BIRD FLU and YOU

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BIRD FLU and YOU
Brookings Register, November 2005
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INFLUENZA A

• There are THREE known A subtypes of influenza
  viruses (H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2) currently
  circulating among humans.
• 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 can adapt over time to infect
• and spread among humans.

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AVIAN INFLUENZA(Bird Flu)

• Infection caused by bird flu virus
• Occurs naturally in wild birds
• Wild birds carry virus in their intestines,
• but usually dont get sick
• Very contagious among birds
• Can make domesticated birds
• (chickens, ducks, turkeys)
• very sick and kill them

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l/images/Chicken208x102030020dpi.jpg
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Why worry about Bird Flu if it is a bird disease?

• Three strains of bird flu (H5N1, H9N2 and H7N7)
  have been transmitted to people
• H5N1 is genetically similar to the H1N1 virus
  strain that caused the 1918 Flu pandemic.
• Most cases have occurred in previously healthy
  children and young adults.
• It has a high mortality rate
• (50 of the humans infected so far have died)

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H5N1
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smoke.html

• H5N1 virus does not usually infect people, but
  more than 140 human cases have been reported by
  the World Health Organization since January 2004
• Most of these cases resulted from people having
  direct or close contact with infected poultry or
  contaminated surfaces

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Why worry about H5N1?

• So far, the spread of H5N1 virus from person to
  person has been rare and has not continued beyond
  one person.
• Nonetheless, because all influenza viruses have
  the ability to change, scientists are concerned
  that 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.

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WHY WORRY?

• A few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have
  occurred, but have not spread beyond this initial
  infection
• If H5N1 virus were to gain the capacity to spread
  easily from person to person, a worldwide
  outbreak of disease could begin.
• In the current outbreaks in Asia and Europe, more
  than half of those infected with the virus have
  died.

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Where in the world is H5N1?

• Influenza A (H5N1), has caused infections in
  birds and HUMANS in Asia and Europe (Cambodia,
  Tibet, Mongolia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand,
  Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Siberia, Ukraine, and
  recently Turkey.

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da/
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Flu pandemics

• 1918 Spanish flu killed 50 million
• 1957 Asian flu killed around 1million
• 1968 Hong Kong flu killed 1million
• 1976 Swine flu was a dud

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graves.jpg
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Influenza Pandemic of 1918

• Infected 1/5 of worlds population and killed
  somewhere between 20 and 40 million people
• It has been cited as the most devastating
  epidemic in recorded world history.
• More people died of influenza in a single year
  than in four-years of the Black Death Bubonic
  Plague from 1347 to 1351.
• Known as "Spanish Flu" or "La Grippe" the
  influenza of 1918-1919 was a global disaster.

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http//www.stanford.edu/group/virus/uda/flurespons
e.html
FLU PANDEMIC of 1918

• Infected 28 of all Americans
• An estimated 675,000 Americans died
• (ten times as many as in the World War I)
• An estimated 43,000 U.S. servicemen mobilized for
  WWI died of influenza
• (1/2 of casualties were from flu NOT the war
  itself)

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EVEN IN SOUTH DAKOTA
http//www.sdhistory.org/arc/flunewspapers.htm
28 of people who died in South Dakota in 1918
died from INFLUENZA
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PRECAUTIONS
http//www.sdhistory.org/arc/flunewspapers.htm
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http//www.sdhistory.org/arc/flunewspapers.htm
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INFLUENZA A (FLU)

• COMMON SYMPTOMS
• Fever
• Cough
• sore throat
• and muscle aches
• OTHER POSSIBLE
• other infections
• pneumonia
• severe respiratory diseases
• severe and life-threatening complications

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PREVENTION
This is NOT an airborne disease so there are
ways that you can protect yourself,

• Wash your hands
• Use cough etiquette
• Stay home if you're sick
• Stay away from people who are sick

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Will a Flu Shot now protect me from Bird Flu?

• The viruses in flu vaccine change each year based
  on which strain is expected to be the problem
• Current vaccine protects against
• 2 strains of A (H3N2 H1N1)
• 1 strain of B
• NOT AGAINST H5N1
• It takes about 2 weeks after vaccination for flu
  antibodies to develop in your body

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s/influenza20virus.jpg
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Can we make a NEW VACCINE?

• There currently is no commercially available
  vaccine to protect humans against H5N1 virus
• Research studies to test a vaccine to protect
  humans against H5N1 virus began in April 2005,
  and a series of clinical trials is under way

http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3524824.stm
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CAN OTHER MEDICINE HELP?

• The H5N1 virus that has caused human illness and
  death in Asia is resistant to amantadine and
  rimantadine, two antiviral medications commonly
  used for influenza.
• There currently is no commercially available
  vaccine to protect humans against H5N1 virus that
  is being seen in Asia and Europe.

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Tamiflu Anti-viral medicine

• Can be used for prevention OR
• once you have virus
• One pill protects you for one day
• Experts believe the first wave in a given area
  would last up to 100 days.
• You would need to stockpile about 100 doses of
  Tamiflu and start taking them from the moment you
  hear the virus is circulating in your region.
• Shortage right now!

http//www.cbc.ca/news/background/avianflu/avian-
faqs.htmlq8
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WHAT IS BEING DONE?

• World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring ALL
  REPORTED cases around world
• EARLY detection and intervention
• of first human to human infection is VITAL to
  STOPPING the spread and preventing a world wide
  EPIDEMIC

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WHAT IS BEING DONE?

• Several countries are currently testing a vaccine
  against H5N1
• Production of anti-virals (Tamiflu) has been
  increased
• Public education about prevention and early
  detection
• Plans by Governments for action in case of
• epidemic