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INDEPTH: AVIAN FLU
Avian flu: What you can do
CBC News Online | October 14, 2005

What can you do to protect yourself and your family?
If you visited a farm overseas
General flu prevention tips
I've got the flu! What do I do?

What can you do to protect yourself and your family?
In 2004, there were two cases of avian influenza reported in people in B.C. Both cases followed close contact with infected poultry and contaminated materials, and resulted in mild symptoms. Both people recovered fully.

Other than that, avian influenza in humans has not been a significant threat in Canada.

However, it is important to note that the first SARS outbreak was concentrated in two areas: south Asia and Toronto. It began in south Asia and spread to the Toronto area through infected travellers.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued advisories for people travelling to areas that have experienced bird flu problems. The list of countries includes Thailand, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Laos.

The agency notes that while there's been no evidence of the illness being spread through food, travellers to those countries should not consume undercooked poultry, raw eggs or lightly cooked egg products (such as runny eggs).

The agency also suggests people travelling to those countries pay extra attention to personal hygiene: wash your hands thoroughly and often – especially if you touched eggs or undercooked poultry and egg products.

The agency further warns people to avoid contact with live poultry – and to stay away from poultry farms or markets where live birds are sold.

If you visited a farm overseas:
Make sure that clothing and footwear worn on the farm are free from soil and manure before returning to Canada. Wash your clothes and disinfect your footwear.

General flu prevention tips:

Get a flu shot – there is no vaccine for avian flu, but your regular flu shot will protect you from common strains going around.
Stay home from work or school if you are sick.
Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.

Viruses are pretty hardy organisms. They can live for up to 48 hours on the surfaces of toys, coffeemakers, doorknobs, computer keyboards and other hard surfaces.

It can take up to a week for that virus that infected you to produce symptoms. Even if you're not showing symptoms, you can infect others, so wash your hands regularly with hot water and soap.

More on vaccines

I've got the flu! What do I do?
Rent some movies and prepare to spend seven to 10 days at home, resting.

Drink plenty of fluids. Over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen should be enough to deal with the aches and fever. There are some new medications to treat influenza. But you have to take them within 48 hours of the start of your symptoms. They might cut the length of your illness by a day or two.

Children should not be given acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) because of the increased risk of developing Reye's syndrome, which affects the central nervous system and the liver, and can be fatal.

See your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after a few days. You might be suffering from severe side-effects. However, antibiotics won't help. They have no effect against viral illnesses like the flu.

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Avian flu worldwide

INFORMATION:

Public Health Agency of Canada for the public:

Tel: 1-800-484-8302
Email
Local Health Canada phone numbers

QUESTIONS:

Send us your questions about bird flu. We'll get the experts to answer them.

PREVENTING THE FLU

What you can do:

Get a flu shot. There is no vaccine for avian flu but it may boost your overall immunity, health officials say.
Wash your hands to wash away the flu virus
Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough
Stay home if you are sick.
More on what you can do here

QUICK FACTS:

Definition:The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Bird flu is an infection caused by avian influenza viruses. (Source: CDC)

Symptoms of flu/avian flu:Fever, fatigue, cough, sore throat, eye infections, muscle aches.

Transmission:Infected birds shed flu virus in their saliva, nasal secretions and feces. Avian flu may have passed to humans by contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces. In human-to-human cases, flu viruses spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. (CDC)

Prevention:Get a seasonal flu shot, wash your hands, cover your mouth when sneezing, stay home if you are sick, consult your doctor.

Avian flu vaccine:It is under development but cannot be finalized until the pandemic version of the virus appears.

Cure: A healthy body's immune system can often combat the flu. Antiviral drugs may help. Antibacterials are ineffective because the flu is a virus.

VACCINE & ANTIVIRALS:

DEFINITION
Vaccines and antivirals are different. A vaccine is designed to procure immunity from a disease. An antiviral drug is commonly used to treat an existing illness. Antivirals can also be used in a preventive way, but they are not vaccines, and do not provide immunity.

EXTERNAL LINKS:

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Cumulative Number of Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO

Canadian Food Inspection Agency avian flu

Canadian pandemic influenza plan

Public Health Agency of Canada

Latest information for travellers from the Public Health Agency of Canada

WHO avian influenza

WHO - estimating the impact of the next influenza pandemic

U.S. Centers for Disease Control - Avian flu

UN Food and Agriculture Organization Avian Influenza site

World Organization for Animal Health

EU Avian Flu site

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