How to prevent humans from being infected with avian influenza in summer?

Human infection with avian influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by human infection with the avian influenza virus. It usually occurs in winter and spring. Because when the weather is cold, these birds are more susceptible to infection at this time, and the avian influenza virus is also more likely to survive in winter. In addition, the avian influenza virus may also be affected by bird migration. In winter, birds will migrate south for the winter, thus causing infection.

Avian influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by certain influenza A virus subtypes that infect poultry. Most avian influenza viruses are not transmitted to humans. Currently, the main avian influenza virus subtypes that can cause human illness are H5, H7, H9 and H10; among them, H5N1, H7N9 and H10N8 can cause severe pneumonia after infecting humans. Although avian influenza is most prevalent in winter and spring, it is now summer and the breeding environment has deteriorated. Some chicken farms have poor management levels, excessively increased stocking density (13-16 chickens/m2), poor ventilation control, incomplete cooling facilities in hot weather, inadequate disinfection, and improper handling of dead chickens; at the same time, avian influenza virus strains mutate and become more toxic. Therefore, there is also a high risk of avian influenza in animals in summer, and humans are also at risk of being infected with avian influenza.

1. Populations at high risk of avian influenza

The general population is susceptible to the avian influenza virus. Common high-risk groups include: poultry farmers and their family members who live with them; staff who transport, sell and slaughter poultry; scientific research or quarantine personnel who come into contact with poultry samples or avian influenza viruses; people who raise poultry at home or have close contact with poultry during an avian influenza outbreak; and people who are accustomed to eating raw poultry or eggs.

2. Transmission routes of avian influenza

Avian influenza virus can be transmitted through the respiratory tract, close contact and digestive tract.

1. Respiratory tract: Avian influenza virus belongs to influenza A virus and is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract. Avian influenza virus mainly infects poultry, and can also infect mammals such as pigs, horses and humans through the respiratory tract, digestive tract and close contact.

2. Close contact: When people raise or slaughter chickens or other poultry animals infected with avian influenza, the avian influenza virus in the sick poultry may be transmitted to humans through close contact, causing avian influenza infection.

3. Digestive tract: If people eat poultry infected with avian influenza virus and it is not fully cooked, the avian influenza virus may be transmitted to humans through the digestive tract.

3. What are the clinical characteristics of human infection with avian influenza?

The incubation period is usually within 7 days, usually 2 to 4 days, and some exceed 10 days. Depending on the virus subtype and the patient's condition, the symptoms vary significantly from person to person. Some may only have mild respiratory symptoms or conjunctivitis; severe patients may present with severe systemic reactions, which are fatal. Typical clinical symptoms and signs of human infection with avian influenza: acute onset, similar to common influenza in the early stage, mainly manifested as fever, with body temperature above 39°C for several days; runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, sore throat; obvious systemic symptoms, accompanied by headache, muscle aches, etc.; some patients experience digestive symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Severe patients may have persistent high fever and rapid progression of the disease. Almost all patients show obvious pneumonia, acute lung injury, and a series of serious complications.

If people infected with avian influenza do not receive timely and effective treatment, the disease will progress rapidly and the following complications may occur: acute respiratory distress syndrome, circulatory failure, renal failure, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and severe septic shock.

4. How to treat people infected with avian influenza?

The treatment of human infection with avian influenza is similar to that of common influenza. It is recommended to use specific antiviral drugs such as neuraminidase inhibitors oseltamivir and peramivir in the early stage. At the same time, symptomatic supportive treatment should be strengthened. If the patient cannot eat, fluid replacement is required; if respiratory failure occurs, oxygen should be input; if the patient's water and electrolyte balance is unbalanced, regular monitoring, electrolyte supplementation and acid-base balance correction should be performed. Most treatments are effective and can be cured within a week or so. Only a few patients are severe cases, the condition may increase rapidly, and treatment is more difficult.

Whether it is treated in the hospital or at home. First of all, the patient should be separated from other people, let the patient eat and live alone, keep the indoor air circulating, especially the room where the patient lives, always open the windows and disinfect frequently. If the patient has a fever, to quickly cool down, you can use cold towels, alcohol wipes and other physical cooling, or take medicine to cool down. Children with human avian influenza should take antipyretics appropriately.

5. How to prevent humans from being infected with avian influenza in summer?

1. A healthy lifestyle is very important. You should strengthen physical exercise, take enough rest, and avoid overwork; maintain a balanced diet, and eat more foods rich in vitamin C; pay attention to personal hygiene, and cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.

2. Keep the room clean. Use washable floor mats and avoid using carpets that are difficult to clean. Keep the floor, ceiling, furniture and walls clean. Keep the indoor air circulating. Open the windows twice a day for at least 10 minutes each time or use exhaust fans to keep the air circulating. Try to avoid places with poor air circulation.

3. Pay attention to food hygiene. Cook poultry and eggs thoroughly, do not eat raw or half-cooked eggs, and keep raw and cooked food separate when processing and storing food; develop good hygiene habits, maintain good kitchen hygiene, do not eat raw poultry and internal organs, and wash hands thoroughly after dissecting live (dead) poultry, livestock and their products.

4. Avoid contact with poultry as much as possible, especially children should avoid close contact with poultry and wild birds. Try to buy quarantined poultry products in regular markets; wash hands frequently, stay away from poultry secretions, and be sure to clean your hands thoroughly with disinfectant and clean water after contact with poultry or poultry feces.

5. Pay attention to the disinfection of daily utensils. The avian influenza virus is not heat-resistant and can be inactivated in 2 minutes at 100°C. It is very sensitive to common disinfectants such as drying, ultraviolet radiation, mercury, and chlorine.

6. Do not take colds lightly. The symptoms of avian influenza in humans are similar to those of influenza, such as fever, headache, cough, and sore throat. In some cases, complications may occur, leading to death. If you have respiratory symptoms such as fever, headache, nasal congestion, cough, and general discomfort, you should wear a surgical mask or N95 mask, go to the hospital as soon as possible, and take treatment and medication under the guidance of a doctor.

Human infection with avian influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease with relatively high hazards. The Health Education Center of the Health Commission of Hunan Province reminds the general public that they must take active prevention measures, isolate the respiratory tract at an early stage, try not to contact patients infected with avian influenza, and once there are prodromal symptoms, they must go to the hospital for timely treatment and give antiviral treatment at an early stage. Most patients have a relatively good prognosis.