Food Safety and Worker Concerns Regarding Avian Influenza Virus

1
Food Safety and Worker Concerns Regarding Avian
Influenza Virus

• Michael Doyle

2
Sources of H5N1 AIV

• Excreted by infected birds in
• Fecal droppings
• Saliva
• Nasal secretions

3
Principal Suspected Routes of H5N1 Transmission
from Poultry to Human

• Handling sick or dead infected poultry
• Handling fecal droppings of infected birds
• Handling contaminated litter

4
Measures Taken by Chicken Industry to Prevent and
Control Avian Influenza Virus

• Biosecurity of poultry production houses
• Prevent exposure to wild birds and their fecal
  droppings
• Test scientifically determined number of chickens
  at 3 weeks of age in each flock for H5 and H7
  subtypes
• Any H5/H7-positive flocks will be destroyed
• Quarantine poultry flocks in vicinity of infected
  flock
• Intensively test flocks and destroy infected
  flocks

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Measures for Protecting Poultry Workers Against
Avian Influenza Virus

• Follow biosecurity practices to prevent
  introduction of AI virus into a poultry flock
• Know signs of avian influenza in birds
• Sudden death without signs
• Lack of coordination
• Purple discoloration of wattles, combs and legs
• Soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
• Lack of energy and appetite
• Diarrhea
• Swelling of head, eyelids, comb
• Nasal discharge
• Coughing, sneezing
• U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, SHIB 12-13-2004

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Measures for Protecting Poultry Workers Against
Exposure to Avian Influenza Virus

• Routine screening of poultry flocks for H5 and H7
  subtypes
• Quarantine farm if birds are infected
• Report disease to animal health authorities
• U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, SHIB 12-13-2004

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Measures for Protecting Poultry Workersin
Poultry Barns Against Avian Influenza Virus

• Keep hands away from face
• Wear face mask/goggles
• Wear protective clothing, including gloves and
  boots
• Wash hands thoroughly

8
Risk in handling meat?

• Of about 200 documented cases, none is known to
  result from handling poultry meat as opposed to
  handling live or recently killed animals
• Using good hygienic practices prevents
  transmission

9
Safe Handling of Raw Poultry

• Route of entry of AI virus to humans
• Mouth
• Nose
• Eyes
• Lungs
• Preventive measures
• Avoid contact of hands and utensils with face
• Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw poultry

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Measures for Protecting Workers in Processing
Plants Against Exposure to Avian Influenza Virus

• Keep hands away from face after handling poultry
  or poultry droppings
• Wear face protection (mask/goggles)
• Wear protective clothing, including gloves and
  boots or boot covers
• Remove and disinfect protective clothing before
• removing face protection and goggles
• Wash hands thoroughly

11
Is AI a food safety problem?

• AI is not normally transmitted through food
• Nearly all human cases transmitted by close
  contact with live, infected birds
• Exceptions consumption of raw blood and organ
  meat from infected birds
• Not a normal consumption practice in the United
  States, but not unknown in Southeast Asia. May
  account for a few cases

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Demonstration of H5N1 in Poultry Meat

• Experimentally infected with bird isolates
  (2003-5 S. Korea, Thailand, Mongolia and
  Indonesian) and human isolates (2004-5 Indonesia,
  Vietnam Thailand)
• Chickens
• Japanese Quail
• Geese
• Natural infections
• Raw frozen duck meat, 2001 and 2003

Tumpey et al., J. Virology 766344-6455 (2002)
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Can AI virus be present in poultry meat?
LPAIV HPAIV in Chickens
aND, not determined
Swayne Beck, Avian Diseases 4981-85 (2005)
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Can cooking kill avian influenza viruses in
poultry meat?

• Cooking to 70ºC (158ºF) internal temperature will
  kill HPAI virus

D.E. Swayne, Int. J. Food Microbiology
108268-271 (2006)
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Consumer Guidelines for the Safe Cooking of
Poultry Products

• Consumers should cook poultry to a minimum
  internal product endpoint temperature of 165ºF
  for microbiological safety, including Avian
  influenza virus
• This temperature will kill Salmonella, the most
  heat resistant pathogen of public health concern
  on raw poultry
• National Advisory Committee on Microbiology
  Criteria for Foods, March 24, 2006

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Consumer Guidelines for the Safe Cooking of
Poultry Products

• Cooking poultry to temperatures higher than 165ºF
  may be needed for consumer acceptability and
  palatability
• For example, 170ºF for whole muscle breast meat
  and 180ºF for whole muscle thigh meat to remove
  the pink appearance and rubbery texture
• Longer cooking time is needed if the poultry
  product is frozen at the beginning of cooking
• Microwave cooking from the frozen state is not
  advisable unless precautions are taken to
  ascertain the recommended endpoint temperature
  has been achieved
• NACMCF, March 24, 2006

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• You cannot get avian influenza from properly
  handled and cooked poultry and eggs . . . the
  cooking methods recommended by USDA and FDA for
  poultry and eggs to prevent other infections, are
  more than enough to destroy the influenza virus
  too.
• CDC Statement
• May 9, 2006

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Summary

• The Asian H5N1 HPAI virus has spread into
  northern and western Asia, and Europe and Africa,
  with evidence of involvement of migratory birds,
  but poultry still are the primary vehicle of
  transmitting the virus
• Considering likely widespread exposure, human
  infections are uncommon and from direct contact
  with sick or dead poultry
• HPAI virus can be present in poultry meat and
  blood but epidemiologic evidence indicates not a
  food safety issue
• Firewalls are in place to prevent HPAI
  virus-infected poultry from entering USA food
  supply
• Proper handling and cooking (165ºF) of poultry
  further ensures safety from HPAI virus