Could bird flu turn into the next pandemic?

Subject: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Avian Influenza or Bird flu:

It is a highly contagious viral disease affecting several species of food-producing birds (chickens, turkeys, quails, guinea fowl, etc.), as well as pet birds and wild birds.
Occasionally mammals, including humans, may contract avian influenza.
Influenza A viruses are classified into subtypes based on two surface proteins, Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA). For example, a virus that has an HA 7 protein and NA 9 protein is designated as subtype H7N9.
Avian influenza virus subtypes include A(H5N1), A(H7N9), and A(H9N2).
HPAI A(H5N1) virus occurs mainly in birds and is highly contagious among them.
HPAI Asian H5N1 is especially deadly for poultry.
Prevention: Strict biosecurity measures and good hygiene are essential in protecting against disease outbreaks.
Eradication: If the infection is detected in animals, a policy of culling infected and contact animals is normally used to rapidly contain, control and eradicate the disease.

Spread of H5N1 Bird Flu virus:

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms about the ongoing spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus, which has evolved to affect not only birds but also mammals, including cows and goats, marking a significant zoonotic development.
This outbreak, which started in 2020, has seen cases in humans as well, with a high mortality rate of 52% among the infected.
To date, 889 human cases have been recorded across 23 countries, leading to 463 deaths.

Global Developments:

In the US, the H5N1 virus has been detected in cattle, a new host species for the virus, across several states.
This presents a unique challenge as unlike poultry, culling cattle is not seen as a viable containment strategy due to their economic value and the fact that the virus does not cause high mortality in these animals.
There is no evidence of the virus in pasteurized milk.

Economic Impact on India:

India ranks as the third-largest egg producer and the fifth-largest poultry meat producer globally.
In the fiscal year 2022-23, India exported 664,753.46 metric tons of poultry products valued at approximately 134.04 million USD to over 57 countries.
The Indian poultry market was valued at USD 30.46 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% from 2024 to 2032.
This underlines the significant economic stake India holds in managing bird flu effectively.

Implications and Future Concerns:

The adaptation of the H5N1 virus to infect mammals including cattle has heightened concerns about its potential to evolve further, possibly gaining the ability for human-to-human transmission.
This scenario underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring, rapid response strategies, and international cooperation to manage the spread of this potentially devastating virus.

India’s strategy to prevent and control Avian Influenza:

India first detected the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Maharashtra in February 2006 and has since faced yearly outbreaks affecting various states.
Over 9 million birds have been culled to control the disease.
The Indian government’s strategy, as per the revised National Action Plan for Prevention, Control, and Containment of Avian Influenza (2021), includes strict measures such as the culling of infected animals, restriction on poultry movement, and intensive surveillance post-outbreak.
It’s important to note that vaccination against HPAI is not permitted in India.
- The Central Government has maintained that with the long-term use of vaccination either the disease has become endemic and therefore widespread, or the infection in affected animals is too difficult to detect.

Source: TH