A STUDY ON EPIDEMIOLOGY OF HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA (HPAI), IN CHITTAGONG, BANGLADESH.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide general information about avian influenza (bird flu) and specific information about one type of bird flu, called avian influenza A (H5N1¬) that has caused infections in birds in Bangladesh. The main materials in this study are based on the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), World Health Organization (WHO) and Office International des Epizootics (OIE) since February 5 2007, highly pathogenic (H5N1¬) avian influenza viruses has swept through poultry populations across Bangladesh, and parts of Chittagong. Their outbreaks are historically unprecedented in scale and geographical spread. Their economic impact on the agricultural sector of the affected region has been large. Influenza viruses are genetically unstable and their behaviors cannot be predicted, so the risk of further human cases persists. The human health implications have now gained importance, both for illness and fatalities that have occurred following natural infection, with avian viruses, and for the potential of generating a re-assortment virus that could give rise to the next human influenza pandemic