Recently, we received a letter from the Zhanjiang Daily News forwarding some questions about avian influenza to our readers. Q: What is avian influenza and human highly pathogenic avian influenza? A: Avian influenza is the abbreviation of avian influenza, is caused by influenza A virus infectious diseases of birds, easy to cause epidemics among birds (especially chickens), the past in the folk called chicken plague. Avian influenza viruses can be divided into three categories: highly pathogenic, low pathogenic and non-pathogenic. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is classified as a class I animal disease in China because of its rapid spread in birds, high risk and high death rate. Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus can directly infect humans, i.e., cause human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza. Q: The government and the news media attach great importance to the problem of avian influenza, is avian influenza very scary? A: Whether it is birds or humans, once infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (mainly H5N1) caused by the disease, the development of the disease is very rapid, the disease death rate is extremely high, so far more than a hundred cases of human HPAI cases reported around the world have been more than 50% of the disease death. Individual chicken farms have been affected by the epidemic of HPAI, and all chickens died overnight, indicating that it is extremely contagious. Fortunately, so far there has been no human-to-human transmission and the infectivity from birds to humans is low. However, scientists are concerned that a prolonged simultaneous epidemic of the avian influenza virus and other subtypes of human influenza A viruses could cause sinister consequences as the avian influenza virus acquires genes related to human-to-human transmission of other subtypes of influenza A viruses. It is also the reason why the government and the news media pay high attention to it. Q: How do people get infected with avian influenza? A: The avian influenza virus is mainly transmitted to humans through the respiratory tract, and humans can also be infected by direct contact with poultry infected with the avian influenza virus and its feces or by direct contact with the avian influenza virus. Infection can also occur through the conjunctiva and broken skin. Q: What are the signs of HPAI infection in humans? A: When humans become infected with HPAI, the onset of the disease is rapid and the early manifestations are similar to those of ordinary influenza. The main manifestations are high fever and conjunctivitis, may be accompanied by runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, sore throat, headache, general discomfort, some patients may have nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dilute watery stools and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Severe patients may also show solid lung changes, respiratory distress, pulmonary hemorrhage, heart failure, kidney failure, shock, etc. Q: How to prevent human infection of highly pathogenic avian influenza in daily life? A: 1. A healthy lifestyle is very important to prevent the disease. Usually, you should strengthen physical exercise, do not smoke, rinse your mouth and wash your hands regularly; pay attention to personal hygiene, cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. 2, keep the room clean, keep indoor air circulation, as little as possible to go to places with poor air circulation. 3, pay attention to dietary hygiene, eat poultry, eggs should be thoroughly cooked, processing, preservation of food should pay attention to raw, cooked separately; develop good hygiene habits, improve kitchen hygiene, do not eat raw poultry meat and offal, dissect live (dead) poultry, livestock and their products to wash hands thoroughly after. 4. Breeding and slaughtering poultry personnel should do a good job of wearing masks and gloves and other measures. 5. When an epidemic is found, contact with poultry should be avoided as much as possible; the public, especially children, should avoid close contact with poultry and wild birds. 6, pay attention to the disinfection treatment of living utensils. Avian influenza virus is not heat-resistant, and can be inactivated in 1 minute at 100 ℃. It is sensitive to dryness, ultraviolet radiation and commonly used disinfectants. 7, if there is fever and respiratory symptoms, you should wear a mask and seek medical attention as soon as possible, and remember to tell the doctor whether there is a history of outbound travel or contact with birds before the onset of the disease, and whether there are birds around sick or dead. Q: Is there currently a vaccine for avian influenza for humans? A: The current avian influenza vaccine is limited to birds, and it is understood that individual scientific research units in China have successfully developed an avian influenza vaccine for human injection, but strict observation and verification are required before it can be widely used. The current use of influenza vaccine for human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza has no protective effect, but can reduce the chance of human-to-human transmission of genes by the avian influenza virus.