Public Health Agency of Canada recommendations for Avian Flu

The WHO recommends the following to public health groups dealing with cases of Avian Flu:

* Co-ordinate services: Agricultural, veterinary and health services (along with other sector services deemed as appropriate) should exchange lab information and other data.

* Vaccination for public health reasons: Health authorities may consider vaccination against more common, seasonal influenza for persons at risk of occupational exposure to the H5N1 virus. Vaccination against seasonal influenza is a public health measure aimed at slashing the progression of HN51 along with the seasonal flu. Even so, vaccination against seasonal influenza will not protect people against infection with the H5N1 virus.

* Protection of persons at risk of occupational exposure: This is aimed at helping protect people who work on farms or other businesses wherein contact with fowl is common. Such people should wear personal protective equipment as follows:

1. Protective clothing, preferably coveralls plus an impermeable apron or surgical gown with long-cuffed sleeves plus an impermeable apron.

2. Heavy-duty rubber work gloves that can be disinfected.

3. Standard well-fitted surgical masks should be used if high-efficiency respiratory masks are not available. Masks should be fit-tested and training in their use should be provided.

4. Goggles.

5. Rubber or polyurethane boots that can be disinfected or protective foot covers that can be discarded.

Tamiflu should be made available to people who work in at-risk conditions, the WHO recommends. In addition, people in such occupations should be aware of the early clinical signs of H5N1 infection and check for them daily (as well as for two weeks after the last exposure to potentially-dangerous conditions), with the caveat that many of those signs are also apparent in more common diseases.

The following symptoms should be reported to a doctor, according to the WHO: "Most patients infected with the H5N1 virus show initial symptoms of fever (38 C or higher) followed by influenza-like respiratory symptoms, including cough, rhinorrhea, sore throat, and (less frequently) shortness of breath. Watery diarrhea is often present in the early stages of illness, and may precede respiratory symptoms by up to one week. Gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting) may occur and headache has also been reported. To date, one report has described two patients who presented with an encephalopathic illness and diarrhea without apparent respiratory symptoms."

People suspected of carrying the virus should be put in isolation and virus samples should be sent to WHO laboratories, the group said.

About The Author

Eric Schmiedl is a freelance journalist and a contributor to

www.avian-flu-symptoms.com.