Press
Epidemiologists are alarmed about a new pandemic due to the rampant wave of bird flu. The first vaccinations against the virus are now beginning in a European country – on humans.
Helsinki – The concern that the bird flu virus H5N1 could be the trigger for the next pandemic has recently been voiced more and more frequently by experts. The German virologist Christian Drosten recently shared the fears of other epidemiologists – his colleague Hendrik Streeck also speaks in the IPPEN.MEDIA interview of a “pathogen that must be taken seriously”. Although the virus is not yet transmitted from person to person, Finland is now the first country in the world to start vaccinations against bird flu.
Finland is the first country to start vaccinating humans against bird flu: infection numbers cause concern
The largest wave of bird flu ever documented is currently raging across almost the entire globe. Bird flu has been around for some time no longer only dangerous for poultry and wild waterfowlThe highly adaptable viruses, also known as avian influenza, have already infected mammals such as otters and cats, as well as minks. At the end of March, the bird flu virus H5N1 was first detected in dairy cows in the USA. Since then, at least four people have been infected, presumably having been in direct contact with the sick cows.
In Finland, too, there have been repeated outbreaks of bird flu recently – not in cows, but on bird and mink farms. In order to protect people who are in close contact with the animals on the farms, such as veterinarians, from the virus, Finland has now started vaccinations. As the SWR reportedvaccination is voluntary for those people who are at increased risk.
Despite bird flu vaccination: Experts recommend keeping contact with infected animals such as birds or minks to a minimum
It is still unclear how well the vaccination actually works for people protects against bird flu and its symptomsAnd since the bird flu virus has not yet spread among humans, it is difficult to conduct a study that would show how many people become infected with or without vaccination. However, approval studies have shown that the vaccination triggers a protective immune response. Despite vaccination in Finland, experts therefore recommend limiting contact with animals with bird flu to what is absolutely necessary.
Mink or bird farms pose a higher risk of the H5N1 bird flu virus spreading quickly. The animals often live close together and the virus can jump more easily from one creature to the next. Since minks have similar respiratory systems to humans, they can pick up both bird and human flu viruses. This can lead to the emergence of new virus variants that are more transmissible to humans.
No human-to-human transmission yet: risk of bird flu in the general population is low
Like that RKI According to the report, since 2003, over 2,600 human cases of illness and 1,100 deaths worldwide have been attributed to bird flu. The infection was not transmitted from one person to another, but rather from infected animals. No one in Germany has yet been infected. Despite warnings from experts and vaccinations in Finland for risk groups, the Risk of contracting bird flufor the general population is still considered low. (dpa)
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