Bird Flu: The Lethal Menace

by Divya Pathak

These days all one seems to hear in India is "Bird Flu". The disease which has taken a major part of India in its grip, has not only severly affected the poultry industry of the nation but also it has sent panic bells ringing across the states - from Delhi in the North to Tamil Nadu in the South, to West Bengal in the East, the latter being worst affected. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the current outbreak of Bird Flu in India as the worst case reported till date.

In the affected areas, chickens are being culled at a rapid pace, but still the disease is spreading its wings from one district to the other, from one state to another. One primary reason for the rapid spread of Bird Flu is the lack of awareness about the virus which causes the disease. Almost everyone knows that the disease is lethal, but not many know what causes it, how it spreads, and how it can be prevented.

Keeping in mind the scale and spread of Bird Flu virus that has taken its toll in India, Headlines India decided to give its readers an insight into the disease, which first broke out in 1997 in Hong Kong, affecting 18 people and claiming 6 lives.

Bird Flu, also known as Avian Flu, is an influenza caused by virus, which affects birds. It might sound surprising, but the fact is that birds, like humans, are vulnerable to influenza. Influenza viruses can be divided into three types (strains) -- influenza A, B and C. Type A is responsible for the deadly influenza pandemics. Type B can lead to smaller, more localized outbreaks. Type C, less common and more stable than other strains, has milder symptoms. Types B and C are usually found only in humans, whereas type A infects both people and animals, including birds, pigs, horses, whales and seals.

Bird Flu is caused by the H5N1 strain of virus, and is a type 'A' influenza. It usually affects chicken and other poultry birds such as ducks. Earlier, human infection was unheard of in Bird Flu. However, the virus spread from birds to humans in 1997, when six people in Hong Kong died of the disease. According to the data provided by World Health Organisation on February 1, 2008, approximately 225 people across the world have succumbed to the disease over the past five years.

It must be noted here that although the bird flu virus is highly contagious, it rarely causes any harm to the carrier. Thus, even while infected with an avian flu virus, the animal does not have "flu". Typically, flu virus is adapted by one species of bird, and in turn spreads to another species. This happens more with the domestication of chickens and turkeys, as the avian flu virus acquired by one species rapidly mutates and infects the other species as well. This rapid spread can be stopped only by killing every domestic bird in the affected area.

The H5N1 strain virus causes avian influenza. The highly pathogenic Influenza A virus subtype, H5N1 virus, is an emerging avian influenza virus that has been causing global concern as a potential pandemic threat. It is simply referred as "bird flu" or "avian influenza".

Over the years, H5N1 has evolved into a flu virus strain that infects more species of birds than any previously known flu virus strain. This strain is deadlier than any previously known flu virus strain, and continues to evolve becoming both more widespread and more lethal.

H5N1 has killed millions of poultry Asia, Europe and Africa. Although human transmission of the virus is rare, the recent cases of human infections have left the health officials worried. Health experts are concerned that the co-existence of human flu viruses and avian flu viruses (especially H5N1) will provide an opportunity for genetic material to be exchanged between species-specific viruses, possibly creating a new virulent influenza strain that is easily transmissible and lethal for humans.

With bird flu engulfing almost the entire nation, where 26 people with suspected symptoms have been kept in isolation, the disease is posing a potential threat to the country. The virus is spreading like wildfire, and in order to prevent the disease from affecting human beings, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of how bird flu affects human beings, the symptoms of the disease, its treatment and prevention measures.

Read our second Special Report in this series to know more about bird flu to protect yourself and your family from it.

About the Author
Divya Pathak is a reporter working with http://www.headlinesindia.com an upcoming news portal based out of New Delhi, India.

Bird flu and Your Personal Safety

What exactly is bird flu? How real is the bird flu danger? How does it threaten people? In this article, we'll review the basics of how viruses and influenza work, and we'll learn the answers to these questions about this flu, including whether it is likely to cause a global flu epidemic.

The world we live in today is not safer than the one known by our parents and grandparents. If you've kept up with the news lately, you've heard terrible warnings about bird flu. It's the most serious known health threat the world is facing that has swept through the world bird population. There’s never a total absence of risks in our lives. Risks are voluntary actions and can be managed. Emergencies can be met and handled, but it takes know-how and continuous awareness. What you can't prevent, you can usually compensate for or protect against. With alarm growing over the possibility of a bird flu pandemic, we all must acknowledge the fact that we bear some of the responsibility for making our environment safe and safety is thinking about other people, too.

“Remember that we live on the same planet and our interests are interconnected”

The following statements provide a summary of bird flu outbreaks:

It’s caused by the influenza A (H5N1) virus.
The infection can occur through the inhalation of the material infected with virus like cages, bird feeds, clothing, shoes of workers in farms, and any contaminated equipment.
There is a greater risk of getting bird flu while handling the infected bird or infected eggs than eating these foods, as most cases of bird flu infection in humans have resulted from direct or close contact with infected poultry or surfaces contaminated with secretions and excretions from infected birds.
Scientists believe that at least some migratory waterfowl are now carrying the virus and introducing the virus to poultry droves in areas that lie along their migratory routes.
Within a country the disease spreads easily from farm to farm. Even small quantities of bird droppings carry a large load of the virus.
Bird flu can appear within 1 – 5 days after contact with the infected material.
It can pass from bird to bird, and from bird to human. No noticeable evidence to confirm human-to-human transmission of bird flu.The fear is that mutation of the virus will cause it to be easily spread from person to person, since flu viruses can change rapidly.
The symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from standard flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches to eye infections and other complications.
It has killed around 55% of the people it has infected so far.
Humans have no immunity to it.
There is no vaccine. Any new vaccine will be limited, not widely available.
Antibiotics are useless against virus-caused flu.
It can be contained through quarantine.
The best way to cut the risk of attack is by taking sensible precautions. You are probably already aware of some of the precautions listed below, but some may be new to you, and you may find them useful. According to The US Department of Agriculture; “Proper handling and cooking of poultry provides further protection against this virus, as it does against many viruses and bacteria, including Salmonella and E.coli. Safe food handling and preparation is important at all times”.

Here is a summary of USDA recommendations:

Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food (like fresh poultry and or eggs;
Prevent cross-contamination by keeping raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices away from other foods;
After cutting raw meats, wash cutting board, knife, and counter tops with hot, soapy water;
Sanitize cutting boards by using a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach in 1 quart of water; and
Use a food thermometer to ensure food has reached the proper temperature. Cook whole birds to 180 °F; breasts to 170 °F; drumsticks, thighs and wings to 180 °F; ground turkey and chicken to 165º F; and a minimum oven temperature of 325 °F.
To paraphrase …

If the food is well cooked, there is hardly any risk of getting bird flu as no data suggest that the disease can be transmitted to humans through properly cooked food (even if contaminated with the virus prior to cooking). And in general, frequent and thorough hand washing is to be observed to avoid getting the disease during processing and cooking of possibly infected poultry.

While your government will follow certain policy and procedures to prepare for a pandemic, people action and people responsibility are of vital importance for the success of any plan to maximize our preparation So if there is an outbreak of the bird flu virus, the solution is readily available if people would just get the right information on flu prevention and treatment with vaccines or other medical products. Knowledge is POWER and we need to be prepared for an outbreak of bird flu.

Altogether, more than 50% of the confirmed cases have been fatal. This kind of flu in humans is still a relatively rare disease, but a very strict one that must be taken into consideration and closely studied, because of the potential this virus to evolve in ways that could cause a human pandemic.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
“Article by Eng. Muath Daraghmeh, Muath is the webmaster of http://www.provenEbiz.com Visit the site for the *best rated* Internet Business Opportunities, the latest time saving tools, e-books, news and lots more.”

General information regarding Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

by Groshan Fabiola

The World Health Organization (WHO) makes reports and updates regarding new human cases of infection with bird flu. The only subtype that can cause severe illness to people is Influenza A /H5N1 virus, initially it affects chickens, ducks and other birds by the process of mutation they can become highly pathogenic. Because highly pathogenic viruses can survive for long periods in tissue, water and in the environment, especially when temperatures are low is transmitted very easily in chickens and other birds through direct contact with feces and secretions from infected birds, eggs, feed, water, cages equipment, vehicles and clothing. Public health authorities monitor human illnesses associated with avian influenza. In Hong-Kong occured for the first time infection both in humans and poultry and were killed about 1.5 million chickens.
In China and Hong-Kong avian influenza A (H9N2) virus infection affected two children who recovered. The source was unknown, but suspected the poultry.

In Virginia, 2002 an outbreak of H7N2 among poultry was descovered but,with no human victims. Canada, 2004: human infections among poultry workers with H7N3.

Thailand and Vietnam human infections with H5N1. Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey, 2006: Human infections with H5N1 occurred as a result of contact with infected poultry and with infected death swangs. Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, 2005 two persons have been infected with H5N1 as result of consuming uncooked duck blood. China two cases of patogenic infections with avian influenza A (H5N1) have been confirmed in a family travelling through China. Netherlands, 2003 were reported outbreaks of influenza A (H7N7) in several farms, after which in pigs and people, 90 people were confrmed with bird flu virus H7N7 in association with cases of eye conjunctivitis, one death occured at a veterinarian with acute respiratory distress syndrome and other complications after having direct contact with infected poultry. In New York, 2003 there has been registered one case a patient with respiratory symptoms which recovered in few weeks and tests confirmed it had been avian influenza A (H7N2) virus. Signs and symptoms of bird flu in humans are similar to other influenza viruses: sore throat and cough, fever, muscle weakness and/or pain, eye infections, with life-threatening complications such as: severe viral pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome, multi- organ failure.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests the following antiviral agents supposed to prevent and treat avian influenza: amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir, and zanamivir. They may be not always effective it has been demonstrated that viruses are resistent to amantadine and rimantadine. In the United States they are not in use any more for the treatment or prevention (prophylaxis) of influenza A. Specialists are monitoring the resistence of avian influenza A viruses to influenza antiviral medications.

About the Author
For more information about bird flu or even about bird flu vaccine please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/bird-flu-vaccine.htm

Key Differences Between Bird Flu And Other Flu Types

Submitted By: Sarah Jenkins

There are three types of influenza viruses: A, B, and C. Of these, type A is further classified into subtypes, H and N. Type A affects people and numerous animals, while B and C typically affect humans only. Each type varies in severity, with A being the most dangerous, then B, and C being the least severe.

Bird flu is of the A type of influenza virus, one of more severe types. While several subtypes and strains exist, H5N1 is the most widely known and feared form of bird flu.

One of the primary differences of bird flu and the other types of the influenza virus is the way it is transmitted. Other strains of the flu virus, common among humans, are passed from human to human through saliva and mucus. This is done through sneezing, coughing, or breathing on or near someone. H5N1, on the other hand, is only transmitted from poultry to humans, and is done so through direct contact with the animals or their feces.

Another difference between the regular flu virus and H5N1 is the availability of a vaccine. The regular flu has been an irritant to people for some time. As a result, steps were taken long ago to challenge the virus and lessen the impact it had on people. Every year, people go in droves to receive a flu vaccine to avoid the virus. However, a vaccine has not been developed for the mutated form of bird flu that is to come. The reason for this is multifaceted. One reason is the lengthy development process. H5N1 has been a serious threat to humans for less than two years, since the outbreak of the virus began in Vietnam in January of 2004. Therefore, there has not been significant time to research and create a vaccine for the virus. Also, little purpose lies in creating a vaccine for the current strain of H5N1, as the real threat will come when the virus mutates. A vaccine that is developed now will be useless when mutation occurs, at which point a vaccine will really be needed. So, the virus must first be allowed to mutate and only then can an effective vaccine be developed.

The other variation between bird flu and other flu strains is the severity of the symptoms. While symptoms of sneezing, coughing, sore throat and fever are similar, the symptoms easily become severe in cases of bird flu.

About the Author:
Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Crohn’s Disease. For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now. Click here now and read more of her articles.

How Bird Flu Differs From Regular Flu

Submitted By: Sarah Jenkins

Most of us are familiar with the flu. Every year, you probably go to your doctor to get a flu shot, or perhaps you take your chances with the virus and just hope you do not end up in bed. However, the new bird flu that has made so much news lately is considerably different than the regular flu we are accustomed to dealing with.

The regular flu has a myriad of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body aches, fatigue, nasal congestion, and sneezing. Many people will recover from the virus within a couple of weeks; however, others will develop pneumonia, bronchitis, or other life-threatening complications. Chronic disorders are also sometimes aggravated by the flu, causing complications as well. Although such complications are possible, they usually do not lead to death unless the carrier is already in poor health. Healthy people may suffer with the flu, but will rarely have any lasting effects or die as a result of contracting the virus.

Bird flu, on the other hand, is a very different ailment. There are actually several strands of avian influenza, also known as bird flu. Many of the various kinds are not harmful to humans; however, one in particular has caused a great deal of controversy recently. H5N1 is a strand of bird flu that has arisen in Asia, which has resulted in the death of over half of the people that contracted it.

The two viruses are similar in that they are both influenza viruses. They also show similar symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, etc., as detailed above. The primary difference in the two strands is the impact of the illness on humans that contract it. The regular flu is usually only lethal to those in very poor health, while the bird flu takes the lives of almost all that become infected.

Another difference is how the viruses are spread. The regular flu virus is usually transmitted in droplets of saliva and mucus as infected people sneeze or touch objects that other people later come in contact with. However, avian influenza is not passed from human to human, but through direct contact with infected fowl or their feces.

The regular flu is common in the United States, as is the vaccine. However, the bird flu is currently only being identified in Asia. Although many people think within a short period of time it will spread worldwide.

About the Author:
Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Crohn’s Disease. For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now. Click here now and read more of her articles.

Bird Flu

by Bob Taylor

Hop on your personal computer today and get a quick update of all current events such as the avian pandemic. It pays to be on top of things. It is a good idea to read all you can regarding the recent avian pandemic. Find out what scientists and health officials are doing to prevent a mass outbreak of this deadly illness. Before we know it, the avian pandemic could be in full-effect. I simply hope and pray that they've created enough of the vaccination to go around.

I can still recall when the West Nile virus came about a few years back. This was a huge deal. Heck, folks were freaking out over it left and right. But, could you really blame them? It practically made me dread summer. Suddenly we have to watch out for killer mosquitoes. I was buying bug spray like a madman. After all, this West Nile virus does not have a cure. Apparently once you're afflicted with it, you can only treat the symptoms. That's always a major bummer. The elderly are really at risk since their bodies are not as strong. So anyway, now we have the avian pandemic upon us.

Get a load of all the troubles we humans grapple with. Will the madness ever end? Now you know as well as I do that things will probably only continue to worsen. Just check out the nuances to our sickness and disease list. Suddenly we're battling an avian pandemic. This is ridiculous if you really think about it. Is it just me who feels this way? We are actually talking about a bird flu. The mere concept sounds absurd. We shouldn't be able to contract anything from a bird or fowl. What is going on these days? Is this a covert attack planned by Bin Laden and his group of thugs? Now, the big question remains; what are we going to do about it? This could get really messy, and quick.

What can we do to prevent this terror? Should we avoid all eggs and poultry? Hey, I've got a great idea. I saw a news clip of a Middle Eastern gentleman feeding a pigeon with his mouth. YUCK! Why don't we all refrain from doing things like this? That should help prevent the avian pandemic. I often wonder if some individuals actually have a brain or they're just running on pure desire to live.

http://www.preferedforms.com

About the Author
Believing in good balanced diet, taking vitamins and minerals. Daily exercise, yoga, stretching, breathing exercises, drinking enough water, meditation, relaxation, positive thinking, and trying to be happy.

About Avian Flu Birds

by Frank Vanderlugt

Avian flu is commonly called bird flu. It is an infection that occurs naturally in birds. The virus is carried by wild birds in their intestines. The wild birds rarely get sick from the virus. It is however very contagious among domesticated birds like chickens, ducks and turkeys. It can make them very sick, very quickly and usually leads to death.

The virus comes in two forms. One is a low impact variety that usually goes undetected. The domestic birds show little change. The high impact form spreads quickly through a domestic flock. The virus attacks internal organs and the infected birds are usually dead within two days.

The virus spreads through domestic birds quickly because the birds are typically held in close contact with each other. The saliva and feces spread the virus from one bird to the next. Common areas like water and feed supplies often become contaminated and accelerate the spread of the disease.

Typically avian flu does not transfer from birds to people. But in recent years there have been more than 100 confirmed cases of human infection by the World Health Organization. The flu spreads to people in much the same way it spreads to other birds. The humans that were infected had contact with the infected chickens, ducks or turkeys or contaminated surfaces. Transfer from one infected person to another is luckily very rare.

Avian flu symptoms are very much like normal human strains of the flu and include fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches. Additional symptoms vary based on the specific strain of the virus that caused the infection. A lab test is needed to confirm if the person is suffering from avian flu or just a normal human strain.

While this may not sound like a serious problem, health official are very concerned about avian flu being transmitted to humans even in small numbers. The risk is that the virus will adapt over time to a form that is highly contagious among humans just like it is now among domestic birds. Additionally all viruses are a concern because they can become resistant to drugs and harder to treat.

Currently in the U.S., there is no risk of avian flu. There is no concern about eating properly cooked eggs and poultry. There is no need to wear a surgical mask when around large groups of people. It is also considered safe to maintain a flock of chickens for personal egg production.

As a precaution you should avoid contact with any wild bird. Do not attempt to touch a diseased or dead bird. You can contact your local government for proper removal of the dead bird. Often the bird will be sent for testing to determine if any disease was present.

Hunters should exercise caution when dealing with game birds. They should never handle or eat sick birds. When cleaning the bird, latex gloves should be worn. The knives, surfaces and other equipment should be cleaned with soap and water. Hunters should not drink, eat or smoke while handling the birds. This could easily transfer contamination to the mouth. All game birds should be cooked thoroughly.


About the Author
frank j vanderlugt owns and operates http://www.avian-flu-symptons-now.com 2 Avianflusymptonsnowcom

Warning: Bird Flu Spreads

by Bogdan Epureanu

The Avian Flu virus, also known as the Bird Flu virus or as H5N1, is a sub-species of the Influenza A virus which causes severe illness and death in humans and animals. Since 2003 this deadly virus has been spreading globally causing fear and panic in countries all around the world. First recognized in Vietnam, to date the virus has 291 known cases and has claimed 172 lives as well as permanently changed thousands more in 11 countries globally including China, Egypt, Indonesia, and Turkey. Most recently the British government has pledged to spend £200 ($400) million to import enough Tamiflu and Relenza to vaccinate approximately a quarter of the population against the Bird Flu.

With a 60% death rate recorded from infected patients of the H5N1 virus, it's easy to see why being prepared for such an event is highly recommended by professionals and scientists like world-renowned virologist Robert Webster who has published an article titled "The world is teetering on the edge of a pandemic that could kill a large fraction of the human population". Webster urged for adequate resources to fight a major world threat that could kill anywhere from 5 to 150 million people and even possibly billions of lives over the course of just a few years.

The resources Webster is talking about are Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) and Relenza (Zanamivir), the only two effective antiviral drugs that are to be used in the treatment of the H5N1 Virus which causes the Bird Flu. Unfortunately for Tamiflu and Relenza patients, in order for these antivirals to be most effective they need to be administered at the early stage of infection which in turn has caused many countries to stockpile in preparation for the pandemic. This global stockpile has resulted in a major shortage for these life saving antivirals leaving many private citizens without access when these will be needed the most. Drug companies, manufacturers, and scientists are scrambling to come up with a vaccine to protect the world against the H5N1 strain of influenza, but currently Tamiflu and Relenza are the only antivirals that have shown promise in fighting the virus to date.

With the knowledge and warnings that have been provided to us it is just common sense to realize that this is a global problem and you need to be prepared. Act now to protect your family because with the current demand for these medications it may soon be too late. And we strongly believe that every family deserves equal access to Tamiflu and Relenza life saving antivirals - not just the governments who stockpile only for the health care workers and whoever they deem are suitable for treatment during a pandemic. Don't delay - protect your family today.

About the Author
If you want to find more information about the subject please visit the following pages which deals in details with bird flu, Tamiflu and Relenza.

What is avian flu?

by Frank Vanderlugt

Avian flu describes the form of influenza viruses that ostensibly infects only birds. These can be birds that live in the wild, such as swans, ducks or geese, or birds bred in factory conditions for human consumption, such as chickens or turkeys.

It has been a known fact and for some time, that birds, in any form, appear to be widespread carriers of a many natural variations of the flu virus, Experts calculate that there may be as many as fifteen different varieties of influenza affecting the bird population of the globe.

These forms of flu are generally pretty mild, and rarely display symptoms or cause widespread fatalities. However, and especially when the birds are bred in close proximity to one and other in an enclosed environment, there are some forms of flu viruses that are both highly contagious and especially viral in their form.

Known as "highly pathogenic avian influenza" these epidemics can cause widespread fatalities in a bird population in a matter of hours. One particularly viral form of avian flu has been active in Asia intermittently for the last decade. In 1997, when this form of avian flu was first detected. researchers were both surprised and alarmed to discover that this was a virus which had the ability and could occasionally infect humans. Almost without exception, the cases reported were among people who were handling live chickens or turkeys in coups. Known in scientific circles as "species jumping" there arose a genuine fear that an avian flu virus bearing highly pathogenic characteristics could be merged with an influenza virus in human form.

That this virus was shown to be fatal in most cases to the avian populations meant that the greatest fears of researchers into the spread of a pandemic that would affect both birds and humans as one.

If this were to happen, the result could be a global flu pandemic that would make the previous one that took place almost one hundred years previously seem like a picnic. Known as the Spanish pandemic of 1918-1919, it saw the deaths of between 20 and 40 million people.

This was more than the recently ended World War One. The Spanish Flue Pandemic is generally regarded as the most devastating epidemic in world history to date. Bearing in mind that this pandemic took place before international travel was commonplace and was confined mainly to Europe, if there were to a be global avian flu pandemic in the 21st century the consequential loss of life could have been indeed catastrophic.

In order to contain the spread of the pandemic, initially many of the Asian countries were required to cull entire poultry stocks. However there was little to be done to prevent the disease from spreading through wild fowl and these were found to be the principal carriers and spreaders of the virus.

So how does the avian flu spread to humans? Theory has it that if a person, who is suffering from a human viral flu, comes into contact with a bird who is suffering from avian flu, there is a remote possibility that the two strains may combine to create a new strain that will be based on the avian flu virus. This would mean that the avian flu's highly pathogenic characteristics could be passed on to humans, both rapidly and with the capability of causing tremendous and widespread fatalities.

Thankfully, till now, this has not been the case. There have been human fatalities from avian flu, but they have been numbered in the low hundreds in total over the last ten years. And the Avian Flu viruses (i.e. H5N1, H7N3 have still been contained in people who have been in daily contact with live poultry.

The symptoms of avian flu are similar to human flu, and they are a high fever, a dry cough, sore throat and aching muscles. In advanced forms of avian flu, the patient may experience problems with breathing that can develop into pneumonia. This form of complication, in many cases, can prove fatal.

The threat of a pandemic of avian flu affecting humans has not yet happened. Scientists have not dismissed the likelihood of this happening in the future. All that it would take would be a chain of events that theoretically could occur but are unlikely to do so. People who travel to the far eastern countries should avoid contact with people who are involved in the poultry industry, especially if they are suffering from influenza. An unfortunate chain of events like that could spark of a global avian influenza pandemic

About the Author
frank j vanderlugt owns and operates http://www.avian-flu-symptons.com 2 Avianflusymptonscom

Avian Influenza - Bird Flu FAQ (II)

By Sachin A

Is Consumption Of Poultry Birds Safe?

Yes, it is safe to consume THOROUGHLY COOKED poultry products. The H5N1 virus is sensitive to heat and gets destroyed by normal cooking temperatures of 70- 100 degree Celsius. If meat from poultry birds and eggs are cooked properly, the virus will be destroyed. Just make sure that no part of the meat remains raw or uncooked.

How Big Is The Risk Of A Pandemic Breaking Out?

The world had to face a Bird Flu Pandemic, thrice in the twentieth century. In 1918-1919, "Spanish Flu" killed anywhere between 20 million to 50 million people (exact figures not known), including half a million in the United States alone. The "Asian flu" in 1957-58 killed 70,000 in the United States and in 1968-1969, the "Hong Kong flu" killed 34,000 in the USA.

Currently the risk of H5N1 strain leading to a Pandemic is high. The virus is spreading fast to new areas and the efforts made to curtail it have proved inadequate.

Domestic ducks have now become a "reservoir" for the virus. They are acting like a carrier for the virus - their bodies carry the virus without showing signs of any infection. Infected ducks then release large quantities of the virus in pathogenic form in their excretions spreading the virus to other birds or humans. This has made detection of the virus difficult especially in rural areas.

According to health experts, the virus has already met the first two prerequisites for starting a pandemic. First it has attained a form, for which humans have no inbuilt immunity; and second, it has proved pathogenic enough to cause serious illness and death in humans.

The present risk of a pandemic is very high. The only factor that has prevented a pandemic so far is that the virus has not mutated into a form that would allow it to transmit efficiently from one human to another. Once such a genetic change takes place for the virus, a pandemic will be inevitable. The first signs of such a reassortment will be presence of the clusters of patients with flu symptoms, closely related - both in time and space. This would be a clear indication of virus having the ability to transmit from human-to-human.

Currently no vaccine has been developed for fighting H5N1 strain. Simultaneous work is being done in many countries for developing a vaccine, but no success has been achieved. The exact virus that may cause the pandemic cannot be predetermined. Thus mass production of vaccine before the pandemic starts is ruled out. The worldwide manufacturing capacity is inadequate to match the sudden demand surge during a pandemic. The best that scientists can do is to carry out a study and determine the smallest amount of antigen per dose that will provide sufficient protection and thus maximise the number of vaccines produced.

What Are The Precautions Necessary To Prevent A Pandemic?

The logical first step is to control the disease from spreading among birds, but this seems a difficult task now. Bird Flu has become a bird epidemic in many parts of Asia and is spreading fast.

The Next step is to prevent the disease from getting passed on to humans. People who come in close contact with birds (like poultry farmers) are advised to keep a close watch on the health of birds, notify any sort of sickness in birds to the health authorities and avoid direct contact with sick birds in all cases. (Ducks have become a reservoir for the virus and may not exhibit signs of sickness even if they are carrying the virus.)

In case the flu becomes a pandemic, most countries of the world will be affected. In such a scenario, the best preventive measures would be personal hygiene, avoiding crowded places and staying away from raw meat and eggs.

A flu shot does not prevent bird flu, but it can protect a person from other forms of flu and avoid complications. Persons above 65 years of age, children, health services workers, people with chronic respiratory disorders, travellers to flu affected countries and pregnant women may consult a doctor regarding flu vaccination.

What Are The Symptoms In Humans and Treatment Options For Bird Flu?

A person infected by bird flu may have all symptoms of common flu like fever, persistent cough, sore throat and body ache. Moreover, there is a high risk of complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, eye and ear infections and severe breathing problems.

Presently four drugs are used to combat influenza.

The most effective drugs known for seasonal flu are Oseltamivir (commercial name Tamiflu) and Zanamavir (Commercial name Relenza). Both of these are known to reduce severity and duration of seasonal flu, but they may prove ineffective if the virus is allowed to stay in the body for too long. Health professionals advise that TREATMENT OF FLU WITH THESE DRUGS SHOULD START WITHIN 48 HOURS OF FIRST APPEARANCE FLU SYMPTOMS.

Oseltamivir and Zanamavir fall in the Neuraminidase inhibitors class. The surface protein Neuraminidase breaks bonds between new viruses and infected cells. By blocking the activity of Neuraminidase, these two drugs prevent the new viruses from being released.

Another class of drugs - the M2 inhibitors is also available, but viruses develop resistance to these drugs quickly and thus these drugs may prove ineffective in controlling pandemics. Amantadine and Rimantadine are two drugs from this class. These drugs inhibit the activity of M2 protein, which forms a channel in membranes of viruses and thereby preventing the viruses from replicating.

One should consult a doctor before taking any of these drugs as THESE DRUGS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE SIDE EFFECTS IN SOME CASES. For example, Zanamavir is not recommended to people having chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma.

(This article was written on 25th January 2006 and may not contain developments that took place after this date.)


Sachin A. is a Freelance Writer and specializes in articles that require extensive research. Check out this work at http://www.rightarticle.com

Avian Influenza - Bird Flu FAQ (I)

By Sachin A


As more and more cases of bird flu are reported, the world faces an immediate threat of a deadly pandemic. Pandemics (Global Disease Outbreaks) are known to be like flash floods. They start abruptly, spread fast and cause a lot of damage all over the world.

A few facts that everyone should know:

What is Avian Influenza?

As the name suggests, avian influenza refers to the infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These viruses are commonly found in intestines of wild birds and these birds can carry the viruses without getting sick. However the viruses can be pathogenic to domesticated birds like chickens, ducks and turkeys. Domesticated birds become infected through exposure to other birds or through surfaces contaminated by secretions and faeces of the infected birds.

These viruses are classified as Low Pathogenicity and High Pathogenicity. Most strains of Avian Influenza come under Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (LPAI) Group and produce mild symptoms in the infected birds. Common symptoms are ruffled feathers, decreased food appetite, decreased egg production, sneezing and coughing. Many times LPAI may go undetected.

High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) has more severe symptoms which include sudden death, loss of energy and appetite, decreased egg production, respiratory problems, facial oedema (swelling), poorly formed eggs and diarrhoea. HPAI can reach a mortality rate of nearly 100%.

What Is H5N1 strain of Bird Flu?

All flu viruses are classified as type A, B or C depending on their structural arrangement. Type A is responsible for lethal pandemics and is found in both animals and humans. Type B causes local outbreaks of flu. Type C is the most stable of the three and infected people show only mild symptoms of flu. Type B and C are usually found only in humans. Type B and C are more stable than type A and are not classified according to their subtypes.

Influenza viruses of type A are divided into subtypes and the naming is done on the basis of two proteins (antigens) found on their surface - Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA). Sixteen types of HA and nine types of NA exist. Thus a total 144 combinations are possible.

Thus H5N1 is a type A virus and gets its name from HA 5 protein and NA 1 protein present on its surface.

How Do Type A Viruses Cause A Pandemic?

Type A viruses are further classified into strains. These strains can continuously evolve into different strains. Their ability to exchange genetic material with other viruses and create new influenza viruses makes them unpredictable and difficult to fight with. Humans have to develop new immunity (antibodies) every time new strains are created.

Viruses cannot repair genetic damage, small changes known as "Antigen Drift", are continuously creating new strains of viruses. However when genetic material from Type A viruses from different species - say a bird and a human, comes together and merges, an entirely new strain is created. This is known as "Antigen Shift" Humans have no immunity to such a strain and the strain can spread rapidly causing a Pandemic.

How Is The Virus Transmitted To Humans From Birds?

Usually Avian Influenza viruses do not infect humans. Migratory birds act as carriers of these viruses and do not get affected by them. These birds then come in contact with domesticated birds such as chickens and turkeys and spread the infection to them. Domesticated birds may get the virus from contact with contaminated surfaces too. Once a virus infects domesticated birds, it can cause severe epidemic among the birds. Humans come in contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces and pick up the virus.

In the human body, this avian flu virus then undergoes an antigenic shift, combines with genetic material of a human strain of influenza virus and creates an entirely new strain of virus against which humans have little or no immunity. These genetic reassortments may also take place is the body of a third species (susceptible to both avian and human viruses) like the pig, where an avian influenza A virus and human influenza virus mix their genetic information and produce a new virus which might be able to infect humans.

Why is H5N1 dangerous?

The first reported cases of H5N1 infections were detected in geese in 1997 in Southern China. A total of 18 human infections were reported and six of them succumbed to it. The infection spread quickly to poultry in Hong Kong. At that time a million and half chickens were culled in Hong Kong to keep the virus under control. The virus disappeared for a few years, but resurfaced in 2002 in Hong Kong again. Since then it has killed millions of birds in Asia and many cases of human infections have been reported.

The persistence of this H5N1 strain of virus is a great concern for humans. Although the virus does not spread from birds to humans easily, the severity of the infection of H5N1 in humans is frightening. The virus has killed every second person infected by it. These cases were reported in perfectly healthy individuals who had no past history of infections. However the greater concern for the world is the POSSIBILITY THAT THE VIRUS MAY MUTATE (UNDERGO ANTIGENIC SHIFT) AND CREATE A FORM THAT MAY SPREAD FROM HUMAN TO HUMAN. Such a strain of virus may result in a pandemic, killing millions of people worldwide.

Sachin A. is a Freelance Writer and specializes in articles that require extensive research. Check out this work at http://www.rightarticle.com

Useful Information on Bird Flu

By Groshan Fabiola


Bird Flu, also called avian Influenza, is caused by the Influenza viruses strain A. The most contagious group is H5N1 that produces epidemics and deaths in birds and humans. The disease was first identified over 100 years ago in Italy and since that time cases have appeared all over the world.

The most susceptible of Bird Flu are domestic poultry but all species of birds are believed to be sensitive to the disease. Wild birds though are more resistant to H5N1. Chickens and turkeys are most susceptible.

The infection caused by the Influenza triggers a large spectrum of symptoms in birds, leading from middle illness signs to a fatal ending. Bird flu is a very dangerous condition as it produces wide spreading epidemics in birds and the direct contact is highly contagious to human. The symptoms usually appear sudden and the mortality rate is almost in all cases 100%.

There are few known cases of illness transmission in man, in 1997 in Hong Kong 6 persons died of Bird Flu after a number of 16 got infected. Also susceptible to the disease are pigs. After those cases, the entire poultry population is Hong Kong was destroyed in order to prevent a catastrophic pandemic.

There are 15 species of Influenza virus known, but the most dangerous of all is H5N1 as it can trigger deadly diseases in human and can rapidly mutate producing uncontrollable new types. After they have survived the infection, birds still carry the active virus for 10 days and are able to transmit it on live poultry markets and by wild migratory birds. An increased number of sick human would trigger the risk of an infection with both bird and human infecting virus types. This would represent an opportunity for a pandemic flu transmitted also from human to human not only from sick birds to man.

The first occurring symptoms of the Bird Flu are fever, sore throat and cough. On an Influenza field, other dangerous complications like respiratory distress and multi-organ failure can appear causing a certain death. Different types of viral pneumonia have also been found complicating the Influenza infection.

Bird Flu can affect previously healthy children and adults, but the most susceptible are persons with different chronic conditions. All strains of the virus, of human and animal origin, can now be rapidly and surely be diagnosed with specifically testing. Today, very efficient antiviral drugs have been discovered; they can be used both in treatment and in the prevention of the infection with influenza virus type A. The antiviral grigs have their limitations, as they are expected to be more helpful in previous healthy persons.

The appearance of a new genetic mutation would require at least four months to detect an efficient vaccine for the entire affected area population.

So, if you want to find out more about bird flu prevention or even about symptoms of bird flu please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/

The Basics about Bird Flu

By Groshan Fabiola

Avian influenza is a natural infection in wild birds, which are actually carriers without ever being affected by the disease. Never the less, the avian flu can be passed to domestic poultry through various types of contact such as sharing the same food and water or coming in contact with excrements and cages of contaminated birds. A fairly easy way of determining whether poultry such as chicken, ducks, turkeys has bird flu is microscope examination of their saliva and nasal secretions.

Bird flu caused by influenza A viruses does not have a spontaneous effect on humans. The possibility is rather low to many because we are not as susceptible to it as birds. Though rare, cases of human infection have been outlined by the press. The virus that spreads among humans is known as the human influenza virus and has three branches: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2. The viruses vary through the different types of proteins that form their genetic coat: Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidaze. Parts of the virus affecting humans have also been found in birds, but the main concern is that the virus is in permanent replication and may one day evolve into a more potent form.

Furthermore, there are two forms of influenza, differing through pathogenic capacity. The low form is usually not easily spotted and can cause minor derangements, while the high extremes of virulence are much more dangerous leading to high death ratio and damaging vital body parts.

Moreover, the H5N1 virus or the influenza A virus has affected a number of people. For this reason, it is becoming a nuisance in undeveloped regions of Asia and Africa where poverty is widespread and living conditions are at a limit. In these places transmission between different species of birds and bird to human transmission is very likely because people live in very close contact with their poultry. Generally the following manifestations are present: conjunctivitis, pneumonia, breathing disorder, fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches.

Although researchers are trying to come up with a vaccine as fast as possible, further experiments with the genetic coat of the virus are a must for the cure to be efficient. However, medication does exist. The likes of Zanamavir and Oseltamavir are currently on the market but it is not known whether they work or not.

At present time nobody can tell 100% if bird flu can cause a pandemic, but the H5N1 virus is closely monitored by experts worldwide.

For more information about bird flu or even about bird flu treatment please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/bird-flu-treatment.htm