Dr Burke's Hot Topics

Bird Flu.
 
Like SARS a couple of years ago, many travellers to Asia are currently anxious about their exposure to bird flu (avian influenza H5N1). As has been widely reported in the press, this virus has devastated some bird populations in Asia, and some migratory birds have taken it to other locations such as Eastern Europe.
 
At this time the advice to travellers is simply to avoid contact with birds in Asia, especially sick or dead birds. This is pretty easy to do. If you are in the markets and find yourself having wandered into the poultry section, you should wander out again. Well cooked chicken or eggs are considered safe to eat, but it would certainly be wise to avoid the duck's blood soup if it appears on the menu!
 
Apart from these unusual circumstances, the risk to ordinary travellers is negligible. The risk on a plane is essentially nil, unless you are travelling with poultry, in which case you should ask for an upgrade! Bird flu is currently a big problem for birds, but currently a small risk to humans. There have been fewer than 100 human cases over 2 years, all of whom have had direct contact with sick birds, usually in rural farming communities.
 
The concern that some scientists have expressed is 'What if it changes, so that it becomes a human flu?' If that were to happen, this would be devastating and the above advice would change, but even the pessimists say the likelihood is in the order of 10%. The same concern was expressed with respect to SARS, which retreated into the civet cat population from which it came. Currently, humans get ordinary human flu, and this is millions of times more common. We recommend an annual flu shot for all travellers. The new vaccine comes out in March each year.
 
 
Tamiflu
 
This is a prescription only tablet which has been shown to be effective in treating influenza if taken in the first 48 hours of onset of symptoms. The problem for a traveller is knowing whether the fever you have is due to flu rather than something else, such as malaria. Long-term travellers or those travellers at especially high risk may consider carrying standby treatment. Supplies of Tamiflu are currently very short worldwide, due in large part to stockpiling by government health departments, stock is now obtainable for those travellers who may be at particular risk of exposure. For most people with generally good health, the treatment of uncomplicated flu has not changed and simply comprises rest, paracetamol, decongestants and throat lozenges.


Further advice for travellers
 
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) maintains a regularly updated advisory service for travellers at smartraveller.gov.au