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Influenza

These web pages provide information on worker protection from avian influenza (bird flu) and the linked, but separate, pandemic flu guidance.

Seasonal human influenza is a regular feature of our UK winter months and particularly affects the very young and elderly. However, there are several different types of influenza that affect people and animals. Avian flu affects birds and although it can be highly pathogenic in birds, it rarely transfers to humans. Pandemic flu, however, is different from 'ordinary' seasonal flu and occurs when a new influenza virus emerges which is markedly different from recently circulating strains and to which humans have little or no immunity. It can therefore spread rapidly and become a major global disease ie become pandemic. The most recent pandemic flu episodes occurred in 1918, 1957 and 1968. The UK Government has already identified pandemic flu as a potential concern for the UK and developed a contingency plan.

A present scientific and Government concern is that the current avian influenza virus could recombine with a seasonal human influenza virus to create a new human strain of influenza which could lead to a human flu pandemic. A human flu pandemic could however arise from a different source and happen at any time.

HSE has been working with Defra[42], the Department of Health (DH)[43] and the Public Health England[44] to develop guidance for people working with birds and also for laboratory and healthcare workers that are at risk of exposure to the avian influenza virus. In addition, HSE has worked closely with other Government Departments on contingency planning for a pandemic of human influenza.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Biosafetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/index.htm
  2. Safety noticeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/notices/index.htm
  3. Overview - The regulation of specified animal pathogenshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/sapo.htm
  4. Background on the regulation of specified animal pathogenshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/background.htm
  5. SAPO Application processhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/app-process.htm
  6. How do I make my application?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/how-do-i.htm
  7. Notifying accidents and dangerous occurrencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/notify.htm
  8. Guidance on Appeals for Notices issued under SAPOhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/guidance-appeals-sapo.htm
  9. Overview - Infections at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/infection.htm
  10. Preventing infections at workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/about.htm
  11. HSE and infectionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/hseandinfection.htm
  12. Overview - Are you at risk?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/microorganisms.htm
  13. Laboratory workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/laboratories.htm
  14. Healthcarehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/healthcare.htm
  15. Overview - Specific infectionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/index.htm
  16. Overview - Influenzahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/influenza.htm
  17. Avian influenzahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/avianflu.htm
  18. Pandemic influenzahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/pandemic.htm
  19. Workplace guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/pandflu.htm
  20. Anthraxhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/anthrax.htm
  21. Zoonoseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/zoonoses.htm
  22. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/bovine.htm
  23. Handling the deceased with suspected or confirmed COVIDhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/handling-the-deceased.htm
  24. What the Law says about Biosafetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/law.htm
  25. Biosafety Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/information.htm
  26. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/links.htm
  27. Blood-borne viruseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/blood-borne-viruses/index.htm
  28. Overview - GMOhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/index.htm
  29. What are GMOs?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/whatare.htm
  30. Who is responsible for GMO (CU) Regulations?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/whos-responsible.htm
  31. GMOs and the lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/law.htm
  32. GMO Notificationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/index.htm
  33. What do I notify?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/what.htm
  34. How do I notify?https://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/process.htm
  35. Feeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/fees.htm
  36. Appealshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/appeals.htm
  37. Confidentiality and disclosure of notified datahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/confid.htm
  38. Description of the Public Registerhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/notifications/publicregister.htm
  39. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/information.htm
  40. The SACGM Compendium of Guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/acgm/acgmcomp/index.htm
  41. Risk assessment guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/gmo/acgm/index.htm
  42. Defrahttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
  43. Department of Health (DH)https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health
  44. Public Health Englandhttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england
  45. Avian Influenzahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/avianflu.htm
  46. Pandemic Influenzahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/diseases/pandemic.htm
  47. Approved list of biological agentshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/misc208.pdf
  48. More resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/information.htm
  49. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairshttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
  50. Department of Healthhttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health
  51. Food Standards Agencyhttp://www.food.gov.uk/

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

GMO
Genetically modified organisms
Defra
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

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Updated 2022-05-13