Avian and Pandemic Influenza: Basic Information

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Avian and Pandemic Influenza Basic Information
Last updated 8 February 2006
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Pandemic Influenza

• Human influenza causes yearly outbreaks. Most
  people have some immunity to most of these
  strains.
• When a new strain emerges, humans have little
  immunity and the virus can cause a
  pandemic-with over 25 of the worlds
  population infected.
• Once the pandemic starts, 20 - 50 of all people
  on earth will likely become ill during1 3 waves
• The H5N1 virus (called Avian Flu), occurs
  naturally in wild birds, and has infected
  millions of domestic poultry since 1997.
• As of February 2, 2006, there have been 165
  confirmed cases of H5N1 in humans, with 88
  deaths. Thus far, the disease in humans is
  unusually aggressive with high fatality.

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Influenza Pandemics 20th Century
1918 Spanish Flu
1957 Asian Flu
1968 Hong Kong Flu
A(H1N1)
A(H2N2)
A(H3N2)
1-4 million deaths worldwide
20-100 million deaths worldwide
1-4 million deaths worldwide
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Modes of Transmission for Influenza Viruses

• Droplet transmission (most common)
• Coughing and sneezing transmit virus approx. 3
  feet
• Virus must come in contact with mouth, nose, or
  eye
• Direct and indirect contact (rare?)
• Skin-to-skin contact (hand shake)
• Virus can remain active 12-48 hours on surfaces
  (hand to surface, hand to eye)
• Airborne transmission (limited evidence)
• Requires virus to remain suspended in air and
  travel further than 3 feet
• No evidence of travel through ventilation systems

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Settings of HumanH5N1 Infection

• Most cases of infection involved exposure to
  infected poultry in rural backyard flocks
• Contact with diseased or dead poultry
• Eating undercooked poultry or blood
• Other exposure settings
• Live animal markets
• Cock fighting
• Few, but increasing cases of human to human spread

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Pandemic Influenza

• Experts believe that the world is now closer to
  another flu pandemic than at any time since 1968.
• WHO identifies six phases of a Pandemic Alert. We
  are currently in Phase 3 no or very little
  human-human transmission.
• Experts say that a pandemic will occur, with an
  estimated 1-10 probability in 2006.
• Movement from Phase 3 to 6 is unpredictable, and
  could range from days to years
• World Economic Forum 2006

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WHO Phases of a Pandemic
Current level
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Save the Children response I

• SC is working to help protect staff and families
  worldwide, the health and livelihood of our
  beneficiaries, and to prepare the agency to
  continue key functions in the event of a pandemic
  (Business Continuity)
• Vickie Barrow-Klein and Rudy Von Bernuth are
  co-leaders of SCs Pandemic Flu activities at the
  Senior Management Team level
• SCs Flu Working Group, organized in October
  2005, is working on immediate dissemination of
  essential information to all country offices as
  well as a comprehensive agency preparedness plan

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Save the Children response II

• To date, SC has held Avian Flu Preparedness
  Exercises in Westport, Washington and London for
  Headquarters and Field Office staff
• SCs Viet Nam and Ethiopia Country Offices have
  drafted preparedness plans according to each
  pandemic phase
• The SC Alliance in Indonesia is working with
  partners to teach farmers about how to identify
  and report infected poultry, and reduce the risk
  of disease in animals and humans
• An Influenza Point Person and backup will be
  identified in each SC office by mid-February

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Resources

• Savenet
• www.fluwikie.com
• A collaborative website serving as a
  clearinghouse for up-to-date information
• www.who.int
• WHO website with the latest information and
  materials.