Bird Flu Hit's Birds In Israel While Humans fight Delta, Omicron Virus

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                    

Half a million chickens have been slaughtered to contain the outbreak of avian flu in Israel, while some 5,000 migratory cranes have died of the virus in the most serious threat to wildlife Israel has known, says the Agriculture Ministry spokesperson. The culling of their poultry farms has cost Moshav Margaliot in the upper Galilee, Ein Hahoresh, Bar’am and Givat Zeev their main source of livelihood. The markets show a serious shortage of eggs. There is no immediate word of human infection.                                                  

  Pelicans at Israel water reservoir:  Where are their masks?  They're so close !  

Avian influenza refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. Avian flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with avian flu viruses have occurred.                              

An estimated half a million cranes pass through Israel every year on their way to Africa. Roughly 30,000 cranes, as well as pelicans and other birds stay behind for winter at the Hula Lake Park sanctuary, where workers there are working hard to remove the thousands of infected carcasses which pose a threat to wildlife in the north. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett put the National Security Council in charge of the dealing with the outbreak.                                  

      Bird Flu causes death in birds:  Here, dead cranes

Avian influenza, for most purposes, refers to the influenza A virus.  Though influenza A is adapted to birds, it can also stably adapt and sustain person-to-person transmission. Recent influenza research into the genes of the Spanish flu virus shows it to have genes adapted from both human and avian strains. Pigs can also be infected with human, avian, and swine influenza viruses, allowing for mixtures of genes (reassortment) to create a new virus, which can cause an antigenic shift to a new influenza A virus subtype which most people have little to no immune protection against.

                                              

Influenza A/H5N1 was first isolated from a goose in China in 1996. Human infections were first reported in 1997 in Hong Kong. Since 2003, more than 700 human cases of Asian HPAI H5N1 have been reported to the WHO, primarily from 15 countries in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East, though over 60 countries have been affected.

                                                                        

Most human cases of the avian flu are a result of either handling dead infected birds or from contact with infected fluids. It can also be spread through contaminated surfaces and droppings. While most wild birds have only a mild form of the H5N1 strain, once domesticated birds such as chickens or turkeys are infected, H5N1 can potentially become much more deadly because the birds are often in close contact. H5N1 is a large threat in Asia with infected poultry due to low hygiene conditions and close quarters. Although it is easy for humans to contract the infection from birds, human-to-human transmission is more difficult without prolonged contact. However, public health officials are concerned that strains of avian flu may mutate to become easily transmissible between humans.

Strains of the influenza virus that primarily infect birds,  can also infect humans.

This type of flu is most often contracted by contact with sick birds. It can also be passed from person to person.

Symptoms begin within two to eight days, and can seem like the common flu. Cough, fever, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, and shortness of breath may occur.

The disease can carry a high mortality in humans. Some antiviral drugs, if taken within two days of symptoms, may help.  So in Israel, they not only have Omicron virus, but now should watch out for the Bird virus. 

Back in 2019 in Oregon, state wildlife officials announced on a Wednesday, that the mallard shot by a hunter at Fern Ridge Wildlife Area was carrying H5N2, one of more than 140 strains of the virus commonly known as avian influenza, or bird flu. The strain differs from H5N1, a mutation that appeared in the early 2000s and continues to sicken people in Europe, Asian and Africa. To date, no H5N1 infections have been reported in the United States.

                                                       

 At any given time, wild geese and ducks are likely to carry the flu in

their system, but it rarely makes them sick.

However, the H5N2 and H5N8 strains can sicken and kill falcons and domesticated poultry, making them an economic concern for poultry growers. In January 2019, in Washington's Tri-Cities, hundreds

 of chicken, turkey, ducks and guinea fowl were euthanized after members of their flocks contracted the virus.

Resource:

https://www.debka.com/mivzak/bird-flu-outbreak-in-israel-half-a-million-chickens-culled-migratory-birds-die/ Dec 28, 2021 @ 11:11

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avian_influenza

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/index.htm

https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2021-update-on-omicron