Bird flu Q&A for travellers
November 15th, 2005
Posted on Sun, Nov. 13, 2005
For people making vacation plans, the H5N1 avian flu strain is beginning to loom large. And while the virus may not have mutated into a human disease, at least at this point, travelers are concerned.
Here are some of the most common questions about bird flu and travel:
Q: What is bird flu?
A: It is an infection among birds that is transmitted through saliva, nasal secretions and feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What makes the particular strain of bird flu H5N1 so worrisome is that it can now also infect people. In 1997, the first case of bird-to-human transmission was recorded in Hong Kong, according to the CDC. So far, this strain of flu has not had any sustained human-to-human transmission. But scientists are concerned that the virus might adapt to more easily infect people.
Q: Where are the outbreaks?
A: Human infections are reported this year in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, according to the disease control agency. As of Oct. 24, bird flu outbreaks linked to H5N1 had been recorded in poultry and other fowl in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, Romania, among other countries.
Q: Should I get a flu shot before I travel to affected areas?
A: Yes. Even though conventional flu shots do not prevent your contracting avian flu, health professionals advise getting a flu shot — particularly if you are over 65, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system. Dr. Phyllis Kozarsky, a consultant to the CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, says there is a chance that if you are infected with bird flu and another flu strain, the viruses could mix genes so the avian flu could acquire the characteristics of a strain more easily transmitted.
Another option is the antiviral medication Tamiflu, which, based on limited data, may be effective in preventing or treating bird flu, according to the CDC.
Q: Should I cancel my trip to an area where there are documented cases?
A: Probably not. ‘’One misconception about bird flu is that it is highly contagious among humans,'’ said Dr. R. Bradley Sack, director of the Johns Hopkins International Travel Medicine Service. ‘’That’s not true.'’ In fact, there have been only a few cases in which very close physical contact with an infected person has caused disease in a healthy person. “As a generalization, I think it is safe to say there has been no indication that human-to-human transmission is occurring, except in rare instances.'’
Sack said visitors to countries with bird flu cases should take several precautions, which include staying away from markets with live chickens and ducks, washing their hands frequently and not eating undercooked poultry. If the bird flu mutates and if it becomes a pandemic — and Sack says those are two big ‘’ifs'’ — then it will not really matter where you are, “because you probably won’t be safe anywhere.'’
Q: How do I know if it isn’t safe to travel?
A: The Centers for Disease Control posts regular travel notices — and, if needed, warnings — for travelers at its website (www.cdc.gov/travel).
‘’The risk to humans, at this point, is still extremely low,'’ Kozarsky said. ‘’But we are monitoring the situation closely.'’ To date, the CDC has only issued one travel health warning, during the SARS epidemic of 2003.
‘’People feel as if the avian flu is more widespread than it is. They think that if they travel to a country whose poultry is affected, they are at a high risk,'’ she said. But she sees no evidence of that yet.
Q: What are the travel experts doing about bird flu?
A: Many are still traveling. Phil Carta, the president of an Ocala-based tour operator called New Adventures, is planning a personal trip to Hong Kong, Thailand and Cambodia in December. He is taking all the precautions, including getting the flu shot and bringing antiviral medication. He is also traveling with a medical kit that includes antibacterial wipes and a digital thermometer.
‘’I'm going to be in some remote villages in Thailand, and let’s just say I won’t be petting any chickens while I’m there,'’ he said.
– CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT
WayToGo! Features
Source: miami.com
Entry Filed under: Nutrition News
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