular test, or they will try to grow the virus. Growing avian influenza viruses should only be done in laboratories with high levels of protection. If it is late in the illness, it may be difficult to find an avian influenza virus directly using these methods. If this is the case, it may still be possible to diagnose avian influenza by looking for evidence of the body's response to the virus. This is not always an option because it requires two blood specimens (one taken during the first few days of illness and another taken some weeks later), and it can take several weeks to verify the results. What are the implications of avian influenza to human health? Two main risks for human health from avian influenza are 1) the risk of direct infection when the virus passes from the infected bird to humans, sometimes resulting in severe disease; and 2) the risk that the virus ¨C if given enough opportunities ¨C will change into a form that is highly infectious for humans and spreads easily from person to person. How is avian influenza in humans treated? Studies done in laboratories suggest that the prescription medicines approved for human influenza viruses should work in treating avian influenza infection in humans. However, influenza viruses can become resistant to these drugs, so these medications may not always work. Additional studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of these medicines. Does seasonal influenza vaccine protect against avian influenza infection in people? No. Seasonal influenza vaccine does not provide protection against avian influenza. Should I wear a surgical mask to prevent exposure to avian influenza? Currently, wearing a mask is not recommended for routine use (e.g., in public) for preventing influenza exposure. In the United States, disposable surgical and procedure masks have been widely used in health-care settings to prevent exposure to respiratory infections, but the masks have not been used commonly in community settings, such as schools, businesses, and public gatherings. Can I get avian influenza from eating or preparing poultry or eggs? You cannot get avian influenza from properly handled and cooked poultry and eggs. There currently is no scientific evidence that people have been infected with bird flu by eating safely handled and properly cooked poultry or eggs. Most cases of avian influenza infection in humans have resulted from direct or close contact with infected poultry or surfaces contaminated with secretions and excretions from infected birds. Even if poultry and eggs were to be contaminated with the virus, proper cooking would kill it. In fact, recent studies have shown that the cooking methods that are already recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for poultry and eggs to prevent other infections will destroy influenza viruses as well. So to stay safe, the advice is the same for protecting against any infection from poultry: * Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw poultry and eggs. * Clean cutting boards and other utensils with soap and hot water to keep raw poultry from contaminating other foods. * Use a food thermometer to make sure you cook poultry to a temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit Consumers may wish to cook poultry to a higher temperature for personal preference. * Cook eggs until whites and yolks are firm. The U.S. government carefully controls domestic and imported food products, and in 2004 issued a ban on importation of poultry from countries affected by avian influenza viruses, including the H5N1 strain. This ban still is in place. For more information, see Embargo of Birds from Specified Countries. We have a small flock of chickens. Is it safe to keep them? Yes. In the United States there is no need at present to remove a flock of chickens because of concerns regarding avian influenza. The U.S. Department of Agriculture monitors potential infection of poultry and poultry products by avian influenza viruses and other infectious disease agents. For additional information about avian influenza visit pandemicflu.gov. Avian Influenza A (H5N1) |
