Avian Flu What you should know

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Avian Flu What you should know!
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Avian Flua.k.a.Bird Flu
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REMEMBER

• The ABC television movie titled
• Fatal Contact Bird Flu in America
• It was a movie not fact.
• There is no influenza pandemic in the world at
  this time.!

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Avian Flu

• Influenza A viruses
• Generally only found in birds
• Low human risks (generally)
• Reports of human infection have occurred since
  1997

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What does influenza infect ?

• Birds (domestic and wild)
• Cats
• Humans
• Pigs
• Aquatic mammals (seals, whales)
• Horses
• Possible in dogs, mice, and rats

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Avian Influenza A

• There are many subtypes of type A influenza
  viruses. All known subtypes of influenza A
  viruses can be found in birds.
• The most commonly observed that is of high
  concern, has been subtype H5N1

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H5N2

• During 1983-1984 an epidemic of subtype H5N2
  occurred in the U.S. and began with low
  mortality.
• Within six months the mortality approached 90
  percent. Control required destruction of 17
  million birds.

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Virus strains-subtypes

• H5N1
• H9N2
• H7N2
• H7N7
• H7N3

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Key Facts about Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus

• Virus occurs naturally among birds.
• Wild birds carry the virus in their intestines,
  but may not get sick. However, domesticated
  birds (duck, chickens and turkeys) get extremely
  sick and often die.
• Infected birds shed influenza through saliva,
  nasal secretions and feces.
• Domestic birds may become infected by direct
  contact or contact with surfaces or materials
  that have been contaminated with the virus.

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Key Facts about Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus

• Virus may survive more than one month in bird
  droppings during cold weather and usually a week
  during hot weather.

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Standard Precautions

• Quarantines
• Stringent sanitation measures
• Reduce livestock and pet contact
• Reduce human contact

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Bird Import Ban

• Birds
• Bird products

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Should I wear a surgical mask to prevent exposure
to avian flu ?

• Currently, it is not recommended for routine
  prevention in the USA.
• However, disposable surgical and procedure masks
  have been widely used in health-care settings to
  minimize exposure to respiratory infections.

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Is it safe to be around flocks of wild or
domestic birds ?

• Yes, currently only in the US

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How is it spread to me ?

• Direct contact (bird, feces, mucus)
• Contaminated surfaces
• Through an intermediate host (pig, horse)

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Poultry is raised next door, are they safe ?

• Yes, for sanitary reasons, you should wash your
  hands after handling any poultry or other animal.

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What are the symptoms in birds ?

• Discharge from eyes, nose, swollen sinuses and a
  fluffed-up appearance.
• In severe cases, swelling of head, comb, legs,
  feet, along with a blue coloration of their mucus
  membranes.

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Is Bird Flu contagious from wild animals ?

• Yes

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What precautions should hunters observe ?

• Do not handle or eat sick game.
• Wear rubber or disposable gloves while handling
  and cleaning game.
• Wash hands with soap and water or an alcohol
  based hand cleaning product.
• Thoroughly clean knives, equipment and surfaces
  that come in contact with game.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke while handling game
• Cook all game thoroughly.

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What precautions should hunters observe ?

• Reminder, many game birds are migratory.

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Is it safe to dispose of a dead wild bird ?

• It is legal to dispose of dead wild birds in the
  trash.
• Contact you local county health department, UT
  Extension office or Tennessee Wildlife Resources
  Agency (TWRA) if multiple dead animals are
  observed.

Remember, use rubber gloves when handling any
dead animal.
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Suggestions for pet owners

• If you are within 100 miles of an outbreak, if
  possible, keep pets (cats and dogs) indoors.
• Limit range of horses near forested areas
• Do not allow any livestock or pets to feed near
  dead animals.
• If possible, keep barns free of wild birds.

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Signs of Avian Flu in domestic cats

• Pyrexia (elevated body temperature)
• Protruding third eyelid
• Conjunctivitis
• Labored breathing associated with acute pneumonia

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Death of Donald Duck
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10 Facts About Avian Flu

• Avian influenza type H5N1 is a disease currently
  affecting birds in several parts of the world.
  Most of the affected birds are wild waterfowl
  such as swans and ducks.
• The H5N1 virus does not easily cross from birds
  to humans.
• People that have been infected in other parts of
  the world had been in close contact with live or
  dead infected birds, principally domestic
  poultry.
• As the epidemic affects wild birds, it can be
  expected to continue to affect various regions in
  the coming months.
• The disease may occasionally spread from birds to
  other animals such as cats. This should not lead
  to any significant increase in the risk to
  humans.

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10 Facts About Avian Flucontd.

• 6. Very stringent veterinary measures are in
  place in the EU.
• 7. Temporary protection and surveillance zones
  are established in areas where infected birds are
  found.
• 8. Very specific measures are also in place to
  protect domestic poultry and to prevent infected
  birds entering the food chain.
• 9. In any case, thorough cooking ensures that
  meat and eggs are free of any virus.
• 10. The risk to the public of catching the H5N1
  virus from live animals or from poultry products
  is very low.

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Take Home Points

• There is no influenza pandemic in the world at
  this time.
• The H5N1 subtype is almost exclusively a disease
  of birds.
• Currently, the virus has not spread human to
  human.
• There are various subtypes of this virus.
• Become informed not alarmed!

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Consumption of Poultry Products

• It is safe to eat poultry.
• Trade from protection and surveillance zones
  within the EU (where infected birds have been
  found) is only allowed under strict veterinary
  controls and imports from affected 3rd countries
  are banned.
• In case of an outbreak on a poultry farm, the
  entire flock would be culled and disposed of
  immediately. Poultry meat and eggs produced on
  these farms are also destroyed.
• Even in the very unlikely event of the virus
  being present in meat or eggs, thorough cooking
  destroys the virus. So well-cooked meat and eggs
  pose no risk.
• Meat from vaccinated poultry is not harmful for
  human health as the virus included in the vaccine
  is killed and cannot multiply.

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Groups at Risk

• People who keep birds such as chickens, ducks and
  geese near where they live need not be overly
  alarmed, but they should be aware of the risks.
• Other people who come into regular contact with
  poultry (e.g. farm workers, vets) or wild birds
  (e.g. hunters, bird watchers) also need to be
  aware of the risks and take precautions.
• Travelers should be aware of the risk and those
  living or traveling to areas where infected birds
  have been found may need to take precautions.
  National authorities are there to advise on any
  questions.
• Other members of the public - It is very
  unlikely that other members of the public would
  be in contact with infected birds.

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Good Sense Precautions

• Don't touch sick or dead wild birds or poultry
  and inform your local veterinary authorities if
  you find any suspicious numbers of dead or ill
  birds.
• Follow the normal rules of good hygiene -- i.e.
  wash your hands with soap after contact with
  birds or their droppings
• If there is an outbreak of highly pathogenic
  avian influenza among birds in your area
• a. Authorities may impose temporary restrictions
  on the movement of poultry and declare certain
  places off-limit to people. It is important that
  you follow these instructions as they are
  designed to stop the virus spreading.
• b. In these areas, pet cats should be kept
  indoors to prevent them from coming into contact
  with wild infected birds or their droppings, and
  to prevent them transporting the virus on their
  paws and becoming infected themselves.

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• - Follow instructions from local veterinary
  authorities, especially on the
• need to feed and water poultry indoors and to
  keep poultry indoors in
• risk areas.
• Notify the authorities if unusually high numbers
  of dead wild birds
• are seen, or if unusually high numbers of their
  birds die. In this case,
• people are not to touch dead or sick birds
  themselves
• Keep the birds out of their home and follow good
  hygiene rules in particular,
• hand washing with soap when in contact with
  birds or bird excrement.
• Discourage their children from playing with the
  birds and teach them to tell
• an adult if they see sick or dead birds.
• Make sure children in particular understand the
  rules of basic hygiene.
• Never slaughter or eat sick or dying birds, as
  this could carry greater risk.

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Travel

• There is little or no risk from traveling to
  countries outside Europe or areas inside the EU
  where avian flu has been detected, provided you
  avoid visiting poultry farms or bird markets and
  follow the precautions outlined earlier.

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Thank you Are there any questions?