Avian Influenza
The Symptoms & Risks of Avian Influenza
Avian influenza, or more commonly referred to “bird
flu”, is a highly contagious viral disease that affects
all bird species. It can be spread through contaminated droppings,
and can move from birds to other animals, even humans.
Right now, the outbreak of avian influenza is a subtype known
as H5N1. This virus first showed up in 2003 in poultry in
South Korea. Since it first appeared, it has affected many
countries and some humans have become infected. At this time,
human can only be contacted with the avian influenza is by
coming in direct contact with infected birds. There is some
concern that the virus could mutate to make human to human
contact possible, however, till now, there is no clear evidence
that this has occurred with the current virus.
Is Avian Influenza Serious?
Avian influenza can present in birds in many different various
ways, ranging from mild symptoms to almost 100% mortality
rate. The H5N1 strain is highly pathogenic, which means that
it is extremely contagious and most of the infected birds
will die. This strain of avian influenza can be passed from
flock to flock through migratory birds that might be infected
but there might be no symptoms at all. In order to control
the epidemic, farmers were forced to destroy much of their
current poultry. The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains
a current list of all of the countries affected by the current
H5N1 strain and the list can be found on the WHO website.
Controls have been set in place in countries that have not
yet been infected to help prevent the spread of avian influenza.
The Human Risks
Since H5N1 is capable of crossing from birds to other species,
some humans were found to be infected with this strain. Those
who were down with the avian influenza due to direct contact
with infected birds have gotten severe respiratory infections,
and some have died.
WHO has recommended some simple precautions for overseas
travelers, such as avoiding poultry farms and markets in countries
where the virus was found. Travelers should also avoid eating
poultry products which are not sufficiently cooked. There
are strict restrictions against bringing birds or bird products
back from these countries in order to minimize the risk of
spreading the avian influenza. If you have been in contact
with poultry in any affected country, the WHO advises you
to seek medical advice locally as soon as possible, especially
if you develop any flu-like symptoms within seven days of
leaving the affected country.
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