World Health Organization has received a notification from Russia that seven people have been infected with the H5N8 avian influenza virus. WHO spokesman Yasarevic told Tass, “If confirmed, this will be the first time in the world that someone has contracted the H5N8 avian influenza virus.”
How is the situation of this group of infected people in Russia? Will the H5N8 avian influenza virus cause human-to-human transmission? How can people prevent the transmission of avian influenza virus? Please watch the report sent back by Xinhua News Agency reporters from Moscow and Geneva–
What are the symptoms? Can you pass it from person to person?
On February 21, the Russian news agency quoted a statement from the government of Astrakhan Oblast in Russia, saying that in December last year, seven employees of a farm in the state were infected with the H5N8 bird flu virus, and then suffered mild illness and received outpatient treatment. “their health status was not threatened”. Local quarantine measures have been taken immediately, and farms have culled poultry and destroyed all products.
Popova, director of the Consumer Protection and Public Welfare Supervision Bureau of the Russian Federation, said on the 20th that no human-to-human transmission has been found so far, but it is not ruled out that the future mutation of the virus will lead to human-to-human transmission.
What is H5N8 avian influenza?
H5N8 avian influenza virus is a highly infectious virus between poultry, which was first discovered worldwide in 2014. Japan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Namibia, India, the United States and other countries have found the H5N8 avian influenza virus. In 2016, H5N8 avian influenza outbreaks occurred in many European countries, causing a large number of poultry and wild birds to die.
The analysis report pointed out that wild migratory birds carrying the H5N8 avian influenza virus may cause fodder from poultry farms to be contaminated with the virus. In addition, vehicles, equipment, pollutants, living animals and animal products contaminated with the H5N8 avian influenza virus may also spread the virus.
What happens if people are infected with avian influenza?
So far, the medical community has found that more than one bird flu virus can be transmitted to humans. Acute respiratory infectious diseases caused by certain subtypes of avian influenza virus are called “human avian influenza”. At present, the subtypes of avian influenza virus that infect humans are mainly H5, H7 and H9.
WHO influenza experts say that the avian influenza virus is constantly mutating, and the avian influenza virus transmitted in wild birds and poultry has reached unprecedented diversity and geographical distribution. Avian influenza viruses are usually transmitted among birds, poultry and other animals, but this virus also infects humans from time to time, such as H5 N1, H7N9 and H5N6 avian influenza viruses.
Patients generally show flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, oligophlegm, which can be accompanied by headache, muscle soreness, diarrhea and other systemic symptoms. They can be transmitted through the respiratory tract or in close contact with the secretions and excreta of infected birds, or infected by contact with the environment contaminated by the avian influenza virus.
Can you still eat chicken happily?
The avian influenza epidemic makes people “smell the color of chickens”. Can I eat chicken at ease? Facing the risk of avian influenza transmission, how to contact and raise animals?
