Avian Bird Flu

Bird flu is quite simply a virus. It is a type of influenza which is sometimes also known as avian flu or Asian bird flu. It is officially known as the H5N1 virus. It is a virus similar to the common flu but it is much more serious, more deadly. It is believed to be powerful enough to cause a person to become ill with their condition quickly deteriorating to a point where it becomes fatal. So far more than 50% of people infected with bird flu die.

This doesn't mean you need to be worried, not yet at least. Currently, the bird flu virus has only been transmitted from bird to bird and from bird to human. It has yet to be transmitted from human to human. If there comes a time when the bird flu virus mutates in a way which can be spread from human to human then we could be faced with a worldwide pandemic. A pandemic such as this could lead to millions of deaths.

Bird flu is not transmitted easily to humans. So far only people who have come in close contact with birds infected with the bird flu virus have become ill. It is typically those who work by hand with the birds who have been infected and they are often from poor regions. Cases have been found in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It has spread and will continue to be spread quickly as a result of migrating birds.

Probably the best prevention for bird flu is to stay away from birds. This is the case for wild birds as well as those on farms. Do not approach any birds especially if they appear ill or if they are dead. Another form of prevention is to practice good hygiene. Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, especially after being in contact with animals. The method of prevention of bird flu for birds has so far been to destroy all birds which have been infected with the bird flu virus as well as those which have come in contactwith infected birds.

The symptoms of bird flu are similar to those of other types of influenza. Some symptoms of the avian bird flu in humans include a sore throat, sore, aching muscles, cough, fever, and vomiting. This becomes more serious if the symptoms develop into pneumonia or respiratory failure. This is where bird flu can become fatal. The virus can also lead to lung infections, scarring in the lungs, fluid in and surrounding the lungs and enlarged lymph nodes.

Many people are working to develop anti-viral drugs against the avian bird flu virus. The problem is that this virus mutates quickly. This means that if a new medication is developed, the virus could mutate and then become immune to that medication. The good news is that more than 88 governments are working on the prevention and cure for this disease which will hopefully prevent the outbreak of a pandemic. There are also many drug companies who are working on a bird flu vaccine. While a vaccine and anti-viral drugs may not be enough to prevent a pandemic it should help keep the number of deaths to a minimum.

At this stage you are much more likely to get the common flu which circulates each year. It's estimated that more than 35,000 people die from this virus each year so it is currently more deadly than the bird flu virus.