Vietnam urged to stay vigilant over Influenza A

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged the Vietnamese Government and the public to keep vigilance on the H5N8 human infection upon the detection of seven farm workers infected with the influenza A (H5N8) in a chicken farm in Russia.

This is the first report of H5N8 poultry-to-human infection despite the virus having been circulating in poultry and wild birds since 2016. All seven human cases were asymptomatic.

To date, there is no evidence to suggest severe human infections or human-to-human transmission of this virus have occurred and this event likely represents isolated spillover of the virus from infected chickens to humans.

The Department of Animal Health (DAH) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has never detected the H5N8 virus.

The DAH will increase testing for H5N8 virus in the national avian influenza surveillance programme starting from 2021.

“Technically the H5N8 virus shares antigenic characteristics with the H5N6 virus circulating in Việt Nam, the current avian influenza vaccine used in Vietnam should remain effective to prevent the disease in poultry,” Pawin Padungtod, the Senior Technical Coordinator, FAO Vietnam said.

“Although the risk of human infection of this specific strain of avian influenza A(H5N8) in Vietnam is very low, we must remain vigilant and continue to practise personal protective measures against avian flu,” Satoko Otsu, Team Lead, WHO Health Emergency Programme in Vietnam said.

Bird flu infections in humans have been associated with direct contact with infected live or dead poultry. 

“We should continue with our co-ordinated surveillance both at the animal and human health sectors. The public can support by reporting sick or death events in poultry as soon as possible and by practising personal protective measures,” Otsu said.

FAO and WHO Vietnam recommended poultry farmers to strengthen biosecurity measures on their farms to minimise risk of introduction. They are urged to follow correct vaccine schedules and ensure good nutrition for their flock health.

It was necessary to report poultry death to the village heads or local animal health authority, they said.

Poultry traders and market vendors are advised to collect poultry from traceable source and sell in permitted place in markets.

For veterinarians and workers involved in outbreak response teams. They should consistently wear personal protective equipment when exposed to suspected or infected birds to minimise the transmission risk.

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) have been reported in Russia, Europe, China, the Middle East and North Africa in recent months, but only in poultry and wild birds. Other strains of HPAI, such as H5N1, H5N6 and H7N9, have been transmitted to humans before.

HPAI H5N1 has killed 64 Vietnamese people since it first occurred in 2003. No human deaths have been reported since 2014.