:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/2QAFVYCYRBFNTDSBNAV7TMUC6Q.jpg "How dangerous bird flu is for humans and what precautions should be taken, experts say")
With Uruguay and Argentina, there are already 13 countries in America that there have been outbreaks of avian flu in domestic birds or poultry or wild from last year. Epidemics have also affected mammals. Alone 2 characters (one in the United States and another in Ecuador) acquired the infection until.
The origin of bird flu: the infection that started in birds but progressed to mammals
The disease, which has already been detected in 13 countries in the Americas, is caused by a virus that affects wild and domestic birds, but recent cases have been reported in other species. The details of the scientific study of South American sea lions in Peru
At present, no cases of people with the bird flu virus have been reported in Argentina or Uruguay. In Argentina only one case has been confirmed in a andean goose died in Laguna de Pozuelos, in the province of Jujuy.
also others 7 avenues of the same species that were with this animal died, as he explained to GlobeLiveMedia the national director of animal health of the National Service for Health and Food Quality (SENASA), Ximena Melon. So far, no cases of bird flu have been detected in birds in the country’s productive sector.
In the border area between the departments of Maldonado and Rocha, Uruguay, the death of black-necked swans due to avian flu has been detected. Argentina and Uruguay have declared a health emergency due to the infection.
Avian flu: what is it, how is it transmitted and what is the risk for humans
Argentina has confirmed the first case in the country. It is a wild migratory bird, found in Jujuy. What are the most important points to take into account in the face of the H5N1 virus and the main recommendations
The National Ministry of Health has given recommendations for the prevention of infection, particularly when people are near domestic birds or wild birds.
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that humanity should prepare for a possible human bird flu pandemic. Although they considered there to be a “low” risk of a pandemic occurring, experts from this health agency have estimated that the circulating strain of bird flu could jump from domestic and wild birds to more populations of mammals and could affect humans.
1- How often do humans catch the bird flu virus?
They are analyzing a suspected case of avian flu in Jujuy and the government will announce preventive measures
A bird of the biguá species appeared as a possible case in a rural area in the north of the country. Senasa analyzes the samples to determine if it is the H5N1 virus
The flu or avian influenza is an infectious disease that mainly affects birds. It is caused by a virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae. Certain subtypes of the avian influenza virus are highly pathogenic: they seriously affect animals and can cause death.
According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO), the avian flu epidemic season occurs with around 290 reported outbreaks in poultry and around 140 in wild birds between December 2, 2022 and January 5, 2023. These cases in birds have been recorded in Europe, America, Asia and Africa.
Birds can transmit the bird flu virus to humans. But the risk of transmission from birds to humans is low. In America, a case was reported in the United States on April 29, 2022. The second detection was in a girl in Ecuador on January 9, according to the Argentine Ministry of Health.
2- What symptoms does bird flu cause in humans?
Avian influenza can manifest as asymptomatic or mild symptoms with upper respiratory tract involvement or progress to severe forms of pneumonia, respiratory distress and multi-organ involvement. Common symptoms are: fever, cough, sore throat, headache, shortness of breath, conjunctivitis, depending on the virus subtype.
So far, no human-to-person transmission caused by the circulating virus has been reported in the Americas or the rest of the world during the current epidemic season.
3- How can a person catch bird flu?
People acquire the infection mainly through direct contact with live or dead infected animals or with their contaminated environment.
It is important to note that the disease is not transmitted to people through the consumption of poultry meat and poultry by-products, such as chickens or eggs. The consumption of chickens or eggs “does not endanger the health of people”, said the health portfolio.
The National Ministry’s Health Access Secretary, Sandra Tirado, explained that the likelihood of transmission of the virus from a sick bird to a human is very low and also brought peace of mind to the population about the consumption of poultry meat or its products. “Digestive transmission of this type of flu has not been recorded so far,” he said.
4- How dangerous can the bird flu virus be if it affects humans?
As he replied to GlobeLiveMediaAriel Vagnozzi, veterinarian and head of the avian disease laboratory at the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in Castelar, province of Buenos Aires, “until today, the bird flu virus has only been confirmed than in an Andean goose in Argentina, that is, it has only been detected in wild birds. So far, the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus has not been found in the country’s poultry.”
The expert said there is a high risk of commercial poultry contracting the bird flu virus in the country. “If the virus were to reach poultry, there is an increased risk of transmission to humans, especially to those in close contact such as farmers. But the risk of transmission from birds to humans is low. This is because the virus has a surface protein that adheres better to the cells of birds.”
Although Vagnozzi pointed out: “A person can become infected if they are in very close contact with birds affected by avian flu and their excretions. It’s a difficult situation, but not impossible.” In 19 years, from 2003 to 2022, 868 human cases of bird flu have been reported worldwide.
5- What happens if someone eats a chicken that has bird flu?
“If poultry, like chickens, are infected with the bird flu virus, the establishments detect the problem. Animals are usually killed or euthanized to prevent the spread of infection. Therefore, these animals do not reach the legal market for the sale of chickens,” replied Vagnozzi.
The specialist recommended that if anyone sees sick or dead poultry or wild birds, do not touch them. In this case, the National Health and Food Quality Service (SENASA) must be notified, whose telephone number is 11-5700-5704.
6- Are there any mobility restrictions due to bird flu today?
Currently, the Health Portfolio in Argentina has indicated that there are no restrictions for travel to areas affected by influenza or avian influenza. “However, people who travel to areas with bird flu epidemics are recommended to take the necessary preventive measures to avoid the risk of contracting the disease,” he said.
In Peru, due to the health emergency caused by the bird flu virus, access to beaches where affected birds and mammals were found was closed last December.
7- What other treatments prevent bird flu?
Frequent hand washing with soap and water or the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers is recommended. Avoid direct contact with wild birds and, if possible, observe them only from a distance.
It is recommended to avoid unprotected contact with poultry that appear sick or dead. For birds in large cities, such as sparrows and pigeons, the risk is considered very low because these birds have not been shown to be very susceptible to the virus to date. Surfaces that may be contaminated with saliva, mucus or faeces from wild birds or poultry should not be touched.
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