Author/Editor | Slemenjak, Janja; Pajnič, Biserka; Novak, Dušan; Trampuž, Andrej | |
Title | Človeška in ptičja gripa: zakaj ptičja gripa ogroža človeštvo? | |
Translated title | Human and avian influenza: why avian influenza threatens the mankind? | |
Type | članek | |
Source | Obz Zdrav Nege | |
Vol. and No. | Letnik 38, št. 3 | |
Publication year | 2004 | |
Volume | str. 235-40 | |
Language | slo | |
Abstract | Influenza is a frequent cause of respiratory illness resulting in significant mortality and morbidity, particularly in the elderly and those with underlying chronic medical conditions. Despite influenza is not an eradicable disease and epidemics occur seasonally every winter, vaccination can effectively protect against infection. Vaccination is recommended also for healthcare workers to prevent transmission to their patients. Recently, antiviral agents from the group of neuraminidase inltibitors become available, which can be used for prevention and treatment of injluenza. Despite this advances, the occurrence of recent widespread avian influenza outbreak among poultry in Asia reminds us of our vulnerability to an emerging pandemic which may case millions of victims. This epidemic was successfully limited and no significant human-to -human transmission of the avian influenza virus occurred. Only individuals were infected who had close contact with infected poultry. In future, early recognition of epidemics of avian influenza and culling of all infected and diseased poultry is of critical importance. In addition, emergency plans, vaccines and stockpiling of antiviral medicaments are needed. The article summarizes the characteristics of human and avian influenza, modes of transmission, and prevention against this dangerous infection. | |
Summary | Gripa je pogost vzrok obolenj dihal, ki povzroča pomembno obolevnost in smrtnost predvsem pri starejših osebah in osebah s kroničnimi obolenji. Gripe ni mogoče izkoreniniti in se v obliki epidemije pojavlja sezonsko vsako zimo, vendar se proti njej lahko uspešno zaščitimo s pravočasnim cepljenjem. Cepljenje zelo priporočamo zdravstvenim delavcem, da okužbe ne prenašajo na svoje bolnike. V zadnjem času so na voljo protivirusna zdravila iz skupine zaviralcev nevraminidaze, s katerimi lahko preprečimo ali omilimo gripo. Kljub napredku nas nedavna obsežna epidemija ptičje gripe med perutnino v azijskih državah opozarja na ranljivost človeške vrste in tveganje za pojav nove pandemije, ki bi zahtevala več milijonov človeških žrtev. Zadnjo epidemijo ptičje gripe so v Aziji uspeli omejiti (ne pa tudi izkoreniniti) in ptičji virus se ni pomembno širil med ljudmi. Oboleli so le posamezniki, ki so bili v tesnem stiku z okuženo perutnino. V prihodnosti je pomembno zgodnje prepoznavanje epidemij ptičje gripe in takojšnji poboj vse okužene in obolele perutnine. Potrebno je pripraviti krizni načrt za primer izbruha epidemije, pripraviti cepivo in zalogo protivirusnih zdravil. Članek povzema značilnosti človeške in ptičje gripe, načine širjenja in zaščito. | |
Descriptors | INFLUENZA DISEASE OUTBREAKS INFLUENZA VACCINE INFLUENZA A VIRUS, AVIAN INFLUENZA A VIRUS, HUMAN ANTIGENS, VIRAL ANTIBODIES, VIRAL NEURAMINIDASE |