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The threat of avian flu can directly affect food security, directly affecting farms and migrant agricultural workers, the latter being the ones who present the greatest risk, which is why experts call to be alert and take precautions in the face of calls for the health authorities.
Added to the avian flu, the COVID variants are an issue that has not ceased to alert specialists; The new FLiRT variant is presented as the most mutated, which is why they predict a new wave of the disease in summer.
Dr. Maurice Pitesky, associate professor specializing in modeling highly pathogenic avian influenza at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, explained that in the case of influenza, it is more present in ducks.
?Ducks and birds travel thousands of miles and in the summer when they are in the Arctic, which is when they reproduce, it is the time when all the birds begin to become infected, then different versions of avian influenza arise, this is how it occurs. Do they have these unique combinations? said the expert during a press conference held by Ethnic Media Services.
What happens, he explained, is that these traveling birds come into contact with domesticated animals such as chickens and hens, which leads to a combination of viruses.
?For example, we can have infected aquatic birds and when they defecate, they expel those viruses, but it is also transmitted through the respiratory system and they may expel something from their beaks and, if it comes into contact with something domesticated, it can be infected there.?, added the professor Pitesky.
The poultry health and food safety epidemiologist also assured that the most affected population groups are immigrants, since many of them work on agricultural farms so they are in direct contact and are at greater risk, despite having with protective equipment.
Finally, he commented that more and new options must be sought to guarantee the control of viruses that affect animals, especially birds, since chicken is a food within the reach of many due to its low costs and accessibility, therefore that having a shortage would directly affect food security, which is very important for global stability.
Dr. Peter Chin Hong, professor of medicine and associate dean for Regional Campuses at the UCSF School of Medicine, said there are 880 human cases of avian flu, of which 50 percent have been fatal; although there have also been many cases in cows and many more cases are expected. ?It's no longer a question of whether it will happen or not, but when it will happen.?, he pointed out.
There have been 2 fatal cases in Texas and they assure that more will come, since there is nothing that prevents infections one hundred percent. Given this, the authorities are preparing to be ready with tests, medications, vaccines and much more to avoid unfortunate losses.
Chin Hong explained that there is no complete record of infections, since many agricultural workers are immigrants and for fear of being reported they do not seek help; That way, if many cases are detected, the farms could close, which would affect the economy of these places, which is why some avoid this.
Dr. Benjamin Neuman, professor of biology and chief virologist at the Global Health Research Complex at Texas A&M University, spoke regarding COVID and the Omicron variant and its current subvariants, which disappeared and appeared in different spaces, "the advantage you have is that today we have the ability to predict?
He commented that the characteristics of the new strain can be predicted with only the sequence information, as well as how much this virus can grow and how it can evade immunity, among other capabilities that allow preparation.
The KP.2 or FliRT variant of COVID, he pointed out, is not as suitable for adapting to human cells, unlike the previous variants, however, these have many mutations never seen before, with large and competitive growth, therefore which has high human resistance, so the vaccine does not provide a guarantee.
Neuman commented that these viruses are dangerous unlike a normal flu, since the latter "enters and leaves in the same direction", but new viruses can move to other parts of the body, generating strange symptoms and infections in various parts that They are not common, and that is where they become fatal cases.
The experts agreed that, although avian flu does not have the characteristics to become a pandemic, one must "be open to the possibilities," since it depends on how the virus behaves in the global community, how much it can be contained. and measures to mitigate the disease.
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