Occupational and consumer risks from avian influenza viruses

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Sporadic human infections with avian influenza (AI) viruses, particularly H7N7 and H5N1 high pathogenicity AI (HPAI), have been documented over the last 50 years.
• Epidemiological studies consistently identify direct contact with infected poultry as the main risk factor for human AI transmission.
• Occupational exposure in poultry workers (e.g., veterinarians, farmers) and contact in live markets are key transmission routes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the epidemiology of human avian influenza infections.
• To identify primary risk factors and transmission routes.
• To assess the risk associated with poultry products and preventive measures.

Main Methods:

• Review of epidemiological studies and reported human AI cases.
• Analysis of risk factors, including occupational exposure and consumption of poultry products.
• Evaluation of the efficacy of preventive measures like cooking and vaccination.

Main Results:

• Most human infections stem from direct exposure to infected poultry, with veterinarians and farmers at higher occupational risk.
• H5N1 and H7N7 HPAI viruses are the most implicated strains in human cases.
• No human AI infections have been definitively linked to consuming properly cooked poultry products, though raw products pose a potential risk.

Conclusions:

• Direct contact with infected poultry is the predominant route for human avian influenza virus infection.
• Thorough cooking and pasteurization effectively inactivate AI viruses in poultry products.
• Poultry vaccination is a crucial strategy for preventing HPAI virus presence in meat and reducing human exposure risk.