H5N6 virus is spread from poultry to humans

The H5N6 virus is spread from birds to humans through an infected nose or mouth secretion, but it is not spread from person to person.

Nearly 30,000 chickens and ducks in Thanh Hoa and Hanoi on 10/2 were culled due to H5N6 avian influenza infection. Health experts warn against H5N6 that can spread to humans.

Avian influenza is a flu virus caused by birds (or birds) that can infect some mammals. The virus was first detected in Ilaly in the early 1990s, appearing in almost every corner of the world.

Avian influenza virus (scientific name avian influenza (AI) belongs to group A influenza virus Orthomyxciridae).

H5N6 is a potentially infectious subtype of avian influenza virus . The H5N6 strain is considered to be a low-pathogenic avian flu, once found on wild birds in Germany, Sweden and the United States. H5N6 is also found in migratory birds in Taiwan.

Avian influenza spreads very fast, killing a lot of poultry in many species such as chickens, ducks, swans, quails, etc., causing serious economic losses to the farmers.

H5N6 bird flu has not been reported from human to human.(Photo: SBS).

Dr. Ngu Duy Nghia, Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Control, Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said H5N6 bird flu can be transmitted to humans and cause death .

In May 2014, China reported the first case and death due to the H5N6 avian influenza subtype. A 49-year-old patient from Sichuan province, before his death, had been exposed to dead poultry and was diagnosed with pneumonia with symptoms of fever, cough, headache, and died on the 10th day after the onset of the disease. In-depth tests revealed that patients were infected with H5N6.

H5N6 virus is spread from poultry to humans through contact with faeces or from infected nose, mouth or bird fluids. The cause of the outbreak is due to poor handling of infected poultry.

Influenza A H5N6 virus can enter the body through eating and drinking, such as ingesting sick poultry and poultry products during processing, undercooked cooking, and pudding. Poor personal hygiene, unclean hands also create conditions for getting influenza A H5N6. Crowded markets or unsanitary places of sale are places where viruses are easily transmitted to the community.

According to Dr. Nghia, H5N6 flu is spread from poultry to humans but there has been no case of human to human transmission. Monitoring and monitoring of disease developments should be done closely to respond promptly to outbreaks in poultry.

Influenza A H5N1, H5N6 viruses . reside in cells deep in the lungs, can not infect the upper respiratory tract and do not spread through coughing or sneezing like other flu viruses. This explains why the human-to-human transmission of this avian influenza virus has not yet occurred.

The International Association of Infectious Diseases ProMED-mail states that deaths from H5N6 in China are singular and the risk of human-to-human transmission is low. People who have been in contact with a 49-year-old patient have no symptoms of infection after being tested and monitored.

During the treatment, samples of liquid samples from the nose or throat of the patient are taken for testing and testing for H5N6 virus. Currently, many avian influenza viruses are resistant to an antiviral drug such as amantadine and rimantadine (Flumadine). Health officials recommend using oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza). These drugs must be used promptly when symptoms of infection are present.

In order to proactively prevent and combat, localities have strengthened supervision and early detection of outbreaks, effectively prevented poultry smuggling, strictly controlled the movement and sale of poultry and other poultry. poultry products. When early detection of influenza A / H5N6 cases in humans, it is necessary to promptly notify epidemic situation to the health sector for coordinated monitoring and detection.

The health sector needs to pay close attention to early detection of human cases, especially where there is an outbreak of avian influenza. For cases of acute respiratory infections or severe pneumonia, with a history of exposure to dead poultry, it should be noted that the specimen should be sent to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

To ensure safety, households need to vaccinate poultry. Strains of avian influenza virus can infect many different animals, spread quickly from farm to farm . The solution to destroy whole flocks with poultry is an effective measure to prevent the spread of virus from poultry to humans. In addition, eating from poultry should be properly cleaned and cooked. If the body shows signs of flu such as cough, fever, fatigue . especially after you go to a country or region affected by the flu, you need to go to a medical facility immediately to be examined and treated promptly.

• An outbreak of H5N6 avian influenza broke out in China
• The first patient in the world died of H5N6