About the Avian Influenza virus (H9N2):
- H9N2 is a subtype of influenza, a virus that causes human influenza as well as bird flu.
- This virus is found worldwide in wild birds and is endemic to poultry in many areas.
- Poultry is considered a genetic incubator for the origin of the H9N2 novel avian influenza virus that infects humans.
- Symptoms
- Infections range from mild, flu-like symptoms or eye inflammation to severe, acute respiratory disease or death.
- The severity of the disease depends on the virus causing the infection and the characteristics of the infected individual.
- Prevention: Maintaining personal and hand hygiene, including washing hands with soap, before and after contact with animals is essential to avoid being infected by the virus.
Classification of Influenza:
- The influenza virus, which causes illness, is classified by WHO into four types: A, B, C, and D.
- According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only the influenza A and B viruses are known to cause epidemics.
- The C-type virus usually causes mild respiratory illnesses, while the D-type virus typically affects cattle and is not known to infect humans.
- Only the influenza A virus is divided into subtypes, and the subtype is based on two proteins on the surface of the virus, hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N).
