On April 6, the Ministry of Health reported a case of influenza A(H9) in Tien Giang. This is the first case of influenza A(H9) in Vietnam to date.
Health experts recommend that people and those who raise, trade, transport, and slaughter poultry must strictly follow routine disease prevention measures when in close contact with poultry or when visiting high-risk areas such as markets or areas selling poultry and live animals.
People need to comply with disease prevention measures.
Regarding the first human case of influenza A(H9) in our country, according to the results of the epidemiological investigation, the patient's residence is located in a poultry market. There is a poultry market in front of the patient's house; there have been no reports of sick or dead poultry in the area where the family lives.
Currently, close contacts of the patient have been listed and their health monitored. So far, no symptoms of respiratory infection have been detected, and no outbreak of respiratory infection has been recorded in the community where the patient lives.
Functional units are continuing to conduct in-depth tests to determine the subgroup.
Dr. Nguyen Luong Tam, Deputy Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) assessed that the failure to detect an H9 outbreak in poultry makes epidemiological surveillance, identification and containment of the outbreak difficult.
This may affect the implementation of disease control measures.
On the other hand, people and poultry farmers, traders, transporters, and slaughterers may subjectively assume that poultry are healthy, so they do not apply routine preventive measures such as wearing masks, gloves, and washing hands when in close contact. This increases the risk of infection.
Therefore, Dr. Nguyen Luong Tam recommends: People and those who raise, trade, transport, and slaughter poultry need to strictly follow routine disease prevention measures when in close contact with poultry, when visiting high-risk areas such as markets or areas selling poultry and live animals.
There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of influenza A/H9N2.
According to world medical literature, avian influenza strains with H5, H7 and H9 antigens can be transmitted to humans. Of these, the H5 strain is highly virulent, often causing large outbreaks and mass poultry deaths, causing severe symptoms and a very high mortality rate when transmitted to humans.
The H7 and H9 strains are of low virulence, usually causing mild disease and rarely causing mass mortality in poultry. Associated with these strains are the N antigenic subtypes 1 to 9.
"The combination and recombination of H and N antigens can create many types of avian influenza that can infect humans. Currently, in the world, in some countries, avian influenza viruses have also been recorded in animals as H5N1, H5N6, H5N8, H7N9, H9N2," Deputy Director Nguyen Luong Tam informed.
Many strains of influenza virus infect humans, but the main ones are H5N1, H7N9 and H9N2. Recently, there has been an increase in cases of H9N2 bird flu worldwide.
Since 2015, the Western Pacific region has recorded 98 cases of A/H9N2 influenza (including 2 deaths, both of whom were patients with underlying diseases), of which 96 cases were recorded in China and 2 cases in Cambodia.
Currently, there is no evidence that influenza A/H9N2 is transmitted from person to person.
In the world, from the end of 2023 until now, the situation of avian influenza in animals has been complicated, not only have there been many outbreaks of avian influenza in all regions but also recorded an increasing transmission to mammals.
In the US, sporadic cases of A/H5N1 influenza infection from livestock have been recorded in many states. In Asia, outbreaks of avian influenza caused by many strains of A influenza virus such as H5N1, H5N6, H5N8, H3N2, H9N2, H10N3 continue to be recorded.
Several countries bordering Vietnam continue to record human cases of avian influenza, including H5N1 and H9N2.
According to the Ministry of Health, it is currently the transitional season. Abnormal weather changes are favorable conditions for pathogens to develop, increasing interactions between influenza virus strains along with the risk of infection to mammals.
The Ministry of Health believes that in the coming time, there is still a potential risk of avian influenza virus strains spreading to humans.
Because there is currently no specific treatment or vaccine for avian influenza in humans, people should not eat sick or dead poultry or poultry products of unknown origin; ensure food is cooked thoroughly and water is boiled; and wash hands with soap before eating.
People must not slaughter, transport, buy or sell poultry and poultry products of unknown origin; limit contact with, slaughter, and eat wild animals, especially birds. When discovering sick or dead poultry, people must absolutely not slaughter or use them but must immediately notify local authorities and veterinary units.
Poultry farmers, traders, transporters and slaughterers must strictly comply with routine disease prevention measures.
Experts encourage people to wear masks when entering poultry markets and live poultry trading areas; wash hands with soap after contact with poultry or after entering the market.
When experiencing flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing, people should immediately go to a medical facility for timely consultation, examination, and treatment.
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