Avian Influenza (Bird flu)

IN NEWS:

• Bird flu in poultry has been confirmed in nine districts of Maharashtra, while culling operation in poultry is underway in one district each in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

WHAT IS BIRD FLU:

• Avian influenza, known informally as avian flu or bird flu, is a variety of influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds.
• This disease is caused by Influenza Type-A virus which can have several strains. The current outbreak has evidence of H5N1 and H8N1 strains of virus.
• These viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species.
• Avian flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with avian flu viruses have occurred.

INDIA’S & BIRD FLU:

• In India, bird flu is spread mainly by migratory birds coming into India during the winter months from between September and March.
• Between 2006 and 2018, India reported a total of 225 epicenters of bird flu infection.
• Over 83.49 lakh birds were culled to curb the spread and the government offered a compensation of Rs 26.37 crore to poultry farmers for their losses.

INDIA’S VULNERABILITY TO BIRD FLU:

• Major migration destination: Three flyways of migratory birds pass through the country. India falls within the central Asian flyway. Major waterbodies in India are the winter destination for several migratory birds, who are the carriers of these viruses.
• Endemism: Avian influenzas are endemic to South and South east asia. India’s proximity with these countries and the porous nature of the border creates vulnerabilities.
• Large poultry population: India has a population of 851 million poultry (317.07 million backyard and 534.74 commercial poultry). Hence, there is high chance for a rapid spread of the disease.
• Frequent contact: Poultry, especially backyard poultry, is largely at subsistence level. Hence, there is frequent contact between man and animals.
• Weak veterinary system: India does not have a strong veterinary system for early detection and monitoring viral spreads.
• Unregulated market: Poultry and meat markets in India are largely unregulated and have inadequate sanitation. Hence, there is a high risk of infected birds being sold in these markets.

THREATS FROM BIRD FLU:

• Threat to human life: Though small, there have been cases of human illnesses and deaths. Also, there is a high risk of pandemic posed by potentially mutated strains of these viruses, similar in lines with the coronavirus outbreak.
• Economic loss: SARS in 2003 led to an immediate economic loss of approximately 2% of East Asian GDP. A global pandemic from avian influenza would have a more widespread effect, especially on meat and poultry exporting countries such as India.
• Loss of livelihood: Backyard poultry is a major source of secondary income for many families. As Influenza forces large scale culling of these birds to prevent the spread of the disease, it leaves many without a means of livelihood. 
• Ripple effect on allied sectors: Bird flu outbreaks affects the dairy and meat industries. The fear of the disease reduces demand for animal products, which in turn affects the export industry.
• Impact on tourism: Avian influenzas are closely linked to large waterbodies, which are also tourist destinations. An outbreak can detrimentally affect tourism industry of the region.

PREVENTION, CONTROL AND CONTAINMENT:

1. All outbreaks of Avian Influenza are handled as per the guidelines in Action Plan on “Preparedness, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza”. The major activities undertaken for control and containment are:

• Notification of Outbreak
• Demarcation of culling and surveillance zones
• launch of control & containment operations by Rapid Response Teams (RRTs),
• culling of birds and disposal of Dead Birds
• absolute Ban on Movement of Poultry and products from the zones
• Instant Compensation for Culling, clean-up and Disinfection
• Post Operation Surveillance
• declaration of Freedom from Disease

2. Biosafety labs: To strengthen the diagnosis of Avian Influenza, under World Bank assisted project on Avian Influenza, four pre-fabricated Bio-Safety Level-III (BSL-III) laboratories have been established at Jalandhar, Kolkata, Bangalore and Bareilly.
3. Capacity building: Sensitization of general public through Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns.
4. Vaccination programmes are available against the major poultry diseases in India.

WAY FORWARD:

• Influenza viruses, with the vast silent reservoir in aquatic birds, are impossible to eradicate. However, their impact can be minimized.
• To minimize public health risk, quality surveillance in both animal and human populations, thorough investigation of every human infection and risk-based pandemic planning are essential.
• A possible strategy in this regard can be the adoption of one health approach.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q. Discuss the factors that increase India’s vulnerability towards avian influenza. What measures can be taken to minimize the threats of an avian influenza outbreak?