Is it possible a global pandemic because of bird flu? by Groshan Fabiola

Since 2003 poultry and other birds have been continuously affected by the bird flu virus. Humans also got affected and it seems that since 16 January 2007, 267 cases of human bird flu infection were registered. These patients got into close contact with infected birds and that is why they got infected too. 161 persons from the group of 267 did not survive the contamination.
Until now scientists declared that the virus is still unable to transmit from human to human, but the population is still concerned about the avian flu as there is a possibility for the virus to mix with a human flu virus and then pass from human to human.

All viruses have the possibility to mutate or mix with other viruses and transform in to more dangerous ones. In case this thing happens a global pandemic can occur and millions of people will die if researchers do not fid an effective vaccine soon.

Until now governments have instituted flu immunization programs to protect those who work with poultry and can contact the virus if the poultry is affected.

This vaccination program is voluntary but until now all the personnel from the poultry industry has presented for a shot. This vaccine is protecting humans from catching the flu human type of virus and so it reduces the possibility for the bird flu virus to mix with a human virus and transform into a more dangerous one. This seasonal flu vaccination does not protect humans against the bird flu virus.

As scientists tell us the bird flu is a disease which affects birds and is highly contagious among them. It is produced by the influenza A viruses. Birds can be mild affected by some viruses and so they develop only mild symptoms, but they can also be severe affected by other viruses which lead to their death. It seems that the bird flu virus is one of the most pathogenic strains of virus that can affect a bird.

The virus is shed in feathers, droppings and secretions of birds and so it can easily spread to other birds and even humans through inhalation or ingestion.

The most affected birds are the poultry. It seems that the wild birds like ducks and geese are the carriers of the virus but they do not have any symptoms of the illness. These birds are spreading the virus to the poultry which will develop the disease as they are more vulnerable to epidemics.

The influenza A virus has many different subtypes. The H5 subtypes along with the H5N1 are considered to be quite dangerous and are a threat to humans. The H7 and H9 also caused severe infections in poultry but none of them was as dangerous as H5N1 is.

The outbreak of H5N1 began in mid-December 2003 in poultry from South Korea and until now it has affected birds from Asia, Europe, Middle East and Africa. This virus resembles very much with the one that caused a lot of damage among poultry in 1997 in Hong Kong.

The world governments have instituted controls in order to prevent illegal importation of dead poultry, of living birds or illegal entries of ill persons in certain countries.

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

What is the impact of avian influenza in birds? by Groshan Fabiola

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu is a contagious disease among birds, caused by the influenza A virus. The H5N1 subtype is considered to be the most pathogenic virus from all the subtypes of influenza A virus. This means that the disease is severe, has a sudden onset, and rapid death.

The most resistant birds are the wild ones, who shed the virus in their organism and then spread it to poultry. Chicken, ducks and turkeys get infected if they get in contact with discharges from infected birds, infected water, and infected vehicles. The markets of live birds are also responsible for the virus's spread.

In 1983-1984 in the US another virus affected poultry. The H5N2 virus was low pathogenic but during 9 months it mutated and became highly pathogenic. During that epidemic 13 million birds died or were destroyed.

The virus can easily spread in the area if a contaminated bird is left to roam freely; if it drinks water from the place other birds drink, this way contaminating the water. Cars can spread the virus also from one place to another if they are not disinfected properly. Shoes, cages and clothing are also a way of spreading the virus.

This is why the infected farms need to be put under quarantine and the exposed flocks to bird flu need to be destroyed, to prevent the virus from spreading to other farms and other parts of the country.

This virus is in a continuous genetic development and as time goes by our treatment options become more and more restrained. Scientists need to move fast in finding an effective vaccine against bird flu, because the viruses have the ability of changing their status and of developing very fast, gaining even the possibility of transmitting themselves from one person to another.
The strain virus can swap or "reassort" genetic materials and merge with another virus. This can lead to a more pathogenic form of a virus and can affect humans if the new virus contains genes from a human influenza virus. This will also cause a transmission of the disease from human to human.

Until now scientists knew that the mixing between bird flu virus and human flu virus can be made if both viruses are found during the same time inside pigs. But now it seems that humans can also become mixing vessels for viruses.

Normally the bird flu virus only infects birds and pigs but in 1997 in Hong Kong human cases of infection were registered. 18 people were affected and 6 of them died.

Humans can get infected if they get into close contact with ill birds. People who transport poultry, who feed them and clean the place the birds live in, are exposed to the virus if the birds are infected. Eating cooked chicken meal is not dangerous as the virus gets inactivated at heat.
In order to prevent a pandemic, governments decided to destroy all birds that got infected, to disinfect farms, cars, cages and any other object that could pass the virus from one place to another.

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