Emerging Global Health Issues: Avian Influenza

Running head: Emerging global health issues
EMERGING GLOBAL HEALTH ISSUES
AVIAN INFLUENZA

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Emerging global health issues
Introduction of Avian influenza
Avian influenza is different from human pandemic influenza. The disease within birds does
not infect humans easily. Since 2003, when the virus emerged, numerous deaths are caused
by H5N1 avian influenza. An H7N9 straining of the virus in rooster occurred that caused
deaths of many humans in China. The tendency of spreading avian influenza in Australia is
mainly from international tourists, as the virus is not present in the country. Ducks are the
usual hosts of these diseases and are perceived to have played a role in disseminating the
HPN1 virus in Asia, Europe and Africa. Several types of striding birds migrate to Australia;
however that are not the usual spreaders or host of avian influenza (Agriculture, 2019a).
It is normal for remote birds within Australia, or the seasonal birds come to the country
carrying the little pathogenic avian influenza. Formerly the country had occurrences for avian
influenza in marketable birds, and all of them were exterminated positively. However, the
currently emerged strains creating concern in Asia and the United States were not the cause
of the outbreaks. While the probability of the external HP HPAI virus inflowing and getting
recognised in Australia is little, it is an opportune notice that all the poultry vendors and
manufacturers apply right biosecurity actions for stopping avian influenza and other
widespread diseases within the birds (Agriculture, 2019b).
Justification for selecting Avian influenza as an emerging health issue
Currently identified avian flu virus does not spread easily from one person to another.
However, the constant flow of the viruses among birds and poultry is a matter of concern, as
they create severe illnesses within humans and can change to become more transmissible
between people. Hence, the Health Emergencies Programme of WHO observes avian
influenza cases in human constantly (WHO, 2019a). Avian and other viruses of zoonotic
influenza can infect humans. The subtypes of bird flu include A(H7N9), A(H9N2) and

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Emerging global health issues
A(H5N1). In the words of Gao et al. (2013), emerging health concerns mainly take place due
to environmental changes, increased trade and mobility, intensified food production and
urban crowding. Global concern for avian influenza intensified when extremely pathogenic
influenza A subtype H5N1 occurred in January 2006 in Nigeria. The possible destruction
from the rise of an epidemic strain is Africa resulted in a sudden move of focus regarding
public health to epidemic preparedness. Primarily, humans become infected by straight
contact with contaminated environments or infected animals. These viruses cannot sustain
spread among humans. They cause a range of disease among humans, including cough and
fever sepsis with tremor, new mucus creation and fast development to acute pneumonia and
death. Besides, gastrointestinal symptoms, conjunctivitis, encephalopathy and encephalitis
are also seen in different extents based on the subtype. Most of the human cases of A(H7N9)
and A (H5N1) are related to indirect or direct interaction with contaminated deceased or live
poultry.
Directing the diseases within animal sources is essential to decrease the risk to humans.
Avian influenza with the vast still basin in water birds is not possible to eliminate. The
infection within humans will linger to take place. For reducing public health risk, it is crucial
to conduct great scrutiny in both human and animal populations by examining each social
contagion and risk-based epidemic planning. The type A viruses of influenza are of most
critical to human health because of their tendency of causing an influenza sickness. This virus
is categorised into subtypes considering the integration of various virus surface
neuraminidase and proteins hemagglutinin (WHO, 2019b). As stated by Wiwanitkit (2013),
influenza infection is a common respiratory pathogen. The emergence of new, unusual
influenza usually is a significant public health issue. The latest rare influenza virus is H7N9
bird flu, which is reported in 2013. The development of the new disease took place in China
and became the focus for a potential global pandemic. In this context, Krammer (2017) stated

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Emerging global health issues
that with a projected case deadliness rate of up to 60%, it is essential to outline the current
digital technologies, which can be applied for enhancing disease checking and health result
for the virus. The primary reason behind the emergence of avian influenza is high interaction
between human beings, wild ducks and domestic poultry that is created by the high
population density and abundant chances for native birds to be open to remote ducks in some
Asian counties that increase the chance for avian influenza viruses to evolve reaffirm and
infect humans.
Thus, the growing percentage of avian influenza is caused by several reasons and hence, the
study chose this disease as an emerging health issue.
Outlining and criticising approaches for mitigating or reducing the infection
Different approaches are taken for addressing the concern of avian influenza. Zheng et al.
(2019) stated that the ‘one health approach’ is an effective method of preventing avian
influenza. According to the authors, the growingly fuzzy human-animal interconnection,
zoonotic contaminations are rising at an extraordinary rate. The inter-reliance between animal
health, human health and environmental condition is the thought behind the ''one health' that
means addressing the increasing concern of infectious viruses through collaboration among
experts from multiple disciplines. As the biggest agricultural nation of the world with a
substantial animal-human interface, China faces a significant number of evolving
communicable zoonotic diseases. Therefore, China seems to be the ideal background for the
application of one health program and resolving avian influenza and other infectious diseases
effectively. Okello et al. (2014) agree with the point that the environment, animal and human
are interlinked, and the one health policy improves a cooperative, transdisciplinary outlook
towards universal health. The exceptional political and financial response to H5N1 avian
influenza in the 21st century helped the expansion of worldwide inter-sectoral coalitions,