THE ESSENTIAL
- The bird flu epizootic has never been so widespread in Europe.
- Cases of contamination in humans are rare but not non-existent.
- Health authorities remind you not to touch or pick up dead or sick wild animals.
The situation is unprecedented. This is the observation made by Public Health France about avian flu, in his press release published on March 1. “By avian influenza, we mean the disease caused in humans by influenza viruses infecting birds (avian influenza viruses, AI) which cross the species barrier and infect humans. Humans can be infected with several avian influenza viruses (particularly the H5N1, H7N9 and H9N2 subtypes)”, recalls the health authority.
Avian flu dangerously spreads to mammals
This epizootic, a disease that simultaneously strikes a large number of animals of the same or different species, currently affects almost all continents including Europe, leading to the slaughter of several million birds and causing mortality events mass in the wild avifauna – all the birds of a region. Many outbreaks, mostly due to the A (H5N1) virus, have thus been identified in domestic poultry and wild birds.
More worryingly, the intense and continuous circulation of these viruses in wild birds has led to the frequent introduction of the virus in about twenty different species of terrestrial and marine mammals, wild and domestic: “Hundreds of infected mammals have been found dead or near death, with frequent detection of neurological damage”, indicates Public Health France.
Avian flu: the risk for humans is low but not ruled out
This situation prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to call for increased vigilance. “The recent spillover on mammals needs to be watched closely“, had declared Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the WHO, adding that “at this time WHO assesses the risk to humans as low but we cannot assume this will remain the case and we must be prepared for any change in the status quo.”.
In humans, contaminations are rare but recently the virus H5N1 has been detected in Cambodia in a young girl and her father, raising fears of transmission between humans – track since dismissed. The virus had caused the death of the young Cambodian, the first victim in 9 years in the country.
Avian flu: what to do to protect yourself from infection?
In view of the current context, Public Health France recommends not to touch dead or injured animals, to protect yourself (gloves, mask, hand washing) in the event of contact with wild birds, such as the collection of wild birds. deaths or occupational exposures to suspected infected birds.
If you are a professional exposed to swine and avian influenza viruses, vaccination against seasonal flu every year is also recommended: “Simultaneous infection by an avian or swine influenza virus and a human influenza virus could indeed lead to the emergence of a new influenza virus contagious to humans.says the health authority.
It also recommends consulting your doctor immediately in the event of symptoms (fever, cough, fatigue, breathing difficulties, neurological disorders), within 10 days of exposure to risk (contact with wild or domestic birds, with wild mammals sick or dead, or pigs with the flu).
