DPH issues guidelines on Avian influenza surveillance & prevention

CHENNAI: The Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) has issued guidelines on Avian Influenza prevention and treatment in case of transmission to human beings after reports from the Joint Director of Animal Husbandry, Nellore stated an outbreak of Bird flu in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh State.

The Joint Director of Animal Husbandry in Nellore had stated in a media report that more than 10,000 poultry birds have died in Nellore over the past ten days, and they have confirmed the Avian Influenza outbreak due to H5N1 Influenza virus.

While the department is taking prevention and control activities, the DPH has issued the guidelines for Avian influenza to the Deputy Directors of Health Services, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupathur and Krishnagiri.

The guidelines state that Avian influenza is a viral disease, primarily affecting the poultry with a potential to cause human infections.

Infected poultry and wild birds can transmit the virus to susceptible poultry and human beings through contaminated poultry products, secretions, excretions or carcasses, etc.

The infected birds or persons will develop FLU like illness characterized by fever, headache, myalgia, cough and shortness breath etc.

There is no chemoprophylaxis required for healthcare workers or persons handling birds with PPE or contact with a sick person, and they remain low risk contact. Persons handling sick birds or who are in direct exposure to sick or dead birds infected with Avian influenza have a moderate risk.

Individuals sharing household with or caring for a patient or in unprotected close contact with patient at less than 1 metre distance are at a high risk.

The moderate and high risk individuals should be treated with Oseltamivir 75 mg once daily for 7-10 days.

DPH has also instructed the Deputy Director of Health Services in districts bordering Andhra Pradesh to undertake orientation of the PHC medical officers and health staff and conduct training of the Rapid Response Team in co-ordination with Animal Husbandry Department.

The surveillance of flu like illness in all government and private hospitals has to be intensified, especially those who had travelled to bird flu affected areas and engaged in poultry rearing.

DDHS have been asked to work in close co-ordination with Animal Husbandry Department and the District Administration and depute medical and para medical teams for each check post as and when requested by the Animal Husbandry Department.

The officials have also been asked to notify death of crows, ducks, chickens and other birds and sickness in birds noticed by the field staff should be to the Joint Director.

Besides supervision, the availability of adequate quantities of Personal Protective Equipment and Oseltamivir capsule is also to be ensured.