According to the World Health Organization (WHO), H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that causes “highly infectious, severe respiratory disease in birds called avian influenza”.
Hundreds of birds have already died due to the virus and authorities warn of possible transmission from birds to humans. Culling of birds is underway in the affected areas by government authorities.
What Is Bird Flu And Its History?
This viral disease is caused by the Type-A Influenza virus, which commonly affects both wild and poultry birds. This virus has several strains, most of them causing mild symptoms and affecting low egg production.
Meanwhile, some variants are lethal causing loss of avian lives. The current outbreak has evidence of H5N1 and H8N1 strains of the virus causing the death of birds.
The first case of Bird Flu was reported in Hong Kong’s live bird market in 1997, It was the H5N1 strain of the virus, and 6 out of 18 infected humans died of the disease.
The disease was contained, but re-emerged a few years later in various other parts of the globe and caused hundreds of human deaths, particularly in Southeast Asia. The movement of infected poultry and migratory birds and illegal bird trade is believed to be the causes of the spread.
How Do Humans Get Bird Flu?
Mostly, the disease spreads through birds, but humans may also catch the virus and get infected if they come close to the infected bird. For example, plucking or cleaning an infected bird, coming in contact with an infected bird or it’s droppings, inhalation of aerosolized materials around areas where birds gather, can make one vulnerable.
However, people cannot catch the virus by consumption of fully cooked chicken or eggs.
Is It Safe To Eat Chicken Or Eggs Amid The flu?
According to WHO, it is “safe” to eat chicken or eggs, as long as it is “properly prepared and cooked”. Normal temperatures used for cooking can kill the virus as it is sensitive to heat.
“As a standard precaution, WHO recommends that poultry, poultry products, and wild game birds should always be prepared following good hygienic practices and that poultry meat should be properly cooked,” WHO guidelines further added.
How The Disease Spreads?
Wild aquatic birds such as ducks and geese are the natural reservoir of influenza A viruses and are the central carriers in the ecology of these viruses.
Many birds carry the flu without developing sickness and shed it in their droppings. Since birds excrete even while flying, they provide a nice aerosol of influenza virus, shedding it all over the world.
From water birds, many of whom migrate and travel long distances, the viruses are thus further spread to poultry and terrestrial birds. Sometimes, the virus jumps over to mammals such as pigs, horses, cats, and dogs.
Bird Flu In India
According to the Union Health Ministry, in India no cases of deaths or the flu in humans have been detected so far.