Transcript What if somebody does find an infected bird – in North

This Educational Offering is Sponsored by the
Minnesota Emergency Readiness Education and
Training (MERET) Grant.
Promoting Collaboration between Partners in
Emergency Preparedness in Minnesota
• Minnesota Hospital Association
• Minnesota Department of Health
Kevin Elfering, Director Dairy& Food inspection
Pop Quiz
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Is AI a new disease?
NO
Has there ever been a case of AI in the US?
YES
Has there been a case in Minnesota?
YES
How about this year?
YES
Kevin Elfering, Director Dairy& Food inspection
Ecology of Influenza
Genetic Reservoirs
H3, H7
H1, H2, H3
H5N1
Commercial,
LBMs
Others
Intermixing
H10
H1-12
H14-15
H1-2, 4-7,
H9-13, 15
Other Aquatic
Birds?
H1, H3
Kevin Elfering, Director Dairy& Food inspection
H1, H3, H4, H7,
H13
AI CLASSIFICATIONS of
Influenza Virus
• Low pathogenic AI (LPAI) – majority of
strains
• Highly pathogenic AI (HPAI) less often
• Sudden onset, severe illness, rapid death, with mortality
that can approach 100%
• This type of virus has only been found in H5 and H7
subtypes
• All outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian influenza
viruses have only been found in the H5 and H7 subtypes
• This does not mean that all H5 and H7 subtypes are
highly pathogenic.
Kevin Elfering, Director Dairy& Food inspection
What if somebody does find an infected
bird – in North America, the U.S., in the
Upper Midwest, or here in Minnesota?
Does that mean we’re having a pandemic?
Disease of birds
Rare human transmission
If close contact with infected bird/droppings
– No transmission from wild birds
– Person to person contact rare
Unlikely to see widespread human disease
Does that mean we don’t need to be
concerned about a flu pandemic?
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Public health preparedness
Worldwide pandemics
H5N1 bird flu strain changes
Different flu virus
Public health monitoring
How will we know when we have our first
infected bird? What’s being done to
monitor for H5N1 bird flu in wild birds?
Surveillance and Testing
U.S. Geological Survey and
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources
Have any cases of avian influenza been
reported in Minnesota poultry this
winter?
Annual garden-variety forms every year
Monitoring system in place
Minnesota poultry industry has never had a
case of the more serious HP form
Modern production practices minimize spread
What is being done to monitor for H5N1
bird flu in domestic poultry flocks?
Poultry producers
Veterinarians
Minnesota Dept of Animal Health
Should consumers be concerned about
buying and eating chickens or turkeys?
What can they do to protect themselves?
Minnesota Dept of Agriculture Board of
Animal Health Monitoring Programs
Handling/Cooking Precautions
Clean utensils
Wash hands
Cook poultry thoroughly
Do you want people to report sick or dead wild
birds? Do you want people to submit dead birds
for testing, the way you did with West Nile Virus?
No plans for testing
H5N1 vs West Nile Virus testing
Dead birds
H5N1 unlikely to make them sick and die
Put in a plastic bag
Put in garbage
Wash hands thoroughly
Should people be concerned about contact with
wild birds or their droppings? What should they
do to protect themselves?
No reported cases of H5N1 in humans from
transmission by wild birds
As a general precaution avoid contact with
wild birds/droppings
Wash hands, avoid bringing feces into
home, shoes, clothing
Disinfection
Is it safe to eat wild game birds? What
precautions should hunters take?
No reported cases where people have gotten H5N1 bird
flu from wild animals
Routine precautions include:
1. Do not eat or handle any sick game birds
2. Wear rubber or disposable latex gloves when handling
or cleaning game birds
3. Wash hands and any equipment or surfaces that came in
contact with game
4. Thoroughly cook all game to an internal temperature of
165 degrees or higher
http://www.health.state.mn.us/
Should consumers be concerned about buying
and eating chickens or turkeys? What can they
do to protect themselves?
Normal precautions for handling and cooking
poultry. These precautions include
a.
Cleaning all utensils and food preparation services
thoroughly after working with raw poultry.
b. Washing your hands thoroughly after handling raw
poultry.
c. Cooking poultry thoroughly – to an internal
temperature of 165 degrees or higher – before eating
it.
Precautions protect from other common diseases
What about eating eggs? Is there any
special way eggs should be prepared?
No known cases of transmission from eating
eggs
Proper cooking kills bacteria/viruses
Cook thoroughly
No runny or liquid yolks
What about people who like eating
their eggs “sunny-side up?”
Thoroughly cook meat, poultry, eggs
Eggs prepared “sunny-side up” are not heated
to temperatures that kill bacteria/viruses
Eggs intended for human consumption are
typically washed and sanitized so any virus
on the shell would be inactivated
Is it safe to keep “back yard chickens” or other
poultry in or near your place of residence?
Simple precautions:
1. Monitor birds daily for signs of disease
– Swelling around head
– Discharge from eyes, nose, mouth
– Severe illness and death in chickens and turkeys
2. Keep wild birds away from domestic birds feed, bedding or
water
3. If your birds become sick /die, consult veterinarian promptly
4. Wash hands thoroughly after working with birds
5. For questions about your birds contact
6. U.S. Dept of Agriculture website:
www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/birdbiosecurity
Or call 1–866–536–7593.
Do bird feeders pose any health risk for humans?
No reported cases of people with H5N1 bird flu from wild
birds
H5N1 typically not seen in backyard bird feeder speciesmore likely in waterfowl and shorebirds
Precautions:
– Wear gloves while cleaning bird feeders/bird baths
– Wash hands after removing gloves
– Use plastic bag to pick up & dispose of dead birds
Should people be concerned about
swimming in lakes where waterfowl
are present?
No evidence of anyone being infected this way
General health precaution:
• Avoid shallow area where waterfowl may be
present
• Avoid swallowing any water when swimming
What about pets? Are they at risk?
And are they a potential threat?
No known cases where people have gotten
H5N1 from animals other than chickens
Few cases of H5N1 reported in cats who were
infected by eating raw infected poultry
Pet cats should be kept indoors
Pet birds with no contact with wild birds are
not at risk
Have any of these birds with the less
severe versions of avian flu gone into
the food supply?
Birds that do not pass inspection at the
slaughter plant are withheld from the food
supply.
More dangerous forms typically kill birds
quickly, making it unlikely of reaching the
processing plant
No danger of getting avian influenza from
properly cooked poultry
Prepare Human Resources in Our
Communities to Respond
• Organize family plans for any emergency
• Educate community as new threats loom
• Work within your agencies, communities
and regions to establish back up plans for
sudden surges in anticipated events
MDH Public Information Line
Questions from the general public—please
call (651) 201-5414
During normal business hours
8:00AM-4:30 PM Monday-Friday
This is the same number that physicians can
call for clinical questions 24 hours per
day and 7 days per week
MDH Web
For Updated information and Fact Sheets
About Avian Influenza
www.health.state.mn.us.divs/idepc/diseases/flu/avian/birddisease.pdf
Information About Safe
Handling of Your Birds
Contact:
U. S. Department of Agriculture’s
Biosecurity for the Birds Program.
www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/birdbiosecurity
Or call 1 (866) 536-7593
Questions About Dead Birds
Call: (651) 201-5081
Thank You For Your
Participation