Future of Us
H10N3 Bird Flu
By-Riya Patel
First human case of bird flu.
China recently discovered the first human case of infection with a rare strain of bird flu, well known as H10N3. NHC (Beijing’s National Health Commission) reported this on Tuesday. The infected was a 41 year old man from Jiangsu province, located northwest of Shanghai. So far, there is no indicator or sign that H10N3 can spread simply in humans. This man may be the world’s first person to be infected with the H10N3 strain of bird flu. He was hospitalized on April 28th after he had experienced symptoms and he was diagnosed with the infection on May 28th. At this moment, he is stable and discharged from the hospital.
How did the bird flu start?
The very first detection of this virus was in 1996, in Geese, China. Asian H5N1, the most common version of bird flu, was first discovered in humans in 1997 during a poultry outburst in Hong Kong and has been detected in poultry and birds in more than 50 countries.. H5N1 is also referred to as avian influenza, in other words, bird flu. It is a viral infection that can infect birds, but also humans and other species. When this virus was first discovered, it nearly killed 60% of those who were infected during this time. At the moment, this virus is not known to spread through human to human contact, but some health officials worry that H5N1 may become a risk of becoming a pandemic threat to humans.
Can you get the bird flu and what are the symptoms?
China claims that the risk of widespread transmission is low and that no other human cases of this have been reported anywhere else in the world. Symptoms include cough, diarrhea, respiratory difficulties, fevers, headaches, muscles aches, malaise, runny nose, and sore throat. The virus occurs normally in the wild and is easily spread through domestic poultry. You should also be aware of the temperature that your food is being cooked at. Meat is considered to be safe if its cooked to a temperature of 165℉. H5N1 infects humans when we come in close contact with infected bird feces, nasal leakage, or even discharge from the mouth or eyes. Infected birds will spread the virus through feces and saliva for as long as 10 days. You also have a higher risk of contracting this virus if you are a poultry farmer, tourist who visits affected places, exposure to infected birds, if you eat undercooked meat or eggs, a healthcare worker who is caring for infected patients or if you're a household member of an infected person.
Are there treatments to cure bird flu?
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has come up with a test that is designed to identify bird flu. As far as treatment options go, the doctor in most cases would give you medication, such as Tamiflu or Relenza which will reduce the severity of the virus. This medication should be taken 48 hours after symptoms first appear. Some potential complications of this disease include pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, sepsis and organ failure.
Overall, you can lessen your risk by steering clear of open air markets, undercooked meats and eggs and contact with infected birds. Currently, the FDA is also working on a vaccine, but it isn't available to the public at the moment.