Avian flu in chickens: signs, stages, protection from infection

Influenza is a whole group of viral diseases. It is divided into three types: A, B and C. The first includes diseases that people and animals suffer from. Affects the respiratory and digestive organs. It also includes bird flu.

Viruses of the second type are dangerous only for people, and the third - for people and partly pigs.

Where are bird flu found?

It was first discovered in China, in Hong Kong. This happened in 1997. Then the disease spread to Asia, and from there to Europe and Africa. It is transported mostly with wild migratory birds. They themselves do not get sick at all or carry the flu in a mild form, but they can infect poultry and, more rarely, people.

Avian flu in Russia

Basically, the occurrence of the disease was noted in wild birds. But he was also sick with his family, especially in the following areas:

• Novosibirsk,
• Chelyabinsk,
• Omsk,
• Kurgan,
• Tula,
• Tyumen,
• and also in Altai,
• and in Kalmykia.

The first cases were recorded in Siberia, in 2006. In humans, infection with avian influenza was not registered. However, there was an epidemic caused by swine and "human" subtypes.

As one of the preventive measures, the ban on the importation of bird carcasses from countries where outbreaks of this disease have been observed is applied. It also checks and destroys infected birds.

Characteristics of the disease

Tell you more about it.

Officially, the flu is called Influenza virus A. It belongs to the Orthomyxoviridae family.

There are various subtypes, distinguished by the characteristics of the structure of hemagglutinin (which is denoted by the Latin letter H) and neuraminidase (Latin N). The most common strain (subtype) of avian influenza is referred to as A / H5N1.

The disease is quite dangerous. According to official figures, more than half of the patients died (or more precisely, 60%). However, there is a possibility that not all the patients went to the doctor. In this case, the probability of dying is less, but still remains serious enough.

The virus is transmitted from one bird to another. by direct contact. Pets can become infected from the wild, and from others already infected, home. Dead birds are also contagious.

It is also possible to get infected through:

• water
• feed,
• litter,
• eggs,
• poultry meat
• rodents visiting the coop.

The period from the entry of the virus into the body before the onset of the disease is from 2 to 5 days. This period depends on the state of health, age and specific strain.

First signs and symptoms

Symptoms are the same as for other types of flu:

• decreased appetite
• sneezing
• lacrimation
• disturbances and ruffled plumage,
• reducing the number of eggs laid
• they have a soft shell,
• respiratory failure,
• The blue and edema of the crest
• uncoordinated movements
• diarrhea.

Photos of symptoms in birds:

In humans, bird flu manifests itself:

• cough and sore throat,
• temperature increase
• pain in muscles and joints,
• etc.

Often develops pneumonia or other complications. This is due to the fact that human immunity is not ready to fight against such species. Therefore, as a rule, the disease is more complicated than with traditional types for humans.

How to treat and is it possible to cure at all?

Quarantine is the primary means of preventing avian flu in chickens. That is why the outbreak of flu in other countries prohibits the importation of chicken from them.

There is no effective treatment. Therefore, it is important to adhere to the rules of prevention:

• observe quarantine, if reported about the appearance of the disease in the region,
• not to buy chickens and eggs from dubious sources,
• Avoid contact with wild birds, especially waterfowl.

Prevention

To prevent infection, it is important:

• Thoroughly wash knives, boards, etc. with meat for cleaning.
• Ensure that raw meat does not come into contact with other foods.
• Cook eggs (do not eat them raw).
• Do not touch down, feathers, carcasses of infected chickens.
• Wash hands and cutting tools after contact with raw meat.

Position Rosselkhoznadzor

This organization checks households for avian flu. When it is detected, quarantine is declared, and the infected bird is destroyed.

Why can chickens fall feathers and how to deal with it? Find out here.

How dangerous is laryngotracheitis for chickens? We described this in detail in our article.

Human impact

People may become infected:

• upon contact with infected hens,
• or their meat, eggs, feathers and down,
• by drinking polluted water,
• upon contact with the droppings.

Under the influence of high temperature (up to 70 ° C) the virus dies. But we do not recommend eating meat and eggs which are reliably known that they were obtained from birds infected with the flu.

Causes of illness in birds

The disease appears for the following reasons:

• improper or inadequate feeding,
• long transportation
• feces of sick chickens,
• contaminated utensils, feeders, drinkers, trays,
• eggs and feathers
• rodents.

The first infection prevention is disinfection of dishes. To do this, use sodium hydroxide, bleach or hydrochloric acid.

Bird flu forms

The disease has 15 forms. The most dangerous and incurable are H7N7 and H5N1.

The incubation period lasts 3-5 days. Symptoms of bird flu in chickens can be detected already after 20 hours.

Mild avian influenza can pass without death. The body of birds copes with the disease itself, but it still requires isolation of sick individuals. But the bird will deteriorate the state of the feathers, the hens will carry less eggs.

There are several forms of bird flu in chickens:

The last two variants of the disease continue for 10-25 days. Birds recover in 80% of cases. When infected with a low pathogenic virus, the disease becomes chronic. In this form, the symptoms do not appear or are absent.

Acute form

For the acute form of the disease are characterized by:

• reduced egg production,
• depressed look, ruffled feathers,
• lack of interest in food, anorexia,
• obstruction of the respiratory tract with mucus released from the inflamed organs,
• temperature above 40 °
• wheezing, wheezing,
• diarrhea brown with a green tint,
• jerky muscles, neurosis.

Signs of CNS damage

Avian influenza affects the central nervous system, so the first signs of the disease manifest themselves in this direction:

• discoordination. This complication prevents the chickens from walking smoothly, they stagger, fall, cannot step on their feet,
• the wings and neck turn in an unnatural position,
• lack of response to stimuli,
• thirst,
• pulmonary edema. This usually causes the death of patients with chicken flu.

Four stages of bird flu

The disease is severe and goes through four stages. The virus multiplies in mucous tissues and enters the blood in just four hours.

Stages of virus development:

1. Reproduction and accumulation.
2. Active pathogenic effect on the entire body.
3. Reproduction stops, the body begins to fight the disease and produces antibodies.
4. The body produces immunity.

The second stage, called viremia, is the most dangerous, since during this period the virus infects all internal organs and systems of the bird.

WHO recommendations for personal protection

Subtype A is dangerous not only for birds, but also for humans.

Since bird flu is dangerous not only for domestic chickens, but also for humans, WHO recommends adhering to several safety rules:

• destroyed or dead birds must be disposed of,
• avoid contact of children, elderly or people with heart disease with infected birds,
• do not eat the meat or eggs of an infected bird,
• If you suspect that the birds are sick, call the vets,
• when working with sick and dead chickens, be sure to use a mask or respirator, wear gloves. After contact with the patient, hands must be washed with soap and the clothes should be disinfected,
• If a person has signs of flu, consult a doctor.

From the advanced stage, all the livestock of poultry on the farm may die; therefore, it is necessary to strictly monitor the chickens and take action at the slightest suspicion of infection.

Methods of spreading the disease

Avian flu mutates and changes, making it impossible to create a universal vaccine for the virus. Chickens affect the respiratory and digestive organs.

Carriers are wild birds. In them, the disease passes unnoticed, but they infect domestic birds susceptible to diseases. The most dangerous are waterfowl, including ducks.

Domestic chickens are more susceptible to illness, because they do not have time to generate sufficient immunity in a short life. Therefore, young animals are more likely to become infected with the avian flu virus.

To protect the main livestock of poultry from chicken flu, arrange quarantine measures, sanitary processing, and sick chickens are destroyed.

Makarov Ivan Vasilyevich

Hereditary poultry farmer, owner of a poultry farm, graduated from St. Petersburg State Agrarian University with honors, the author of articles in specialized publications

History of the disease

The disease was first recorded in Hong Kong in 1997. From there, the virus spread to other parts of Asia, and then penetrated into Europe and into Africa. Carriers of infection are migratory birds. The first GHG outbreak in the Russian Federation occurred in Siberia in 2006. Later, cases of disease were identified in poultry farms in Chelyabinsk, as well as in Omsk, Kurgan, Tula regions, Tyumen and Altai. Cases of the disease have been reported in several areas of the Moscow region.

Ways to infect birds

GHG viruses constantly mutate, making it impossible to develop effective vaccines against the disease. Chickens become infected not only through contact with sick individuals, but also in other ways. The spread of viruses can contribute to rodents, penetrating into the coop, as well as the man himself.

The infection is transmitted by airborne droplets, as well as through water, feed, bedding, inventory. The corpses of dead birds are contagious. At risk are young animals whose immunity is not able to repel the attack of viruses.

Serotype Types

The causative agent of PG belongs to the group of orthomyxoviruses containing the RNA molecule. It is divided into 3 serotypes:

1. A - recognized as the most highly virulent. It is spread by waterfowl. There are more than 15 strains of serotype A, of which H1N1, H5N1 and H7N7 are the most dangerous for humans.
2. B - has less mutagenic potential and is less common than serotype A.
3. C - avian influenza virus, attributed to this serotype, does not mutate, but retains its characteristics and properties all the time. It affects people, birds and animals, however, in the event of recovery, it forms a stable immunity.

Attention! The virus is rapidly affecting chickens and is progressing. The duration of the incubation period rarely exceeds 3 days.

Stage of the disease

After the penetration of the PG virus into the bird's body, pathogens multiply rapidly. The period between stage 1 and stage 2 is short, 4–5 hours, at which time pathogens are introduced into the bloodstream.

Examination of chickens by a veterinarian

The virus causes the breakdown of red blood cells and spreads to internal organs. In the third stage of the disease, the body reacts with the production of antibodies. The final stage is recovery, after which immunity to the disease is formed.

Attention! If the bird's immune system cannot cope with the infection, death from intoxication occurs.

Forms of the disease and their characteristic symptoms

There are 3 forms of avian influenza - acute, subacute and chronic. The first is the most dangerous, it usually ends with the loss of 80% of the population in 3-5 days from the moment of infection. Symptoms of acute form:

• apathy, depression, loss of activity,
• disheveled look, the birds are sitting stifling,
• refusal to eat
• strong thirst
• discharge of thick mucous exudate from the beak,
• tearing
• green brown liquid droppings
• heavy breathing, wheezing,
• blackening of scallops and earrings
• wobbly walk,
• drooping of the head, adopting unnatural posture, convulsions,
• the response to external stimuli is weak or absent,
• increase in body temperature to 42 degrees at the initial stage of the disease and a sharp decrease to 30 degrees at the final stage.

The same symptoms are characteristic of the subacute form, but they are less pronounced.. In this case, recovery occurs in 80% of cases in about 3 weeks. Very rarely, the disease occurs in a chronic form, characterized by a weak manifestation of symptoms and a blurred clinical picture. This reduces egg production in laying hens, and the eggshell can be soft. There is a general malaise.

Diagnosis of the disease

Finding alarming symptoms in one or more chickens, it is necessary to confirm or refute the diagnosis of bird flu. Practice shows that the disease in poultry progresses so quickly that it is possible to make a diagnosis only after death. Fallen chickens in the blood and tissues detected virus. In the autopsy study of the corpses of birds seen multiple hemorrhages in the internal organs and pulmonary edema.

Is the disease treated and what to do with sick birds?

The treatment of bird flu is not developed, as the strains are constantly changing. For the same reason, there is no effective vaccine against the disease. If a dead bird is found on the farm, and after opening it, the diagnosis of avian flu is confirmed, all livestock must be disposed of.

Reference. Birds and poultry products are destroyed in a specially designated area using personal protective equipment.

Utilization of chicken stock

Is the virus dangerous for humans?

A person can catch avian flu by contacting sick chicken. At the same time, pathogens enter the body through the mucous membranes of the eyes or respiratory organs. The most dangerous strains causing serious complications and leading to death are H1N1, H5N1 and H7N7.

Attention! A person can get sick with bird flu, eating chicken eggs or meat, if these products have not been sufficiently heat treated.

The insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that its symptoms begin to manifest themselves fully when the virus has already entered the bloodstream and spread to the internal organs. Fighting him at this stage is already ineffective. Symptoms of infection in humans:

• fever up to 39–40 degrees, chills, severe sweating,
• sore throat, body aches,
• weakness, loss of appetite,
• cough,
• diarrhea, vomiting,
• bleeding gums.

In general, the clinical picture during infection is not much different from the symptoms of ordinary flu. The only difference is that on the 4–5th day of the disease pulmonary edema develops. That is what often leads to death.

Fortunately, bird flu in chickens in Russia or the CIS countries is very rare. However, it is not necessary in this connection to neglect preventive measures. The most important thing is to try to limit the contact of wild birds with poultry and protect the chicken coop from the penetration of rodents, which may become carriers of the infection. In the event of the discovery of a fallen layer, it is necessary to hand over the carcass for examination in order to exclude the diagnosis of bird flu.

General information about the disease

Chicken, or bird flu includes more than 10 strains, and all of them can be fatal. However, unchanged types of infection, frightening even the most experienced poultry farmers, are H5 and H7. A characteristic feature of the disease is the fact that the infection breaks out very sharply, so you need to act with lightning speed, otherwise the virus will actively spread in the house and destroy all the chickens.

Experience has already shown how infectious bronchitis of chickens can be dangerous for people. It is known that in 1997 in Hong Kong, bird flu was transmitted from poultry to humans (H5 N1). Since then, the very mention of this virus scares humanity. After the first mass infection with chicken flu, there were several more such cases in the world: outbreaks occurred in Europe, and in Africa or Asia. How does the process of infection of poultry with such an infection? It's all about wild birds, especially waterfowl. During the mutation of the virus, many of these representatives developed immunity to it and were able to live freely with it. But this does not mean that they have ceased to be carriers of chicken flu. This disease mostly occurs in wild birds without any symptoms, while for chickens it is fatal.

Suppose one poultry got infected, I see. But how does the virus spread to all chicken stock? This can be found at least three logical explanations. Firstly, infected chickens or those that have had the flu, excrete a large number of active viral bacteria with excrement. Therefore, the first way of infection of chicken at home - bird droppings. Secondly, if the carriers of the flu were infected with dishes (trays, feeders, water tanks, etc.), we get another factor. In addition, eggs and feathers very often contain the same bacteria that are dangerous to the health of chickens. And, thirdly, sometimes infected rodents infect poultry.

Another rather important and not the most joyful moment for the poultry farmers concerning the disease: bird flu affects not only chickens. Yes, hens and turkeys are more susceptible to this virus.But ducks with geese can also become carriers of the disease, therefore, in the event of a flu in your household, almost all poultry die as soon as possible. How to act? What needs to be done to prevent this disease from appearing in your chickens and other poultry? Much depends on the timing of diagnosis of the disease. But for this you need to have an idea about the slightest changes in the behavior of chickens, as well as to understand which symptoms indicate the approach of a threat.

Video “Diseases”

From the video you will learn about the most common diseases of chickens.

Avian flu in chickens includes symptoms that you need to know if you want to learn to notice the occurrence and extent of similar diseases in your poultry house. Particularly careful care and attention requires young poultry. Poor quality food, high density of individuals on the territory of the chicken coop, frequent transportation - all of these factors can affect the health of chickens and thus increase the risk of developing such a serious disease as infectious bronchitis of chickens.

Why is the mortality rate among young and mature individuals when infected with chicken flu? Oxford scientists have proved: the whole point is that in a short period of a chicken’s life, its immunity does not have time to properly form. Therefore, it cannot withstand such a strong virus.

Chicken flu can be mild and vice versa. What are the key features of the first case? Such a virus does not threaten death. Observe the appearance of chickens: it is quite possible that the condition of their plumage has deteriorated. Another factor indicating the presence of a mild form of bird flu is a sharp decline in egg laying. What to do in this case? In principle, in such a situation it is not always necessary for human intervention. The disease passes quickly and without loss at all, so the treatment here is useless. As for the more acute manifestations of the flu, this is already fraught with serious consequences.

First of all, the virus affects the nervous system of poultry. What exactly is this:

• violated the coordination of movements of birds. They have unnatural moves, neck is bent, they can stagger and start to stand on their feet with difficulty,
• poultry become apathetic to any external factors and irritants,
• then there is also a sharp increase in temperature (up to 44 degrees). The bird loses its appetite, they feel thirsty, the lungs become swollen.

These signs indicate a progressive disease. But how to determine the approach of the threat? Is it possible to diagnose a virus at the primary stage? In fact, already in the first 20 hours of the incubation period, noticeable changes occur in the appearance and habits of the bird. What are these symptoms:

• ruffled feathers
• darkening shades of the comb and earrings,
• hyperemia mucous membranes,
• hoarse breathing
• diarrhea,
• convulsions and neurosis.

Sometimes bird flu affects the vascular system. First of all, there is a violation of the process of blood circulation. Numerous hemorrhages are also possible. In such particularly aggravated situations, the chicken brain edema occurs within 24 hours after the start of the incubation period. The more dangerous chicken flu is because at the moment when you can still do something to rid the hens of the disease, there are no symptoms at first glance. Symptoms, as a rule, manifest themselves when the sad end for poultry is inevitable. Therefore, it is almost impossible to diagnose avian flu.

Treatment and Prevention

Infectious bronchitis in chickens is much easier to prevent than to try to heal. And actually what to treat? The fact is that specialists, of course, have been trying to find an effective medicine since 2006, but so far all their attempts have been in vain. And not the fact that the occurrence of the long-awaited medication will be able to correct the situation. Viruses and avian flu subspecies mutate rather actively, there is no guarantee that in a year or two a new strain will not be felt.

The best choice for you if your hen house suffers a similar catastrophe - quarantine and killing of infected individuals. At the same time, do not neglect the pathological material, which is mandatory sent for diagnosis, to confirm the presence in the body of the bird of a strain of chicken flu.

Use for this purpose is better liver, brain or lungs. But, as a rule, the swelling of the lungs is visible to the naked eye.

Sadly, even if the death of a chicken is still solitary in your chicken coop, if you confirm the fact that you are dealing with bird flu, all livestock should be killed. Since they all contacted each other, the death of the rest of your aviary is only a matter of time. Moreover, their meat in any case can not be eaten, otherwise the risk that the virus will pass on to you, is quite high. It is better to burn it, no matter how sorry the spent money and effort. Therefore, as soon as the signs of bird flu in chickens are confirmed, it is necessary to act immediately, because it is primarily about your health. With regard to prevention, no measures can 100% protect your chicken coop from such a threat. The only thing you can do is completely protect chickens from contact with wild birds. It is rather difficult to do this, however, the virus simply cannot damage your house and its inhabitants. Therefore, this way of solving the problem also has a place to be, no matter how difficult it is to implement it.

Danger of disease and methods of transmission

Avian influenza is dangerous because of its ability to continue unpredictable and unpredictable modifications. And it negates all attempts to create vaccines against it.

Avian flu is spread through litter, common feeders and drinkers.

The disease affects poultry, especially chickens and turkeys, which come in contact with infected wild birds and rodents. Often the virus is spread on rat hair. Carriers of diseases, as a rule, do not suffer from them due to their immunity.

Also, a dangerous virus is transmitted in the following ways:

• Through the droppings of infected birds and the items they used (drinkers, feeders).
• Accidentally appearing on clothes, shoes, vehicles, or other objects, then falling on the bird's yard.
• Through the eggs and feathers of sick birds.
• From exotic carrier birds such as parrots.
• A person may become infected through inhalation or ingested contaminated dust in the eyes.

Particularly affected by the flu are young birds that have not yet had time to adapt to it. In Russia, the first outbreaks of a terrible disease were observed 10 years ago. For example, at the Novosibirsk poultry farms, she took at that time most of the livestock of hens.

More often bird flu and chickens die from bird flu.

Symptoms of acute avian flu

The first signs of the disease in severe form are visible after a few hours.

These include:

• Inflammation of the mucosa with the release of a viscous substrate that completely blocks the respiratory tract of birds. From breathing becomes heavy, hoarse.
• Changes in the appearance and behavior of birds, they sit, laughing, with disheveled feathers.
• At the same time, sick birds do not eat anything, but they drink a lot.
• The temperature rises to 40 degrees and above.
• The color of the litter becomes green-brown.
• The coordination of the movements of the hens is upset: when walking, they stagger and often fall. There is an unnatural posture, drooping and rotation of the head. Birds do not react to external stimuli.
• The picture of the disease completes seizures, neurosis.
• And due to the poisoning of the body with toxins, the comb and earrings blacken.

The egg production of diseased chickens while significantly reduced. At the last stage of the disease, the temperature drops sharply to 30 degrees.

H5N1 flu subtype

The worst subtype of chicken flu H5N1 affects the vascular system of birds, which is accompanied by extensive internal hemorrhages (brain, stomach, intestinal). For people, it is dangerous because of severe pathologies in the lungs, aggravated by complications, mortality reaches three quarters of cases.

This strain is not amenable to treatment with interferon and rimantadine. And its ability to modify is very high. As a result, experts fear possible mutations of the virus, leading to infection of people from each other by airborne droplets.

How to determine the presence of layers of this flu strain? Such a diagnosis can be confirmed only by laboratory methods, exploring the pathological material.

The H5N1 influenza virus is affected by ether and chloroform.

Attention! This virus is still vulnerable. Chloroform and ether have a negative effect on it. And at temperatures above 70 degrees it is destroyed in a couple of minutes.

Four stages of avian flu

At infection of chickens, the pathogen of the disease is actively reproduced on the mucous membranes and, quickly entering the bloodstream, leads to the breakdown of red blood cells.

There are 4 stages of the disease:

• At the initial stage, the virus multiplies.
• For the second stage is characterized by its penetration into the blood.
• Further, the body, producing antibodies, inhibits the reproduction of pathogens.
• At the end of the process, the accumulated antibodies counteract the viruses, forming immunity to them.

But if they are affected by highly pathogenic viruses, the toxins actively secreted by them in the second stage of the disease cause poisoning of the body. This leads the hens to death long before the connection of its protective forces.

In chickens, avian flu occurs in 4 stages.

What to do with a sick bird

The avian flu virus mutates so quickly that it is not yet possible to create a universal vaccine for it. Therefore, when the symptoms of the disease appear in an acute form, sick birds should be immediately destroyed.

In this case, the entire chicken coop is subject to quarantine, namely:

• The affected parts of the body of slain layers should be sent without delay to a special laboratory for research.
• The birds that came in contact with them in order to avoid the spread of infection must also be destroyed.

Flu diagnosis and prevention

It is possible to diagnose a dangerous disease in laboratory studies of the blood of infected birds and examination of the remains of dead birds. In the latter, even to the naked eye, extensive hemorrhages of organs, edema of the lungs and digestive organs are visible. Sick birds quickly lose weight, the functioning of all their organs is disturbed.

If avian flu is detected in a neighboring area, it is necessary to close poultry in an isolated room for at least three weeks for prevention purposes.

In case of outbreaks of flu, a healthy bird should be moved to a quarantine room.

How to protect chickens and people from a dangerous disease?

To do this immediately follows:

• In order to avoid the transfer of infectious agents by wild birds, put all kinds of deterring agents around the yard.
• Conduct daily disinfection of the poultry house and all items for the care of feathered 3% hot preparations of technical soda or chloramine.
• To process bird perches and nests with quicklime twice with a two-hour break.
• People caring for the house need to introduce interferon and take other antiviral agents.
• And children, the elderly and those who suffer from heart or lung diseases, completely withdraw from contact with any birds.

How to protect chickens at home from the possible disease in any form? Firstly, laying hens from somewhere else should not be immediately released into the common coop. They must first be watched. Secondly, after visiting a foreign farm, you need to wash the clothes in which you were there. Thirdly, a suspicious bird must be immediately separated from its congeners and examined.

Acquired layers should not be immediately released into a common coop.

In our country, fortunately, the disease of bird flu was extremely rare. But when traveling overseas (especially in the Asian region or other potentially dangerous areas), you should remember about the safety measures when contacting any birds.

Important! The danger of bird flu is that at a time when it is still possible to effectively combat an insidious disease, it proceeds almost imperceptibly. Its symptoms manifest themselves in the stage of a catastrophic increase in pathological changes in the body of birds. Therefore, measures that prevent the flu should be given special attention.

Methods of treatment and vaccinations

Everyone who is involved in breeding poultry needs to know that there is no effective treatment for birds infected with chicken flu. Since the virus that causes the disease is constantly changing, then vaccines against bird flu can be ineffective. A vaccine developed to combat one species is completely useless in another.

Avian flu vaccinations often do not produce the desired effect.

If the case of the appearance of bird flu in the compound is laboratory confirmed, then all birds are disposed of. The same measures are taken to all poultry products.

The human immune system is also not adapted to fight bird flu. In case of contact with a sick bird, the probability of infection is high. This type of disease is severe and very dangerous for human life.

The hidden period lasts up to 8 days. At an early stage, treatment with antiviral drugs with some therapeutic effect is possible. Not yet created a single drug that can kill the bird flu virus.

Attention! All therapeutic measures for this disease are effective only no later than the sixth day from the appearance of the first symptoms of the flu.

WHO recommendations on how to avoid bird flu.

To protect against a dangerous infection, WHO recommends:

The dead and sick bird must be destroyed in isolated territories.

• Do not allow children to play with wild birds.
• All dead and sick in the acute form of birds must be destroyed in isolated areas.
• It is necessary to dispose with the use of all individual protective equipment that completely covers the body.
• After that, hands, face, clothes and shoes must be disinfected.
• Meat and eggs of dubious type can not be eaten.
• Poultry products should be stored in the refrigerator separately from others.
• Each case of bird disease must be reported to a veterinary authority.
• If you have flu after contact with a bird, you should seek the help of a doctor.

Can you get bird flu

Influenza subtype "A", which causes diseases of birds, is dangerous for humans. Infection occurs through direct contact with birds, carriers of this virus, their feces or objects that they constantly touched.

It is known that the virus dies from high temperature. Therefore, during the heat treatment of poultry meat for more than an hour, eating it is not dangerous. Eggs with blood can not be eaten. Eggs that do not change color should be cooked for at least ten minutes. Before that, they should be washed to get rid of the infection from the shell. Raw eggs are very dangerous.