Avian Influenza-An insight

Avian flu refers to a group of infectious diseases caused by influenza viruses that infect birds causing disease. One sub type of Avian Flu is H5N1. H5N1 is a severe infection with a high mortality rate.The first outbreak of H5N1 bird flu was in December 2003. Since then, over 700 cases have been reported, in Africa, Asia, and Europe with the highest cases reported in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Egypt. The most recent case of H5N1 was reported in Malaysia in March 2017. It killed a number of chickens, but no human cases were reported. It is not easy for humans to catch it, but it is fatal in 60 percentage of cases. Symptoms include blood in the sputum, fever, headache and an upset stomach. Deterioration can be rapid. Antiviral medication can help increase the chances of survival and reduce the impact of the disease. A pandemic is unlikely unless the disease learns to spread between people.

What is H5N1? Type  A strains of the influenza virus cause H5N1 avian flu. H5N1 affects several types of birds. It has mostly been reported in farmed poultry, such as chickens, geese, turkeys and ducks. The virus passes easily between birds, through their saliva, nasal secretions, feces, and feed. They can get the virus from tainted surfaces, such as cages and other farming equipment. Most people with the virus have had direct contact with infected poultry or objects contaminated with bird feces or secretions. Until now, very few cases of human-to-human transmission have occurred. However, if H5N1 were to mutate so that it can pass easily between humans, a pandemic could result.The patient's condition can deteriorate rapidly, resulting in pneumonia, multiple organ failure, and death. Antiviral medication will increase the possibilities of survival and cut back the impact of the illness. A pandemic is unlikely unless the disease learns to unfold between individuals.

Diagnosis

The symptoms of bird respiratory disease embody fluid nose, cough, headache, fever, and chills. These symptoms increase quickly.Early diagnosing will improve the end result of treatment. A doctor can explore the patient's signs and symptoms, and raise regarding any recent travel, and any contact with birds. A metastasis specimen are going to be collected and sent to the science laboratory. individual sought to receive tests at intervals four to five days of symptoms showing. In 2009, the government agency approved the A/H5N1 respiratory disease take a look at, that detects respiratory illness A/H5N1, or bird respiratory disease, from nose or throat swabs collected from patients with flu-like symptoms. In lower than forty minutes, the take a look at will establish a particular macro molecule (NS1) that indicates the presence of A/H5N1 virus sub type.

Treatment

According to the WHO, antiviral medications will suppress infectious agent replication and improve outcomes for patients. Antivirals will forestall some cases from changing into fatal. Oseltamivir ought to be administered at intervals forty eight hours once symptoms seem, for best impact. However, as mortality rates area unit high, doctors could dictate oseltamivir once this point. The dose and length of treatment can rely on however severe the case is. Patients with canal issues might not be able to absorb the drug as effectively as others. Studies recommend that some cases could also be immune to this treatment.. Apart from taking Tamiflu, aid professionals advise patients to:
Rest, drink lots of fluid, receive correct nutrition, receive medications for pain and fever, prescribed by a health care skilled. Complications, adore microorganism respiratory illness, area unit common in patients with H5N1. These patients can would like antibiotics, and a few may have additional gas. it's unfeasible to forestall bird respiratory disease from spreading, however the authorities will facilitate communities steel on self for attainable infections by observation bird migration patterns. Vaccination exists for human seasonal respiratory disease, however not for bird respiratory disease.