Avian influenza is a highly contagious disease of birds (including poultry and wild birds) and mammals (including humans); caused by influenza type A virus of the Orthomyxoviridae family. Avian influenza viruses mutate rapidly and often cause pandemics in poultry. Recently, the disease has occurred in many countries around the world, causing hundreds of millions of poultry to die or be destroyed. The virus has even spread to mammals - which have a biological structure closer to humans. Therefore, avian influenza is becoming more dangerous than ever.
Previously, bird flu often broke out in the fall, but recently the disease has occurred all year round, the spread of the disease does not depend on weather conditions, time and geographical area. According to the report of the World Health Organization (WHO), some strains of bird flu virus such as: H5N1, H5N6, H5N8, H7N9 have the ability to infect from poultry to humans with a high mortality rate.
Vietnam is considered a hot spot for the development of influenza viruses, both seasonal influenza strains in humans and influenza viruses in animals. Every year, avian influenza still occurs in many provinces and cities across the country. To date, 03 strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus A/H5N1, A/H5N6 and A/H5N8 have been detected causing disease in poultry.
In particular, on October 5, 2022, there was 1 case of human infection with avian influenza virus, strain A/H5 in Phu Tho province (after more than 8 years, Vietnam had no cases of death or infection with influenza virus A/H5); bringing the total number of people infected with avian influenza virus A/H5 in Vietnam to 128 cases, of which 64 cases died (accounting for 50%). Currently, highly pathogenic virus strains causing domestic epidemics have all appeared in Nghe An, with the current situation of livestock farming, business, transportation, and small-scale slaughter causing concern about the outbreak of disease and transmission to humans.
Immediately after Decision No. 172/QD-TTg dated February 13, 2019 of the Prime Minister on approving the National Plan for the Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza, period 2019-2025, Nghe An Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development promptly advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue Decision No. 1116/QD-UBND dated April 9, 2019 on promulgating the Plan for the Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza in the province for the period 2019-2025, in addition, the province also issued many directives and instructions suitable to the actual situation, with high feasibility and synchronous implementation of solutions to control the epidemic. Specifically: Strengthening surveillance, early detection and timely handling of cases positive for avian influenza virus; All poultry flocks with suspected signs of avian influenza or suspected contact with sick poultry are inspected and sampled for testing. Regularly organize sampling and monitoring at markets/live poultry collection and trading points to promptly handle outbreaks. Focus on directing and implementing simultaneous vaccination for the two main crops (spring and autumn), supplementary vaccination; advise the Provincial People's Committee to provide vaccines to vaccinate poultry flocks in 9 high-risk districts and handle outbreaks.
Focus on disinfection of livestock environments and disease prevention. Focus on treating pathogens at old and newly emerging outbreaks, culling pits, poultry and poultry product trading points. Strengthen direction and supervision of livestock farms to fully vaccinate, especially avian influenza vaccination.
Effectively organize quarantine work, control poultry transportation, control slaughter and check veterinary hygiene and food safety. Periodically check the quality of animal feed, veterinary medicine, banned substances, antibiotics used in animal husbandry and the quality and origin of breeding animals in the area. Information and propaganda work is carried out continuously and diversely...
Thanks to the timely and drastic implementation of disease prevention and control solutions, in recent years in Nghe An province, avian influenza has only occurred in small-scale outbreaks, been contained, and has not spread widely.
During the breeding process, poultry are often infected with diseases through two ways: direct and indirect. Direct infection through contact such as keeping healthy poultry with sick poultry, or raising them together and being infected by wild birds carrying the pathogen. Indirect infection through farming tools, food, drinking water, cages, clothes, shoes, means of transport... contaminated with feces and secretions containing influenza virus excreted by sick animals.
When poultry are infected with the above symptoms and die in large numbers, farmers must absolutely not hide the epidemic, but must immediately report it to local authorities, veterinary staff, or veterinary agencies, and at the same time implement disease prevention measures: Do not buy, sell, or transport sick poultry or dead poultry; Do not throw dead poultry into the environment, rivers, ponds, lakes, etc.; Do not slaughter or consume meat from sick poultry or dead poultry; Do not let anyone get close to the poultry, especially children; Destroy all poultry according to the instructions of the veterinary agency; General cleaning and disinfection of the livestock area with chemicals and lime powder.
Mr. Dang Van Minh - Head of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine recommends: With the motto "prevention is better than cure", in the process of raising livestock, livestock owners need to implement solutions to prevent avian influenza. Strictly apply biosecurity measures; regularly clean and disinfect the livestock area with chemicals and lime powder. Vaccinate poultry against avian influenza and other infectious diseases. Breeding poultry must have a clear and reliable origin, and newly purchased poultry must be kept separately for 1-2 weeks before being added to the flock.
Poultry that has been brought to the market but not sold, when brought back must be kept separately for 1-2 weeks. Keep poultry in cages or fenced areas; limit keeping poultry with other animals in the same place. Poultry caretakers must use boots, shoes, and personal protective equipment when entering the livestock area. Limit visitors from entering and leaving the livestock area; if they have to enter or leave, they must change to new boots and shoes or wash the soles of boots and shoes with soap or disinfectant solution. Do not allow vehicles or transport tools into the livestock area. In case of necessity, spray disinfectant or wash vehicles with soap. Supplement nutrition and minerals to improve the resistance of poultry. Control intermediate animals that transmit diseases mechanically such as rats, flies, etc. periodically. Regularly monitor the health of poultry to detect unusual cases. When there is information about avian influenza outbreaks occurring in the same commune, the surrounding area needs to strengthen disease prevention measures.
