Should You Worry About the Bird Flu?

What is bird flu?

Bird Flu (also known as avian influenza) is an infection caused by a flu virus that mainly infects birds (including chickens, ducks and turkeys). Like people, birds and other animals can get sick with the flu. Although the bird flu virus usually infects just birds, cases of human infections have been reported since 1997.

What is a virus?

A virus is a type of germ that causes infections, such as the common cold, the flu and even serious diseases like HIV and AIDS.

Viruses usually infect specific animals, but a virus can change - or mutate - which may allow an animal virus to infect humans. For example, scientists believe that the HIV virus mutated from a virus normally found in chimpanzees.

What is the H5N1 strain?

There are many types (or strains) of the bird flu. One especially dangerous strain is the H5N1. This type is very contagious and can be deadly to birds - and to humans. In fact, in 1997, this strain infected bird handlers in Hong Kong and several people died.

Although the H5N1 strain was first found in Asia, it has spread because birds migrate. In 2005, the H5N1 strain was found in Europe.

What is a pandemic?

You may have heard that bird flu may become a pandemic. A pandemic is a worldwide outbreak. In 1918, there was a pandemic with the "Spanish flu." Then in 1957, the "Asian flu" emerged. The last pandemic was the "Hong Kong flu" in 1968.

Why is bird flu a threat?

The bird flu is a threat for several reasons:

1. The bird flu virus mutates and changes. This makes it hard for scientists to make a vaccine that works.
2. The H5N1 strain has become resistant to certain medicines (known as antiviral drugs). Doctors no longer know which drugs will be effective treatment.
3. Bird flu could mutate to the point that it may easily spread from person to person. If this happens, a pandemic will be possible.

What can you do?

Here are some tips for traveling overseas to areas known to have bird flu:

• Before traveling, check the Centers for Disease Control's Web site for information about bird flu outbreaks.
• Avoid contact with any type of live birds.
• Never eat uncooked or undercooked poultry products (including eggs).
• Wash your hands frequently.

What is being done to prevent a bird flu pandemic?

In May 2005, the National Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Task Force was formed. Public health workers are working on plans to control disease outbreaks. At the same time, they are preparing and storing supplies and medicine.

In April 2007 the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first human bird flu vaccine. It could be used if the current H5N1 avian virus were to mutate into a form that could spread easily from human to human, triggering a pandemic.

As countries work together to develop new drugs and vaccines, hope emerges that a bird flu pandemic can be prevented.

Related Articles Cold, Flu and Sinus Can Your Pet Make You Sick?

External Sources National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Questions And Answers - Avian Influenza Trials. Accessed May 16, 2007. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. General information on Hand Hygiene. Accessed May 17, 2007. World Health Organization. Availability of new recombinant H5N1 vaccine virus. Accessed May 17, 2007.

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.

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