1.What is avian influenza?
Avian influenza, is an acute infectious disease caused by a subtype of influenza A virus. It usually infects only birds and, in rare cases, humans, pigs, horses, mink and marine mammals. The subtypes of avian influenza viruses that can infect humans are H5N1, H9N2, H7N7, H7N2, H7N3, and this reported human infection with the H7N9 avian influenza virus.
2, what is H7N9 avian influenza?
In avian influenza virus, H and N represent the hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) of the outer membrane of the virus, respectively. Based on their different protein antigenicity, they can be divided into 16 H subtypes (H1 to H16) and 9 N subtypes (N1 to N9) at present.
3, H7N9 influenza virus and influenza A H1N1 virus and H5N1 avian influenza virus what is the difference?
These three viruses are influenza A viruses, but they are significantly different. H7N9 and H5N1 are animal influenza viruses that occasionally infect humans. h1n1 influenza viruses are divided into two types of viruses that usually infect humans and usually infect animals.
4.Historically, have humans been infected with H7 influenza virus?
From 1996-2012, human infections with H7 influenza viruses (H7N2, H7N3, and H7N7) were reported in the Netherlands, Italy, Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Prior to 2013, no human cases of H7 avian influenza infection were found in China.
5. How do people get infected with H7N9 avian influenza?
Some of the confirmed cases had been exposed to animals or were in an animal environment. on April 4, 2013, the H7N9 influenza virus was detected in pigeons at a market in Shanghai, which has a high homology with human H7N9 avian influenza infection. However, it is unclear how people become infected. The possibility of animal-to-human transmission and interpersonal transmission is being verified. However, it is currently speculated based on previous experience and epidemiological investigation of this case that it may be transmitted to humans by birds carrying H7N9 avian influenza virus and their feces, feathers, respiratory secretions blood, etc., through respiratory tract and contact. There is no conclusive evidence that the H7N9 avian influenza virus can be transmitted from person to person.
6. How long is the incubation period for human infection with H7N9 avian influenza?
According to the incubation period of influenza and the findings of existing cases of H7N9 avian influenza virus infection, the incubation period is generally within 7 days.
7. Are these avian influenza harmful to humans?
According to previous information, all human avian influenza is disseminated. There is no conclusive evidence that avian influenza (including this H7N9 avian influenza virus) can be transmitted from person to person. Therefore, they are currently not highly transmissible in the population.
However, past human infections of highly pathogenic avian influenza have had a very high mortality rate of about 60%;. This time, the H7N9 avian influenza virus, too, has a high morbidity and mortality rate. As of April 3, 2013, 9 cases of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza were confirmed, including 3 deaths.
8, who need to pay more attention to the prevention of H7N9 avian influenza?
At this stage, mainly those who are engaged in poultry breeding, sales, slaughtering and processing industries, as well as those who have been in contact with poultry within 1 week before the onset of the disease, need to pay more attention to prevention than the general population. If such people develop symptoms such as fever and cough, please seek medical attention promptly and inform your doctor of your activities within 7 weeks.
9.What are the early symptoms of having H7N9 avian influenza?
Human cases of H7N9 avian influenza have a rapid onset and generally present with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, little sputum, which may be accompanied by headache, muscle aches and general discomfort. In severe cases, the disease develops rapidly, manifesting as severe pneumonia, with body temperature mostly persisting above 39℃, respiratory distress, and may be accompanied by hemoptysis of sputum; acute respiratory distress syndrome may appear in rapid progress.
10.Is it impossible to eat poultry recently?
Avian influenza virus is generally heat-sensitive and can be inactivated by heating at 65°C for 30 minutes or boiling (100°C) for more than 2 minutes. Therefore, fully cooked poultry/pork, etc. is edible.
However, avian influenza is more resistant to low temperatures and can survive for 1 month in 4°C water, so chicken fillets cooked at five or six minutes and hot pot need to be consumed with caution.
11.How should ordinary people prevent bird flu?
(1) Pay attention to personal hygiene, maintain diligent hand washing, diligent indoor ventilation, pay attention to nutrition, ensure adequate sleep and rest, and strengthen physical exercise. In particular, wash your hands thoroughly and promptly after contact with livestock.
(2) Reduce unnecessary contact with livestock as much as possible, and pay special attention to avoid contact with sick or dead livestock as much as possible. When consuming poultry and eggs, cook them well.
(3) Handle raw and cooked food separately, and when handling meat with broken hands, it is recommended to wear gloves.
(4) When symptoms of respiratory infection such as sneezing and coughing occur, cover the mouth and nose with tissues or handkerchiefs to prevent infection of others; when symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and general discomfort occur, a mask should be worn.
(5) If your condition worsens, you should wear a mask and go to a hospital fever clinic in a timely manner, and tell the doctor if you have had any contact with poultry in the past seven days and if you have been to an avian flu infected area.
(6) Avoid contact with wild birds or enter the habitat of wild birds when going out for a walk.
(7) Elderly and frail people, especially those with underlying diseases, should minimize visits to places with poor air circulation and crowded areas during periods of high respiratory infections. You should wear a mask when you go to the hospital.
12.How can poultry workers prevent H7N9 avian influenza?
(1) In the course of work activities in contact with poultry, should wear protective clothing, masks and gloves, good personal protection, reduce direct contact with birds.
(2) When cleaning poultry sheds, strictly implement cleaning and disinfection procedures; after cleaning, wash hands and disinfect thoroughly in a timely manner; when the body comes into contact with poultry dirt, it should also be thoroughly washed.
(3) When a sick or dead bird is found, it should be promptly burned and the local animal quarantine department should be notified.
(4) When symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, and general discomfort occur, wear a mask and seek medical attention at a fever clinic as soon as possible, and inform the doctor of your occupation and activities in the seven days before the onset of the disease.
(5) Maintain diligent hand washing, diligent indoor ventilation, pay attention to nutrition, ensure adequate sleep and rest, and strengthen physical exercise.
13, poultry processing personnel how to prevent H7N9 avian influenza?
(1) Frequently clean and disinfect all workstations, equipment and utensils used for poultry preparation, and wash hands frequently.
(2) Separate raw from cooked.
(3) Ensure that food is cooked to the proper temperature and that the temperature of all parts of the food reaches 70°C or that the broth is clear or the meat is no longer pink in color.
(4) When handling meat with broken hands, it is recommended to wear gloves.
14.How can poultry lovers prevent H7N9 avian influenza?
(1) Strengthen feeding management to improve the resistance of birds to disease; pay attention to the hygiene and cleanliness of bird cages; ensure ventilation of cages; pay special attention to the hygiene of pigeon houses and bird cages and focus on daily disinfection.
(2) Keeping birds at home should avoid contact between them and wild birds. Once contacted, the bird cage should be disinfected in a timely manner, and if necessary, to the animal epidemic prevention department for epidemic prevention.
(3) Avoid contact with birds and their droppings as much as possible when raising birds or bird watching, and wear gloves when handling their droppings; after touching them or their droppings, you must clean your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
(4) Do not pick up dead birds and do not eat wild birds during bird watching. When you find sick or dead wild birds, do not touch them and report them to the local animal epidemic prevention department.
15.Are there any targeted drugs, treatment programs or vaccines?
According to the program issued by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, antiviral treatment with oseltamivir or zanamivir can be applied in the early stage. For human H7N9 avian influenza infection is mainly symptomatic treatment and antiviral treatment, no vaccine has been developed yet.
16.What should I do if I have symptoms of high fever and cough?
If you develop fever, headache, nasal congestion, cough, general malaise and other respiratory symptoms, you should put on a mask, go to a hospital fever clinic as soon as possible, and be sure to tell your doctor whether you have been to an avian influenza infected area 7 days before the onset of the disease, whether you have been in contact with sick birds, etc., and treat and use drugs under the guidance of your doctor.