The Bird Flu - Germ Armor Helpful Information

What is Bird flu or avian influenza? Avian influenza, or “bird flu”, is a contagious disease of animals caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs. Avian influenza viruses are highly species-specific, but have, on rare occasions, crossed the species barrier to infect humans.

What are the implications for human health? The widespread persistence of H5N1 in poultry populations poses two main risks for human health:

1. The first is the risk of direct infection when the virus passes from poultry to humans, resulting in very severe disease. Of the few avian influenza viruses that have crossed the species barrier to infect humans, H5N1 has caused the largest number of cases of severe disease and death in humans. Unlike normal seasonal influenza, where infection causes only mild respiratory symptoms in most people, the disease caused by H5N1 follows an unusually aggressive clinical course, with rapid deterioration and high fatality. Primary viral pneumonia and multi-organ failure are common. In the present outbreak, more than half of those infected with the virus have died. Most cases have occurred in previously healthy children and young adults.

2. A second risk, of even greater concern, is that the virus – if given enough opportunities – will change into a form that is highly infectious for humans and spreads easily from person to person. Such a change could mark the start of a global outbreak (a pandemic).

Human H5N1 Cases Since January 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported human cases of avian influenza A (H5N1) in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, Europe, and the Near East. Cumulative number of confirmed human cases of avian influenza A/(H5N1) are available on the WHO Avian Influenza website.

Background on the Current Outbreaks Influenza A (H5N1) is an influenza A virus subtype that occurs mainly in birds and is highly contagious among birds. Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 among poultry and wild birds are ongoing in a number of countries. H5N1 does not usually infect people, however, a small number of human cases of H5N1 infection have been reported in association with these outbreaks. Most of these cases have occurred from direct or close contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces. And while the H5N1 virus does not now infect people easily, infection in humans is very serious when it occurs; so far, about half of people reported infected have died. Rare cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 virus may have occurred, but there is no evidence of transmission beyond one person.

The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains situation updates and cumulative reports of human cases of avian influenza A (H5N1).

Sources: 1) US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more info visit: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/ and http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm
2) National Institutes of Health. For more info visit: http://www.nih.gov 3) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. For more info visit: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
4) World Health Organization (WHO). For more info visit: http://www.who.int//