How is H5N2 bird flu transmitted and how is it different from regular flu?

This week, The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the death of one person due to avian influenza A strain (H5N2), The first laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with influenza A (H5N2) virus has been reported worldwide.

However, although a 59-year-old man from Mexico was infected with the A(H5N2) strain of avian influenza, he subsequently The WHO clarified that his death was multifactorial and not related to the H5N2 virus, since the infected person had other pathologies.such as chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes and systemic high blood pressure.

The patient arrived at the hospital in April after suffering from symptoms for weeks and died the same day he was examined at the medical center, health authorities said. Tests were then carried out and he tested positive for the H5N2 virus.

Other subtypes of bird flu, such as H5N1, have been diagnosed in people in several countries over the past two decades, including several people in recent months in the United States. We explain how it is transmitted.

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What is bird flu?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C and D.

On the other side, Influenza A is divided into several subtypes or strains based on two proteins on the surface of the virus. These subtypes consist of the letter H and a number, the letter N and a number, or both.

In the case of avian influenza, it is an illness caused by infection with the avian influenza (flu) virus type A. These avian influenza viruses occur naturally in wild waterfowl around the world and can infect poultry, other birds and other animal species, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Not all strains infect people. The subtypes of influenza A viruses currently found in humans are the H1N1 and H3N2 strains.

How is bird flu transmitted?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), although human infection is rare, avian influenza viruses can be transmitted from infected birds to humans in several ways: Directly from infected birds or the environment contaminated with avian influenza A viruses, or through an intermediate host, such as another animal.

According to the CDC, Infections in humans can occur when “sufficient amounts of the virus enter a person’s eyes, nose, or mouth, or when a person inhales it.” People who have had prolonged unprotected contact with infected birds or areas contaminated with their mucous membranes, saliva or feces may be at increased risk of infection.

Symptoms of bird flu

Reported symptoms of avian influenza virus infection in humans have ranged from asymptomatic to mild cases. such as red eyes (conjunctivitis) or mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms, in severe cases such as pneumonia requiring hospitalization.

In severe cases, symptoms include heat (temperature 100 ºF (37.8 ºC) or higher), cough, sore throat, runny or runny nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Less common signs and symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or cramps.

For more information about avian influenza, visit the official website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where you will find information in English and Spanish.

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