Abstract
Avian influenza (AI) virus infects various types of vertebrates, including humans, who are exposed to infected birds or contaminated environments. No cases of human AI infection were reported in the Honam area from the 2022–2024 season. Ninety-four cases and 31 cases of high pathogenicity were detected in poultry farms and wild birds in the Honam area during the 2022–2023 season and 2023–2024 season, respectively. The Honam Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention maintained a cooperative system between local governments and related institutions and attempted to prevent the outbreak and spread of AI human infections through human infection prevention measures and on-site testing support. The number of farm-related workers, culling study participants and response personnel in high-risk groups was 2,996 in the 2022–2023 season and 3,126 in the 2023–2024 season. When responding to human AI infections, we prepared management reports for high-risk groups, implemented preventive measures (e.g., the seasonal influenza vaccination), educated participants on how to put on and take off personal protective equipment, checked the condition of their clothes, and conducted on-site inspections of protected areas. We will continue to contribute to the prevention of human AI infections by maintaining a cooperative system and strengthening information exchanges between local governments and institutions in charge of surviving these infections in order to prevent their outbreak and spread.