Category: Flu Virus

Vaccinating poultry for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is still not a practice done in the United States, but it is an idea that appears to be finding less opposition than before.

Since so many countries wont accept poultry imports from regions where avian influenza vaccination has been done, there has traditionally been opposition to vaccination programs.

But as the HPAI outbreak has been so widespread in the United States in 2022, some in the poultry industry, and more specifically in the turkey industry, are rethinking that opposition, said Dr. Sara McReynolds, Kansas deputy animal health commissioner.

McReynolds was a featured speaker during the Kansas Ag Summit, held August 18 in Manhattan.

Kansas only had one commercial flock affected by HPAI in 2022, and that was a commercial turkey breeding flock. The turkey industry, as a whole, has been hit harder by HPAI than the broiler industry, both in the present and in past outbreaks, so McReynolds said there is some open mindedness among turkey producers about vaccinations

There has been more discussion. Some companies in Europe are starting to look at vaccination more, which is (leading) some companies in the United States consider it more, McReynolds said.

Certain industries are more excited about vaccination. Turkeys are very susceptible to this virus, and they are wanting to look into vaccination more than the broiler industry, (which) didnt have near as many cases.

McReynolds also pointed out that the U.S. broiler industry does a lot of international trade, so that sector is not as excited to be looking at vaccines.

But for producers that have had to go through the hardship of an avian influenza infection, it is easier to see vaccinations potential benefits.

Its hard on the producer. This is their livelihood. Its hard on the responders, and when youre having such strict biosecurity and you still get this virus in your barn, its hard on everybody, said McReynolds.

She also pointed out that HPAI outbreaks are hard on the taxpayers, who have to foot the bill for the disease response.

If we continue to see this kind of outbreak every year, or every few years, I think were going to have to look at vaccination, McReynolds said.

Read our ongoing coverage of theglobal avian influenza outbreak.

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Avian flu vaccination becoming less of a taboo topic - WATTAgNet Industry News & Trends

The 1918 influenza pandemic resulted in the loss of over 3% of the worlds population at least 50 million people. But it wasnt the flu virus that caused the majority of these deaths.

An analysis of lung samples collected during that flu pandemic indicated that most of the deaths were likely due to bacterial pneumonia, which ran rampant in the absence of antibiotics. Even in more recent history, like the 1957 H2N2 and 2009 H1N1 flu pandemics, nearly 18% of patients with viral pneumonia had additional bacterial infections that increased their risk of death. And the COVID-19 pandemic is no different.

With yet another flu season fast approaching in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, lessening the harm caused by these viruses is important to prevent deaths and reduce infections. However, many deaths associated with the flu and COVID-19 dont occur at the hand of the virus alone. Instead, its a secondary bacterial infection that is often at the root of the devastating consequences attributed to an initial viral infection.

I am an immunologist who studies why and how cells die during bacterial and viral infections. Understanding the synergy between these microbes is critical not only for effective diagnosis and treatment, but also for managing current pandemics and preventing future ones. My colleagues and I published a study showing how an immune system protein crucial to fighting against viruses also plays an indispensable role in fighting bacteria.

Multiple pathogens can cause multiple infections in different ways. Scientists distinguish each type based on the timing of when each infection occurs. Coinfection refers to two or more different pathogens causing infections at the same time. Secondary or superinfections, on the other hand, refer to sequential infections that occur after an initial infection. Theyre often caused by pathogens resistant to antibiotics used to treat the primary infection.

How viral and bacterial infections interact with each other increases the potential harm they can cause. Viral respiratory infections can increase the likelihood of bacterial infections and lead to worse disease. The reason why this happens is often multifaceted.

Within your respiratory tract, the epithelial cells lining your airways and lungs serve as the first line of defense against inhaled pathogens and debris. However, viruses can kill these cells and disrupt this protective barrier, allowing inhaled bacteria to invade. They can also change the surface of epithelial cells to make them easier for bacteria to attach to.

Viruses can also alter the surface of epithelial and immune cells by reducing the number of receptors that help these cells recognize and mount a response against pathogens. This reduction means fewer immune cells report to the viral infection site, giving bacteria an opening to launch another infection.

Patients who have a bacterial infection at the same time theyre battling the seasonal flu are more likely to wind up in a hospital. Nearly a quarter of patients admitted to the ICU with severe influenza also have a bacterial infection. One study on the 2010 to 2018 flu seasons found that nearly 20% of patients admitted to the hospital with flu-associated pneumonia had acquired bacterial infections.

Another study of patients hospitalized with viral or bacterial infections found that nearly half had a coinfection with another pathogen. These patients also had nearly double the risk of dying within 30 days compared to those with only a single infection.

Interestingly, the two bacteria species most commonly involved in coinfections with the influenza virus are Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, which normally exist in the respiratory tract without causing disease. However, the influenza virus can damage the cell barrier of the lungs and disrupt immune function enough to make patients susceptible to infection by these otherwise benign bacteria.

Secondary bacterial infections are also exacerbating the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2021 review estimated that 16% to 28% of adults hospitalized for COVID-19 also had a bacterial infection. These patients stayed in the hospital for twice as long, were four times more likely to need mechanical ventilation and had three times greater odds of dying compared to patients with only COVID-19.

The immune system responds differently to viruses and bacteria. Antivirals dont work on bacteria, and antibiotics dont work on viruses. A better understanding of what pathways the body uses to regulate both antiviral and antibacterial infections is critical to addressing secondary and coinfections.

Recent work by my colleagues and me may provide a clue. We sequenced the RNA of one type of immune cell, macrophages, in mice to identify what molecules were present in cells that were either protected from or died due to bacterial infection.

We identified Z-DNA binding protein (ZBP1), a molecule already known to play a regulatory role in how the immune system responds to influenza. Specifically, ZBP1 detects influenza viruses within the lungs and signals infected epithelial and immune cells to self-destruct. This induced cell death eliminates the virus and promotes recruitment of additional immune cells to the infection site.

Building off this finding that ZBP1 is important for fighting viral infection, we found that macrophages infected with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, a type of bacteria that causes foodborne illness, also use this protein to initiate cell death. This limits bacterial replication while also sending inflammatory signals that help clear bacteria.

These findings raise the possibility that ZBP1 may play a dual role in how the body responds to viral and bacterial infections. Its possible that treatments that increase ZBP1 in certain types of cells may be useful in managing bacterial and viral coinfections.

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When COVID-19 or flu viruses kill, they often have an accomplice bacterial infections - The Conversation

For the health officials who steer vaccination campaigns, its going to be a complicated fall.

The U.S. plan to roll out updated Covid-19 boosters will not only coincide with the logistical tangle of the regular flu shot drive, but will also face questions about when people should get the new shots to provide themselves with the best protection through our third Covid winter.

Its a balancing act that health officials run into every year with flu. Vaccinating tens of millions of people takes weeks. People also need a few weeks after their shot for their immune systems to be fully primed. And yet, vaccinators dont want to put shots in arms too early, either. The power of the flu shot wanes over months, so the concern is that someone who gets a shot in say, September, may lose a chunk of their protection if the peak of the season is going to be in February.

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The power of the Covid vaccines also wanes, with their ability to block infection fading over the months though, crucially, the protection they generate against severe outcomes is maintained for much longer. But part of the reason the country is rolling out an updated shot is to better match the forms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that are circulating now to prevent more infections and to act as a drag on transmission during what could be another cold-season surge.

When that comes out and weve got this extra coverage for the Omicron variants, thatll be great, said Sterling Ransone, a physician in Deltaville, Va., and the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. The question is the timing. I want my patients to have the best protection they can.

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Complicating the process is that scientists dont have a sense yet after only two winters with SARS-2 about just when the virus might peak, and how strong the seasonal factors are. The virus has been spreading incredibly effectively throughout this summer, but many experts do anticipate even more elevated transmission at some point this fall and winter, at least in colder parts of the country.

Even with flu, its still a bit of a guessing game as to which month the virus will peak, particularly as Covid-mitigation efforts have thrown off the regular behavior of other viruses. And while the past two flu seasons have been tamed by the efforts to slow Covid, Australia is in the midst of a severe flu season, which can often portend what the U.S. season will look like.

Weve got a narrow window, Patsy Stinchfield, a pediatric nurse practitioner and the president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, said about the annual flu shots. We want to make sure were not vaccinating too early, because then you risk a late season outbreak.

Stinchfield said people should generally receive their flu shots by Halloween.

Ed Belongia, the director of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, said that flu vaccines lose about 8% of their effectiveness each month. But there is an important balance, too. While October might be a better time to get a flu shot than September, September is better than never a lesson that should be applied to the Covid campaign as well.

Theres a potential tradeoff between giving the vaccine too early versus missing opportunities to vaccinate people who then never get the vaccine at all, Belongia said.

Running the two vaccine campaigns simultaneously could also stretch clinics and public health departments even further, though there is the advantage of people being able to get both their Covid booster and flu shot at one time if they choose to do so.

With annual flu shots, there is a well-choreographed system in place to have the shots ready by fall. Health officials typically pick which strains will go into that seasons shot early in the year, giving manufacturers months to mass produce the vaccine. From filling and shipping vials, to purchasing syringes, to getting health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities vaccinated, it is in itself a big lift every year.

With the updated Covid shots, it seems to be even more of a sprint. The Biden administration has signaled the boosters could be available in September, presuming the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sign off on them. But it was only in late June that the FDA said the new boosters should target the original form of the virus as well as the spike protein of the BA.5 Omicron subvariant, the dominant lineage in the United States as of now.

I used to think that flu was really challenging, said Claire Hannan, the executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers. There was never a year that was the same as the previous year. And I think the challenges around supply and trying to plan and optimal planning, theyre very difficult. And just when you think youve solved that, you havent. And throwing Covid boosters into the mix, it just makes it more complicated.

Hannan said there wasnt guidance yet from the federal government about how much of and when exactly the new Covid shots will be available. She also noted that public health departments are also fighting an unprecedented monkeypox outbreak, complete with a convoluted vaccine delivery process.

While the Biden administration hasnt yet laid out its vision for the Covid booster campaign, its expected that it will be similar to when the original Covid boosters were authorized last fall, with more reliance on pharmacies and doctors offices and less on mass vaccination sites.

And in many ways, the sites are well practiced for another go-round with another Covid shot: theyve dealt with different shots from different manufacturers, different booster doses, kids shots, and, already, extra boosters for older adults and people with certain health issues. One wrinkle, however, is that the updated shots are expected to be authorized only as boosters, whereas the primary series of shots will still use the original formulation.

Tinglong Dai, a health care operations expert at Johns Hopkins University, said that hospitals and clinics should be able to handle delivering the updated boosters. But he also pointed out that health officials need to embark on a crucial messaging campaign. Only about half those eligible for a first booster have received one, and people may wonder why they need an updated shot. Its like someone with an iPhone 10 debating if they really need to upgrade to a newer model, Dai said.

Dai also said that the campaign needs to ensure easy access to both Covid and flu shots no matter where people live.

The logistics aspects have been mostly resolved, Dai said. The challenge is now really to connect the supply and demand to access issues.

With all the uncertainties around what the Covid winter might look like when will the virus spike and just how high? what variant is going to be dominant? Belongia said people shouldnt try to time when they get their boosters to try to make sure their protection is maximized through whatever surge might come. Instead, people should just get the Covid shots when they can.

Forecasting is a futile effort right now, Belongia said. If its available and authorized, the best thing is to not wait but to get it.

Helen Branswell contributed reporting.

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It's going to be a complicated fall for Covid and flu vaccinations - STAT - STAT

Amid rising Covid cases, Delhi could also see an outbreak of swine flu and other viral illnesses, according to health experts. They have also advised people to follow the mask mandate and adhere to social distancing norms.

As per the experts, Delhi had also reported a spike in the cases of Swine flu during August 2021.

Dr Manoj Goel, director, Pulmonology,

SymptomsSwine Flu is generally caused by the influenza virus, which resides in pigs. The symptoms of swine flu are fever, sore throat, running nose, nose block. Basically, the upper respiratory system gets affected due to the virus.

Dr Vishakh Varma, senior consultant and HoD, Critical Care Medicine at Aakash Healthcare, said since the symptoms of swine flu are quite similar to the common cold, people often don't take it seriously in the initial stages until it becomes critical.

"A swine flu patient usually goes through burning / sore throat, nose and abdominal pain and cough. There is an additional symptom of shortness of breath," he added.

He stressed that it's imperative to maintain good hydration, hand hygiene, cough hygiene (cough and sneezing in disposable tissue), and suitable disposal of this infected waste material.

Covid vs swine fluExplaining the difference between the two infections, Dr Manoj Goel said, "In Covid, the problem of respiratory distress arises in the second week and in the first week, patients have symptoms like fever, cough, etc but in the case of swine flu, shortness of breath, respiratory distress will start right from the first week."

He asserted that masking up and following social distancing norms will help guard one against swine flu.

His colleague, Dr Vikas Maurya, director and HOD, Pulmonology, Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh, also added that swine flu cases are increasing and those patients are also requiring hospitalisation.

This, he said, comes amid a slight increase in number of COVID-19 patients needing hospitalisation.

Get JabbedVarma recommended that people should get themselves vaccinated with a quadriplegic flu vaccine shot before the peak of the season and for health care / high-risk cases.

"Our hospital has encountered a case of swine flu, where the patient had a fever, cough and cold for three days. He even developed breathing difficulties a couple of hours before getting admitted to the hospital. The patient is also a diabetic and on maintenance dialysis due to his CKD," he said.

Dr Jugal Kishore, head of community medicine, Safdarjung Hospital, said, "In August-September, we see a spike in cases and every two-three years, there is a cycle when such spikes happen.

"The reasons might be decline in immunity or some new variant emerging. Although there is vaccination, but no one goes for it. People should get vaccinated. This swine flu season could continue till November-December," he said.

He advised that people should get vaccinated in April and May.

With PTI Inputs

Originally posted here:

Experts warn of spike in Swine flu cases in Delhi: Know what it is & why you should be concerned - Economic Times

The Portland Water District is about to begin testing the citys wastewater for the presence of monkeypox, influenza A and a common respiratory virus known as RSV.

The testing is part of a national effort to monitor the spread of infectious diseases in the same way wastewater treatment plants around Maine and the country are are now testing for the COVID-19 virus.

The East End Wastewater Treatment Plant in Portland will collect three samples each week and ship them to Verily Life Sciences lab, the district said in a statement. Testing will start next week. Results from Portland will be posted at wastewaterscan.org along with results from other communities around the country.

Results from this project will help Maine CDC better understand the burden of these viruses in our community, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Nirav Shah said in a statement.

Because it is part of a national testing effort, there will be no cost to the Portland Water District, the district said. The project is funded through a philanthropic effort and spearheaded by Stanford University, Emory University and San Francisco-based Verily Life Sciences.

Maine has recorded three confirmed cases of monkeypox, while nationally there have been 12,689 cases. Monkeypox is spread through sexual or other close physical contact. So far, most cases have occurred between men who have sex with men, and sex is the largest risk factor, according to recent studies.

Monkeypox symptoms include pimple-like rashes, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache and respiratory problems. It is rarely fatal. The virus is of unknown origin, and was first detected in humans in 1970. The current global outbreak of monkeypox began in May.

Influenza A is one of the common strains of flu that causes seasonal flu outbreaks, and can cause pandemics. RSV is a common respiratory virus that often occurs in children.

Wastewater testing has become a common technique for monitoring the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, and scientists are now expanding its use to other viruses. It is considered an accurate way to monitor outbreaks in real time and can provide an early warning when infectious diseases are present and increasing in a community.

People infected with viruses can shed virus into the wastewater thats flushed into the sewer system through toilets, showers and sinks. Testing samples of wastewater at the public treatment plans can reveal if a virus is present in the community and how prevalent it is.

Scott Firmin, director of Wastewater Services at the Portland Water District, said in an interview that the East End plant was invited by Verily to participate in the project because it met qualifications that include serving more than 50,000 customers. The East End treatment plant serves about 65,000 people, Firmin said. Its unclear how many other Maine treatment plants might be eligible to be part of the testing, as East End is one of the largest treatment plants in Maine.

Firmin said testing for infectious diseases is an exciting opportunity to expand the role of wastewater treatment systems to further serve public health.

We are starting to build these databases that we can pull information from and make it available so that public health officials better understand the presence of viruses within our communities, he said.

Firmin emphasized that the Sebago Lake water that the district treats and supplies for drinking and other uses is safe. The testing is done on wastewater leaving the home that ends up at the treatment plant, which sits neat to Portlands East End Beach and discharges into Casco Bay.

Wastewater testing for monkeypox conducted by the same group has begun in California, Georgia, Michigan and other states, and aims to ramp up to about 300 testing locations in the United States, according to Kaiser Health News.

Dozens of cities and towns throughout Maine have tested for the presence of COVID-19 in their wastewater, including Portland, Westbrook, Augusta, Bangor, Lewiston-Auburn, Yarmouth and many others.

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Portland will test wastewater for monkeypox and other viruses - Press Herald

Theres good news for humans in the ongoing struggle against COVID variantsBad Ned is almost dead.

That scenario didnt play out, which is good news for humanity. But although Bad Ned is mostly dead, there are two new COVID subvariants that experts say could pose problems this fall.

Trouble brewing in the Midwest?

Last week, a new subvariant called BA.4.6dubbed Aeterna by health care experts on Twittercompromised 5.1% of sequenced COVID infections in the U.S., up from 4.6% the week prior. Its been steadily rising, albeit slowly, since late May, when it comprised one-tenth of 1% of infections, according to data released Tuesday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The variant is more prevalent in certain areas of the country, like the Midwest. Last week it comprised nearly 13% of cases in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri, putting it in the number two spot behind BA.5, which comprised more than 80% of cases in that region and nearly 89% of cases nationally.

But as with Bad Ned, next to nothing is known about Aeterna except for its potential to outcompete BA.5. The rising subvariants ability to push back on the dominant global subvariant demonstrates that greater transmissibility is likely, Dr. John Swartzberg, a professor at the Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at the University of California Berkeleys School of Public Health, told Fortune.

With the exceptions of BA.5 and Aeterna, all other variants are declining in the U.S., Swartzberg pointed outincluding BA.4, a close relative of BA.5 that was expected to be more competitive. That subvariant comprised only 5.3% of U.S. infections last week, and peaked in mid-July around 13%.

Indias problem today, Americas problem tomorrow?

Another potential threat: Omicron subvariant BA.2.7.5dubbed Centaurus on Twitter this summer by experts. Both it and BA.4.6 could pose problems this fall, Dr. Bruce Y. Lee, a professor of health policy and management at the City University of New York School of Public Health, told Fortune.

The number of cases of Centaurus in the U.S. is so small that the CDC doesnt reportit. But the subvariant comprises nearly 40% of cases in India, where it has outcompeted BA.5 and is second only to stealth Omicron BA.2, according to Our World in Data, a nonprofit international data repository affiliated with the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Centaurus has also shown an ability to compete with Aeterna in Australia, where the two are hovering around 2% of cases, experts pointed out this week, citing data from GISAID, an international research organization that tracks changes in COVID and the flu virus. The same scenario could play out in the U.S.only time will tell.

The waxing and waning of subvariants is a cycle thats certain to repeat until vaccine technology catches up, Lee said, though the players frequently change.

You know as a fact youre going to have continued variants emergethats what this virus does, Lee said. It makes a lot of mistakes when it reproduces genetic material. Thats why it was at risk of creating a pandemic in the first place.

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Theres good news in the crowded field of Omicron subvariants: Bad Ned is (nearly) deadbut Aeterna and Centaurus are on the rise - Fortune

A peregrine falcon that had found its home in Leicester has died amid bird flu fears. The bird of prey was one of several that had settled at Leicester Cathedral in 2017.

A webcam previously set up as part of a local conservation project follows the lives of the Leicester peregrines with viewers regularly updated on the latest news through an accompanying blog. But in an update on Monday, August 15, Leicester Peregrines announced the female adult had died after looking unwell for several days.

The falcon's death follows Leicester City Council's announcement of the closure of Abbey Park's animal enclosure after the Avian Influenza virus was detected in the city. The Leicester Peregrines Project said in a statement that bird flue was the "probable" cause.

READ MORE: Pets Corner forced to shut to limit bird flu spread after virus detected in two of the city's parks

The statement, shared by Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society, which runs the project alongside the city council and the cathedral, said: "Regular viewers of the Leicester Peregrines webcam and blog may have noticed a lack of updates in recent days. We had become concerned about the health of the adult female who was spending more time in the box and didn't appear to be feeding particularly well, despite the opportunities.

"She was becoming lethargic and very sleepy. Whilst initially this was considered to be due to the extreme temperatures we have been having, her posture was beginning to look strange and unnatural.

"Unfortunately, she fell from the platform in the early hours of August 15. Her body has been found and will be collected by Defra to determine the cause.

"We are aware that there is an outbreak of Avian Influenza in the city, and it is very probable that this will be identified as the cause. This is yet another dramatic twist in the history of the Leicester Peregrines, but it is only through the monitoring of sites like ours that show how precarious the life of a Peregrine is.

"Our fingers are crossed that both the male and juvenile TJC will remain healthy."

Four new eggs were hatched at the Leicester Cathedral earlier this year, much to the delight of regular webcam viewers.

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Leicester peregrine falcon that lived at Leicester Cathedral dies amid bird flu outbreak - Leicestershire Live

People struggling to afford to heat their homes are going to be more vulnerable to the flu virus this winter, vaccines minister Maggie Throup has admitted.

The minister who has outlined plans for over 50s and the clinically vulnerable to get a further Covid booster this autumn said there was concern about a spike in flu deaths.

Asking about fears more people could die if they could not afford to keep the heating on, Throup told LBC: Well, that is a concern, its something that weve taken into consideration when we looked at our vaccination programmes.

The Tory minister added: Youre right, people who perhaps dont heat their homes as much will be more vulnerable. And thats why, as I say, were putting that ring of protection around the most vulnerable with our vaccine programme.

Throup said that the flu and the Covid job would be given together, where possible, so people can have both jabs at one go. She said the government was providing as much protection as we can.

The Tory MP, a back of Rishi Sunak for the leadership,also told ITVs Good Morning Britain that the government had already offered lots of help with the cost of living crisis.

Asked if Sunak should make his plan for additional direct support more clear, Throup said: I think its quite right that we wait until we know who is our new leader ... and then they will take on a lot of advice.

The National Energy Action charity predictsthat 8.2 million UK households one in three will be in fuel poverty when the price cap rises in October. Campoaigners have warned that thousands could die from cold-related illnesses.

Labour leader Sir KeirStarmerdefended his plan to freeze energy prices this winter on Tuesday, saying the zombie government are producing absolutely no plan.

Starmer dismissed claimed that the 29bn Labour plan which involves an expanded windfall tax on the oil and gas giants is poorly targeted.

This assumption that most people can afford these massive hikes in their energy bills is completely wrong, Sir Keir said. I think the government in making that argument is completely out of touch.

Sunak has suggested he is considering further payments of around 5bn for the most vulnerable if he wins the Tory leadership contest. But Truss has yet to commit to any further handouts.

Truss was said to be considering whether the existing 400 government discount on energy bills this autumn aimed at helping all households in the UK could be better targeted. But a Truss campaign spokesperson said she would go ahead with the universal 400 payment.

A group of 70 charities have signed an open letter to Sunak and Liz Truss warning that families on benefits face a 1,600 shortfall over the coming months, despite receiving 1,200 in the last government support package.

In the letter, co-ordinated by theJosephRowntreeFoundation (JRF), they warn soaring energy bills mean many are already facing in a choice between skipping meals or not heating their homes properly.

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Poorest at risk of flu if they cant afford to heat homes, minister admits - The Independent

One of Leicester's beloved family attractions has been forced to shut temporarily, after bird flu was detected in the area. Leicester City Council announced the closure of Pets' Corner, in Abbey Park.

The animal park was closed to the public on Monday to limit the spread of the virus after it was detected in deceased wild fowl in Abbey Park and Watermead Park. The council said the decision was made to reduce to the number of people accessing the area.

Any clothing, footwear and equipment used while in the area is urged to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to avoid any possible contamination. Posters have been put up in parks and open spaces across the city, informing locals of the outbreak.

READ MORE: Residents kicking up a stink as Leicester smells like vomit or old milk

Anyone who has spotted dead birds in the city's parks and waterways have been asked to contact the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Members of the public are being reminded not to touch any sick or deceased birds, swans, ducks, geese, gulls or birds of prey - as well as wild bird feathers.

Councillor Piara Singh Clair, deputy city mayor said: With avian flu now present in Leicester, were asking members of the public to be extra vigilant. People can help by reporting any sightings of dead birds, and by making sure that they comply with DEFRAs regulations, if they keep birds at home.

"Closing Pets Corner is a temporary measure, and we look forward to reopening our popular family attraction as soon as its safe to do so."

The attraction was last shut in November following fears of an outbreak. An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) was enforced, meaning bird keepers had to adhere to strict restrictions from DEFRA to ensure birds were housed in an enclosed environment as well as keeping to biosecurity protocols to reduce the risk of disease transmission.

An AIPZ is currently in force across the country. Leicesters director of public health, Professor Ivan Browne added: Avian flu is primarily a disease affecting birds and the risk to the general publics health is very low.

"You do not need to stop enjoying Leicesters beautiful parks and green spaces, but if you see a dead or sick bird, please do not touch it or go near it but call the DEFRA helpline to report it as soon as possible.

"There is a very low food safety risk from avian flu and properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat."

Further information and advice from DEFRA is available at http://www.gov.uk/bird-flu. If you spot a dead or sick bird call the DEFRA helpline on 03459 33 55 77.

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Pets Corner forced to shut to limit bird flu spread after virus detected in two of the city's parks - Leicestershire Live

Published

2022-08-15 15:13

3:13

August 15, 2022

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Can monkeypox spread on the subway? Can it kill like COVID-19? Is it transmitted through sex?

Misconceptions, myths and a lack of public knowledge on the monkeypox virus are widespread. Despite 57 percent of adults recently polled by Morning Consult feeling confident in the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions ability to control the spread of monkeypox, many Americans are misinformed on how the virus spreads and how concerned they should be

Last month, the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that nearly half of 1,580 surveyed adults were not sure if monkeypox was less contagious than COVID-19. (It is much less contagious.) One-third of more than 4,000 adults polled by Morning Consult arent sure how monkeypox spreads. Two-thirds of those surveyed by Annenberg were unsure or didnt believe that there is a monkeypox vaccine (there is, its FDA-approved, and to be eligible for a vaccine right now in most areas, people must be in a high-risk group predominately queer men, or trans and nonbinary people, who have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last two weeks).

Monkeypox is a disease primarily transmitted through skin-to-skin contact that can infect anyone, but is currently affecting queer men the most.

Heres what experts have to say in response to common misconceptions and myths about the monkeypox virus.

The risk of getting infected through these situations is extremely low, said Stephen Abbott, medical director at Whitman-Walkers Max Robinson Center, a D.C.-based health care provider focused on serving LGBTQ+ people.

Abbott stressed that spread occurs through direct skin-to-skin transmission not skin-to-object, then someone else touching that object. The virus can spread by touching sex toys, sheets and other fabrics that have made contact with exposed lesions or skin rashes, per the CDC but the vast majority of cases are being reported by men who had sex or close intimate contact with another man prior to infection.

Places where a person could typically pick up a cold or flu virus are not considered primary points of transmission.

Theres really no evidence at this time to suggest people are being infected through casual contact through public transportation, and anything like that. The vast majority of the cases that have been identified from the outbreak so far had been through intimate contact or sexual activity, said Daniel Uslan, co-chief infection prevention officer at UCLA Health and clinical chief of infectious diseases.

These are also very low-risk situations, Uslan said, adding that he is not aware of recorded cases where handshaking is the suspected route of transmission.

But skin-to-skin contact with someone who has an open lesion can still occur if those lesions are on the hands, Abbott noted and some lesions are so small that patients dont notice them.

Some of the patients Ive seen when I do their skin exam, they havent even noticed that they have a lesion on their hand, he said. They might inadvertently shake someones hand and expose them unknowingly.

However, some of the fears surrounding the spread of monkeypox especially from low-risk encounters in public spaces seem to manifest from anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, as gay and bisexual men are primarily contracting the virus right now, said Perry Halkitis, dean and professor of public health and health equity at Rutgers School of Public Health.

People will use any piece of information, if they are homophobic, to disadvantage and to stigmatize gay men, he said.

The virus can spread through any prolonged skin-to-skin contact with lesions or rash areas but transmission during sex, where plenty of skin-to-skin contact takes place, is still primarily how the virus is spreading right now.

You can have sex with somebody and have the flu, and they can get the flu. That doesnt make the flu an STI, Halkitis said. Oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse are not required for monkeypox transmission to occur, he added.

Technically, it is not [an STD or STI] because it is not solely spread through sexual contact. But the current outbreak appears to be spreading primarily through sexual contact, so it is associated with sex, but is not technically a sexually transmitted infection, Uslan said.

Abbott agreed that, by definition, monkeypox is not an STI or STD. Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, noted that the answer should ultimately not affect how the country responds to the virus and that labeling the virus as an STI may not be black or white.

What we know is that sexual behavior, or particularly men who have sex with men with multiple partners, has been the bulk of the cases so far of monkeypox. And therefore transmission is very much associated with sexual activity, Michaud said. I think people are sort of debating terminology here. And we dont necessarily need to classify it to be able to respond to it one way or the other.

The virus that causes chickenpox is unrelated to monkeypox, although their names are similar.

The viruses are in completely different families, said Michaud. In the case of the chickenpox virus, it doesnt provide any cross-protection against monkeypox.

Someone who got the smallpox vaccine as a kid would likely have some protection against current monkeypox transmission, experts say, since the viruses are in the same family. However, any immunity provided by a childhood smallpox shot may have waned.

Health departments are still suggesting that those folks get vaccinated, Abbott said, adding that immunity may have waned because smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980.

The passage of several decades since smallpox vaccinations were commonplace means that most young people have not received the same level of protection, Uslan noted.

Monkeypox is not as contagious, or as fatal, as COVID-19, which is highly transmissible through airborne and respiratory routes.

It is absolutely not as contagious as COVID, Uslan said. Monkeypox is not spreading through casual contact, and evidence so far shows that patients are not contagious with monkeypox until symptoms emerge as opposed to COVID-19, which asymptomatic people can spread.

Its also not nearly as fatal, Abbott said, and it wont leave you with a chronic infection. Its a rash that is very uncomfortable and painful. But most people will recover in two to four weeks.

While scarring can be one long-term side effect, after the lesions heal, there havent been reports of a long monkeypox syndrome similar to the long COVID that many Americans have experienced.

There is no evidence to suggest that getting COVID-19 increases a persons risk to contract monkeypox. While those who are immunocompromised are more susceptible to contract a variety of viruses, Halkitis noted, contracting COVID does not mean someone is more likely to get monkeypox.

With two different diseases, one doesnt create exposure to the other, Abbott said.

Children are still at minimal risk. While the virus could spread into their social networks at some point, the current focus to slow the spread of the virus is to vaccinate men who have sex with men.

I dont think parents should be terribly worried at this time, but this is something that people should be paying attention to, Uslan said. We have not seen a lot of cases in daycare settings for children at this point. So it doesnt seem to be a major concern.

While a few monkeypox cases have been seen in women and children, and the potential for greater spread cannot be ignored, the difference in risk right now is still massive, Michaud said.

A persons risk of getting infected with monkeypox is high right now if they are among high-risk groups like queer men who have recently had multiple sexual partners or anonymous sex, or arent using protection.

If were gonna get ahead of this and keep it from escalating, we need to be vaccinating those at highest risk gay and bisexual men and our networks, and trans folks as well, Abbott said, noting that social networks within these groups can be vectors for spread alongside sexual networks.

The highest-risk individuals in my view are young gay and bisexual men, born after 1972, who have no smallpox vaccination, and who are socializing in large groups with other gay men, Halkitis said.

Its safe to get the JYNNEOS shot even with eczema or similar skin conditions. However, ACAM2000, an FDA-licensed smallpox vaccine that may also be effective against monkeypox but is not being widely offered due to a long list of side effects and a more difficult injection procedure, can be harmful to those with eczema and those with other exfoliative skin conditions or dermatitis.

TPOXX, the antiviral and primary pain management treatment for monkeypox, is safe for those living with HIV, including those taking antiviral drugs to manage their HIV, experts said. There are also no interactions between the JYNNEOS vaccine and HIV medications, Halkitis said.

More studies on TPOXXs effectiveness are gearing up and are likely to start in the next few weeks, Uslan said, although it is already known that the treatment is safe and well-tolerated in healthy patients.

According to an analysis by the CDC of monkeypox cases from May through July, a substantial number of monkeypox cases have been reported among those with HIV.

Find more information on monkeypox symptoms, how the virus spreads, and what to do if you are sick from the CDCs website.

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Experts debunk monkeypox myths as misinformation spreads - The 19th*