In the last few hours, a new disease has caused a global alert, after a outbreak lethal of bird flu which has culminated in the lives of 220 exotic birds in the province of Catamarca, Argentina. Therefore, the health authorities have made a call to detect the symptomsas well as the ability to infect beings humans faced with the possibility of a new epidemic.
The bird fluis an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses that mainly affects different types of birds, however in some cases it can transmit to mammals and beings humans. According to the World Health Organization, the H5N1 strain of bird flu has spread to more than 80 countries since 2022, so the outbreak recent registered in Argentina It is not an isolated case.
According to Dr. Johanna Harvey the disease spread from North America to South America through migratory birds. Therefore, the virus has spread rapidly among infected birds. The National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service of Argentinahas already declared to local media that the cause of death of hundreds of flamingos, they tested positive for the H5N1 strain, so the government of Argentina It has already issued an alert to its population to avoid contact with sick birds or their bodies.
Can humans get bird flu?
The bird flu It is a virus that can affect a large number of bird species, so the most susceptible are the chicken species (chickens, turkeys) as well as the ducks, geese, swans, among others. However, the presence of the virus has been detected in mammal species such as felines, and in very exceptional cases in humans.
Since the transmission of the H5N1 virus, from birds to humanshas shown to be very unlikely, for contagion to exist, you must have contact with the infected bird, which can occur directly in pens, farms or markets but there is no risk that it can occur. spread either you transmitted from person to person.
However, the symptoms of avian flu that occur in humans humans They may initially appear similar to those of a common flu, such as a fever of more than 38 degrees, difficulty breathing, cough, body cramps, among others. These symptoms They can worsen in a few days, leading to pneumonia. However, if you have not had contact with infected birds, there is no risk of suffering from the disease.