Why is the WHO concerned about avian influenza? Who is at risk? How can you protect yourself and what foods can you safely eat during an outbreak? Dr. Wenqing Zhang explains in Science in 5.
Key Facts
Humans can be infected with avian influenza, swine influenza, and other influenza viruses.
Direct contact with infected animals (through handling, culling, slaughtering, or processing) or indirect contact (through environments contaminated with body fluids from infected animals) poses a risk of infection to humans.
Contact with animal influenza viruses can lead to infection and illness in humans – ranging from mild flu-like symptoms or eye infections to severe acute respiratory diseases and/or death.
The severity of the illness depends on the virus causing the infection and the characteristics of the infected individual.
So far, sustained human-to-human transmission has not been detected for the currently circulating zoonotic influenza viruses .
Since influenza viruses have a natural reservoir in wild aquatic birds, they cannot be eradicated. Zoonotic influenza infections will continue to occur. To minimize the risk to public health, high-quality surveillance of both animal and human populations, thorough investigation of every human infection, and risk-based pandemic preparedness are essential.
