Vaccination advised to avoid mix of human and avian influenza

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

With the rainy season upon us, a doctor has advised people to get flu shots to reduce the risk of human flu and bird flu viruses mixing to create a new, deadly virus that can be transmitted from human to human.

The medical director of International SOS in Jakarta, Uwe Stocker, said that although seasonal influenza shots could not protect people from the deadly H5N1 virus that causes bird flu, they could prevent people from getting both human and bird flu viruses at the same time.

"People should get the latest seasonal human influenza vaccine, especially if they want to go to places or countries where the number of influenza cases is high and where bird flu is endemic," he said during a seminar on bird flu at the Bina Nusantara School in South Jakarta on Thursday.

The seminar was organized to get the latest information on bird flu to parents of students at schools around Jakarta.

Stocker said anyone who was infected with bird flu should be given a human flu vaccine immediately to reduce the risk of human flu and bird flu viruses combining to create a new virus.

Experts have repeatedly warned that genes from the human flu virus could mix with the avian influenza virus in the human body, creating an entirely new and deadly virus that is transmittable from person to person.

The wet season, when traditionally more people fall ill with influenza, increases the risk of this happening.

Experts have also warned that continued contact between infected birds and humans may eventually result in the virus mutating into a form that can rapidly spread among people, sparking a pandemic that could kill millions.

The director for disease control at the Ministry of Health, Haryadi Wibisono, said that while individuals were encouraged to get flu shots, the country did not have the capability to launch a nationwide campaign to vaccinate all Indonesians.

"Each ethnic group, or even every individual, probably needs a different vaccine. So it would be very expensive to conduct a national campaign. However, it is a very good idea if people take the initiative and have themselves vaccinated," he told The Jakarta Post.

Haryadi added that his office was more focused on bird flu rather than the human flu.

Both Stocker and Haryadi agreed the best way to avoid the bird flu virus was to take simple preventative measures, such as avoiding all direct contact with poultry and frequently washing your hands.

"Because the bird flu virus is contained in the feces of infected birds, people should avoid touching surfaces contaminated with poultry feces or secretions," Stocker said.

The World Health Organization-accredited laboratory in Hong Kong has confirmed 12 bird flu cases in humans in Indonesia to date, with seven death since July.

A 25-year-old woman died in Jakarta on Tuesday with symptoms of bird flu. Local lab tests came back positive for the H5N1 virus, but authorities are waiting for confirmation from the lab in Hong Kong.

Suggested measures to avoid bird flu virus

1. Update flu vaccinations 2. Avoid all direct contact with poultry 3. Avoid poultry farms and bird markets where live birds are raised or kept 4. Avoid touching surfaces contaminated with poultry feces or secretions 5. Wash hands frequently using soap and water 6. Influenza viruses are destroyed by heat; all foods from poultry, including eggs and blood, should be thoroughly cooked

Source: International SOS-Jakarta