AVIAN INFLUENZA - should you stop eating EGGS and MEAT? Who is at risk of avian influenza?

AVIAN INFLUENZA- The Influenza Virus causes frequently cause epidemics or endemic. Sometimes it affects humans and sometimes birds and animals. 

All thanks to the mutation they undergo frequently !!

We occasionally come across the news of multiple birds deaths located in some area of yout country. This soon starts to spread in other areas as-well. This marks the EPIDEMIC OF AVIAN INFLUENZA

During this times, many people stop eating eggs and bird meat for the fear of getting infected. This is bad news for regular egg and meat consumers and also for the industries.

But let's target some questions about-

HOW YOU CAN & HOW YOU CAN NOT get infected with AVIAN INFLUENZA.

Check Out -What is MUCORMYCOSIS? a.k.a BLACK FUNGUS INFECTION

Is AVIAN INFLUENZA virus found on eggs?

Many times the influenza spread in birds may be of high severity or low severity. Also, one can not predict if the bird had the virus when it gave the egg.

So in order to find out, if the avian influenza is present in any part of egg, various parts of egg were tested for the presence of virus.

This will show if the virus can be transmitted to the younger one or not !

And

Whether eggs are safe to eat or not!

The tests were done using RT-PCR mechanism

In the series of testing done by S.PS. Pillai and YUKO UCHIDA, it was found that virus might be present in-

• albumin of eggs

• eggs shells

Can AVAIN INFLUENZA spread from eating EGGS or MEAT ?

Since the presence of virus can be found in some parts of egg, it is now important to find out whether this virus causing AVIAN INFLUENZA can enter our body by eating any of those products.

So far, no evidence have been found about possible entry of virus into humans from intestine. No receptor for attachment of virus has been found on which avian influenza can attach!

Plus, no evidence has been found about the replication of virus in hummans!

MOREOVER

NO cases have been reported stating the infection of humans after eating infected meat or egg !!

Hence it is predicated that there is negligible chance of infection if one eats RAW meat or egg.

But still there is no confirmation about the chance of getting infected via infected food is present!

In order to be completely sure, FDA recommends the following points-

Food should be properly boiled/heated  to core temperature more than 70 degree celcius for atleast 10 seconds

Heating the meat or egg as mentioned above will inactivate the virus making the food safe to eat for humans.

AVAIN INFLUENZA - Who are at risk?

Now that we are clear that a normal person has rare chances of getting infected if he/she consumes infected meat or egg. And has no chance of getting infected if food is heated optimally !

Let's see which activities will make humans more susceptible to getting infected.

Normal activities such as touching or occasional handling of birds might not led to infections in humans!

Occupations which deal with close contact with infected birds such as-

• Aviculture

• rearing of birds

• Slaughtering

• meat industry

• Poultry processing

CONCLUSION

Chance of humans getting infected with AVIAN INFLUENZA is

NELIGIBLE if you eat RAW MEAT/ EGG

NO CHANCE if you eat PROPERLY COOKED EGG/ MEAT

HIGH if you are in POULTRY or SLAUGHTER INDUSTRY

ALSO KNOW- How is the UK STRAIN OF  COVID different from CHINA strain of COVID?

That's all for this topic !!

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SOURCES

1. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/what-you-need-know-about-egg-safety

2. Assessment of low pathogenic avian influenza virus transmission via raw poultry meat and raw table eggs in European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) et al. EFSA J. 2018.
3. Scientific Report of the Scientific Panel on Biological Hazards on: Food as a possible source of infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses for humans and other mammals in March 2006 – 21st Plenary meeting (Question N° EFSA-Q-2005-295)
4. Poultry food products--a source of avian influenza virus transmission to humans? by T C Harder et al. in Clin Microbiol Infect. 2016 Feb
5. Food Safety: Recommendations for Determining Doneness in Consumer Egg Dish Recipes and Measurement of Endpoint Temperatures When Recipes Are Followed by Sandria Godwin, Curtis Maughan, and Edgar Chambers, IV, Detection of influenza A viruses in eggs laid by infected turkeys by S P S Pillai et al. Avian Dis. 2010 Jun.
6. Transmission of an H5N8-Subtype Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus from Infected Hens to Laid Eggs by Yuko Uchida et al. Avian Dis. 2016 Jun.
7. Effects of an H7 Highly Pathogenic and Related Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus on Chicken Egg Production, Viability, and Virus Contamination of Egg Contents and Surfaces by Christopher B Stephens and others Avian Dis. 2020 Jun.