Thiruvananthapuram: High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory Bhopal director D D Kulkarni on Thursday said that there was no need for panic as the possibility of H5N1 strain spreading to human beings was very very remote.
He told DC over phone from Bhopal that since 2006, the country has had 97 outbreaks of H5N1, including minor and major ones, but there had been no instances of humans getting infected.
“We have informed the Centre about the detection of H5N1. More samples from Kerala would be tested at Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Bangalore and also in Bhopal as and when they arrive from Kerala,” Dr Kulkarni added.
Meanwhile, Dr Aravind R , head of the department of infectious diseases Trivandrum Medical College said those involved in culling operations required chemoprophylaxis for H5N1.
“Such people have to take 75 mg tablets of Oseltamivir till the risk period is over. One can take it up to six weeks. The tablet almost abolishes the chances of getting infection from birds,” he said.
Dr Aravind said there was no sustained human to human transmission of H5N1. “Chances of transmission of H1N1 among human beings is very high as it usually affects upper respiratory tract.
But H5N1 affects the lower respiratory area and results in pneumonia. Hence person to person transmission is less. Only two or three cases have been documented especially of mother to child. Only in such intense contact there is a possibility of transmission,’’ he added.
