Influenza A (H5N1) is the type of influenza virus type A. Wild birds is the natural place to live from this virus, so called bird flu or avian influenza. " The virus circulating among birds worldwide. This virus is very contagious and can easily become very death for them, especially on tame birds such as chickens.
The virus is spread by wild birds, because it is called avian flu or bird flu. The virus has spread in poultry almost throughout the world, is very contagious poultry against each other on and off, especially the types of poultry such as chickens.
2. Who is infected?
This virus does not infect humans in particular. However, in 1997, the first event of a direct transmission of the influenza virus A (H5N1) from birds to humans has been proven time of the attack the disease of bird flu among poultry in Hong Kong; virus has caused a severe respiratory illness in 18 people, 6 of them died. Since that time, there are events in human H5N1 transmission. However, thus far, the H5N1 virus can not spread from human to human. Health officials continue to monitor this situation carefully to the instructions to get the transmission of the H5N1 among humans. Until the date of 17 October 2007, Indonesia has reported 109 cases of the H5N1 bird flu in humans. 88 of them off. 3 cases of death reported to have occurred in Bali since August 2007.
3. How broadened?
Birds infected by virus spread in the saliva, respiratory tract fluid, and defecation. The bird flu virus spreads among birds vulnerable when they have been exposed to contaminated soils. Believed that most cases of H5N1 infection in humans is caused by contact with infected poultry have been or environment that has been contaminated.
4. Is there a medication for the prevention and treatment?
Yes. Tamiflu, which contains oseltamivir way is an antiviral treatment, which proved to be the ability to spread the virus from infected cells to healthy cells. Until October 7, 2005, Indonesia has to get 60,000 Tamiflu tablets. Currently, the only antiviral can be found in 44 hospitals recipient of Tamiflu. In Bali, can be found at the Sanglah Hospital.
4. Who should take medicine?
Guide the management of bird flu at this time suggests that oseltamivir is recommended for people with:
* High fever (> 38 ° C)
* Vulnerable
* Difficulty breathing
* Having a background likely affected
that may make the person at risk of becoming infected by bird flu, among others:
* During the 7 days before affected, have experienced one or more of the following circumstances:
o Contacts (the distance of 1 meter or less) with poultry or wild birds either live or die
o Being in a place where livestock or poultry are never be during the previous 6 weeks
o experience (in the range touch or conversation) with the people diagnosed with influenza A (H5N1)
o experience (in the range touch or conversation) with the people who suffer acute respiratory disease that can not be explained then that ends in death
* (Or) During the 7 days before the infected, worked in a laboratory where there is processing samples from persons or animals suspected of suffering bird flu.
(Benchmark above applies only in countries or regions where bird flu has been identified as causes of disease in human or animal population). So far, tamiflu only given to people infected experience symptoms of bird flu. Tamiflu is not recommended as a prophylactic before the infected and there is no research that shows that tamiflu provide immunity against the H5N1 virus.
6. When I have been vaccinated to prevent influenza, whether I will still be infected by the Bird Flu?
Yes. Vaccines are not currently protect yourself from diseases caused by H5N1. Vaccines are currently protect you from seasonal influenza types A and B. Vaccines for H5N1 are in the stage of development in several countries.
7. What advantages, if influenza vaccination can still catch the Bird Flu?
Goals from vaccination is the opportunity to reduce the occurrence of the same infection between human influenza and bird flu. Infection double the same time will provide the opportunity to viruses from human and bird flu viruses to exchange genes, or mutation, which will likely produce a new type of influenza, which will be easily spread as human influenza but will be shut off as bird flu.