What is Avian Flu (Bird Flu)
Avian flu is an infection caused by a certain kind of influenza virus. Although there are many kinds of avian flu, the kind that now concerns health workers is the H5N1 avian flu virus. This virus is found in wild birds. Most of the time, wild birds don’t get sick from the virus. However, wild birds can easily pass the virus to birds that are being raised for food, such as chickens, ducks, and turkeys.
What causes avian flu?
People who come into contact with infected chickens, ducks, or turkeys are more likely to get the virus. There have been a few cases where it was passed human to human. The flu virus can be passed through bird droppings and saliva. It can also live on surfaces such as cages, tractors, and other farm equipment. The virus may be transmitted into indoor areas like floors and counter tops by people who come in contact with infected birds.Why are people so worried about bird flu?
Because viruses can change quickly (mutate), experts worry that avian flu will one day be passed easily from person to person. This causes major concern due to the severity of the effects of H5N1 on humans.
Since 2003, 418 people have become sick with this serious, deadly kind of bird flu. And 60% of them died as a result. Most of these infections have been in Asian countries among people who have had close contact with birds raised on farms. Experts believe that the virus may eventually spread to all parts of the world. Many countries are now making vaccines to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. So far, no cases of H5N1 avian flu in humans have been found in Canada or the United States.
Below is a quote from Wikipedia
H5N1 may cause more than one influenza pandemic as it is expected to continue mutating in birds regardless of whether humans develop herd immunity to a future pandemic strain. Influenza pandemics from its genetic offspring may include influenza A virus subtypes other than H5N1. While genetic analysis of the H5N1 virus shows that influenza pandemics from its genetic offspring can easily be far more lethal than the Spanish Flu pandemic, planning for a future influenza pandemic is based on what can be done and there is no higher Pandemic Severity Index level than a Category 5 pandemic which, roughly speaking, is any pandemic as bad as the Spanish flu or worse; and for which all intervention measures are to be used.
The 1918 flu pandemic (commonly referred to as the Spanish flu), believed to have originated in the far east, was an influenza pandemic that spread to nearly every part of the world. Most of the deaths were young adults. The pandemic lasted from March 1918 to June 1920, spreading even to the Arctic and remote Pacific islands. It is estimated that anywhere from 20 to 100 million people were killed worldwide, or the approximate equivalent of one third of the population of Europe, more than double the number killed in World War I. The pandemic is estimated to have infected up to one billion people – half the world’s population at the time.
Experts also worry because the H5N1 avian flu virus is so different from other flu viruses that our bodies cannot fight it. Another concern is that a person with a healthy immune system can become even more susceptible to this virus (opposite of the norm) because of what are called “Cytokine Storms”. A cytokine storm is where the immune system, in response to the virus sends out an inundation of T-cells and antibodies to fight the virus, and these begin to destroy the lungs and organs of the body. It is believed that the cytokine storms were the major cause of death in the 1918 pandemic.
Symptoms of Avian Flu
At first, the symptoms of avian flu can be the same as common flu symptoms, such as:
- A fever.
- A cough.
- A sore throat.
- Muscle aches.
Bird flu may also cause an eye infection (conjunctivitis).
Bird flu can quickly progress to pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, a serious lung problem that can be deadly. For the people who die from bird flu, the average length of time from the start of symptoms until death is 9 to 10 days. Call your doctor right away if you have traveled somewhere or live in an area where there is bird flu and you have a fever and a hard time breathing.
How can avian flu be prevented?
Avian flu can be prevented by careful handling of birds. Avoid their droppings and saliva. You cannot get avian flu from eating well cooked poultry, as the heat kills the virus. Wash hands thoroughly after handling birds. Get an air purifier that will kill germs and bacteria on surfaces. People confuse air filters with an air purifier, an air filter does not disinfect surfaces. Find an air purifier with documented proof that it does kill germs and viruses in the air and on surfaces.
