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Avian
Influenza: Am I At Risk?
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The risk of avian influenza
to humans is almost entirely confined to those who have had close contact
with infected domestic poultry. For people who have no contact with domestic
or wild birds the risk is almost non-existent.
To date, most human cases
of avian influenza have occurred in rural or periurban areas where many
households keep small poultry flocks, which often roam freely, sometimes
entering homes or sharing outdoor areas where children play. As infected
birds shed large quantities of the virus in their faeces, opportunities
for exposure to infected droppings or to environments contaminated by
the virus are abundant under such conditions. Exposure is considered most
likely during slaughter, defeathering, butchering, and preparation of
poultry for cooking. In view of recent experiences in Asia and Turkey,
it is particularly important for children to understand why they must
not touch ill or dead poultry or wild birds, and why any such finding
should be reported immediately.
Poultry and poultry products
should be properly cooked and handled during food preparation. Normal
temperatures used for cooking (70ºC in all parts of the food) will
kill the virus. Consumers need to be sure that all parts of the poultry
are fully cooked (no "pink" parts) and that eggs, too, are properly
cooked (no "runny" yolks).
There is concern that
the virus - if given enough opportunities - will change into a form that
is highly infectious for humans and spreads easily from person to person,
but this has yet to occur.
The World Health Organization
(WHO) is currently investigating the latest influenza outbreaks in Turkey.
Initial investigation has found no evidence that the virus has increased
in its transmissibility or is spreading from person to person.
Source: World Health
Organization
For more information
please visit: http://www.who.int/topics/avian_influenza/en/
School District (K-12) Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/schoolchecklist.html#3
National Strategy for
Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan
http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/pandemic-influenza-implementation.html
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