Fly the Coop: Understanding H7N9 Bird Flu

Fly the Coop: Understanding H7N9 Bird Flu
Mar 10, 2014 By eChinacities.com

Well folks, it’s that time of year again. Bird flu is back in full swing. Just when we thought we had enough to worry about with the toxic air and tainted food, we get a fresh slap in the face from our old friend, H7N9 Bird flu. In this article, we’ll get the lowdown on the latest outbreak and ways to protect ourselves.

An artistic portrayal of bird flu
An artistic portrayal of bird flu
Source: celesteh

What’s new?

The H7N9 strain of the avian flu has now entered its second year in China, with the first human cases having been reported in March 2013. This strain has infected around 380 people and the death rate is approximately one in five (visit FluTrackers for details). This winter, three new variants of the virus were found, which Shanghai researchers are saying increases the potential for a pandemic strain to emerge. So far, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces have been most heavily hit, along with the Shanghai metropolitan area. The newest outbreak began in Guangdong province in January this year and is spreading more rapidly than before. The Ministry of Health stated that most H7N9 infections are believed to result from exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments. But this hasn’t been true in every case, leaving lingering questions about how the virus is transmitted. A recent report of the virus being detected in chickens imported from the mainland to Hong Kong (and the subsequent culling of 20,000 birds) shows the ability of the virus to spread through live poultry.

The H7N9 strain is a very stealthy virus, circulating widely in chickens, geese and ducks without causing the mass die-offs that were characteristic of the H5N1 bird flu virus. A Bloomberg report notes that each case of infection increases the risk of the virus becoming better suited to humans, rather than birds, giving it the ability to spread easily from person to person. It’s scary stuff, especially living in a place this densely populated. But fortunately, H7N9 hasn’t mutated to become as contagious as the seasonal flu and the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission to date. An interesting finding from a report in the Oxford Journals of Clinical Infectious Diseases notes that the prevalence of the disease among Chinese could be related to a gene that makes them more prone to severe symptoms. This gene, known as the IFTM3 gene, occurs in much higher levels in the Han Chinese people, compared with Caucasians, and has been found to increase the severity of avian influenza. Seventy percent of infected Chinese patients were found to have this gene.

What’s being done?

If you’re at all active on any of the Chinese social media outlets, you’ve likely read some startling things in the past few weeks. In Hubei province, there was a message going viral stating that the local government was recommending that its citizens halt their consumption of pork, duck and chicken products in light of recent avian flu outbreaks. And the same message claimed that a pregnant, 31-year-old doctor had died with a baby still in her belly and others at the hospital were being quarantined. It turned out that this was a hoax and the man, Mr. Zhou, was detained for spreading panic. But it still makes you wonder who or what to trust…especially in a place where there is “a broad belief that the government always seeks to cover up bad news and that state media are untrustworthy” as Reuters points out. This same article states that “China kicked off a tough campaign to control online discussion last year, threatening legal action against those whose perceived rumors were widely reposted.” This move was deemed necessary by authorities to preserve social stability and halt the spread of untrue stories that could cause panic.

Of course this broad-scale monitoring and censorship relates not only to bird flu, but the government has made a few direct promises in this area. According to a statement made by the WHO on February 11, 2014, the Chinese government continues to take the following surveillance and control measures in response to the H7N9 virus:

  • Strengthen surveillance and situation analysis
  • Reinforce case management and treatment
  • Conduct risk communication with the public and release information
  • Strengthen international collaboration and communication
  • Conduct scientific studies

Dr. Peter Horby, a researcher at the Oxford University Research Unit in Vietnam, reassures that the region's surveillance and response measures have improved drastically in recent years. He compares the emergence of SARS in China with that of H7N9 and calls it a complete transformation. He notes that “With H7N9 influenza, the Chinese have been incredibly quick to identify the problem, to investigate it, to inform regional and global authorities and also to cooperate with other countries in investigating the problem, monitoring it and reporting it”. This is somewhat reassuring.

How can we stay safe?

When fleeing the country isn’t an option, how can we protect ourselves from this potentially life-threatening virus? The first step is to know the symptoms and stay aware of any changes to your health. The WHO states that thus far, most patients with the H7N9 infection have had severe pneumonia. Common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Only a small number of people exist who had influenza-like symptoms and then recovered without medical attention, so the onset of these symptoms should be taken very seriously. The elderly, children and people with chronic illness are at a higher risk of developing complications from this virus. It is currently being treated with antiviral medicines called neuraminidase inhibitors. In cases where people received earlier treatment, a milder illness developed compared to those treated later on. Some vaccines are being tested by the WHO and its partners, but at this time there is no commercially available vaccine for the prevention of infection.

For your safety, there are certain places which should be avoided in countries where avian influenza is present. According to the WHO, almost all of those who have fallen sick have had some contact with individual live poultry or visited a live market where poultry are slaughtered on site. It is therefore suggested to avoid poultry farms, live bird markets, or places where poultry may be slaughtered. You should also avoid contact with any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with feces from poultry or other animals. And as always, wash your hands often with soap and water and remember to follow good food safety and food hygiene practices. Since influenza viruses are inactivated by normal temperatures used for cooking, WHO states that meat products and eggs can be safely consumed provided they are properly handled during food preparation and thoroughly cooked (reaching 70°C in all parts). Animals that are clearly sick or that have died of diseases or died unexpectedly should not be eaten.

When it comes to living alongside H7N9 in China, playing it safe is your best bet and be sure to keep abreast of the latest developments on this virus. The WHO has a wealth of up-to-date and reliable information.

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Keywords: bird flu; H5N1 bird flu H7N9 bird flu

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