If you have watched the news, read a news paper or listened to the radio at all, you have heard of Bird Flu. In fact, this epidemic of the bird world has caused a lot of commotion and has frightened countless numbers of people all over the world.
Asian bird flu is a strain of the influenza virus that is carried by birds, but that has the ability to be transferred to humans. So, what is this exactly and how does it affect you? How do you protect yourself and your family from this potentially deadly illness?
The Avian Flu virus is found in both wild and domestic birds throughout Asia, and more currently in Africa, Europe and in the Middle East. The fear that surrounds this type of flu is that some people have also contracted the disease and have died from it. It is widely thought that this particular strain of influenza could easily mutate to a strain that is effortlessly transmitted to humans through birds.
Since birds travel great distances during migration, this could lead to a world wide epidemic in a very short time period. Because of this concern, many of the effected countries are culling, or killing large numbers of both their domestic bird and wild bird populations.
The flu virus itself is also part of the reason that the medical world is concerned. This particular type of the flu is caused by virus type A, which has 16H subtypes. Of these 16 subtypes, there are two , subtype H5 and H7, that cause the pathogenic type of influenza. The type of flu that these birds are getting are said to be very pathogenic and the illness that they generate in the birds becomes fatal very quickly, couple this with it being easily transmitted and you have the makings of an Avian flu epidemic.
So, now that we know a little about the Asian bird flu, how does it get transmitted to people? What makes this particular form of influenza such a threat to us?
Part of the problem for people is the fact that Avian flu is so easily transmitted through bird populations, through feces and other bodily fluids or through actual inhalation of the virus. This is transmitted to humans as they care for, and breath around, flocks of domestic birds who are ill. Once a person has contacted the Asian bird flu from an infected bird is where the real worry begins. Because this form of influenza is so contagious and can be transmitted from birds to people, it is not outside the realm of possibility that it could also be transmitted from person to person. While this is not yet known for sure, it does stand to reason as humans have not had a chance to create an immunity to the virus.
It is important to note that the avian flu virus has not yet mutated into something that is transmitted from person to person. As of now, the virus does transmit from bird to bird and occasionally from bird to person, but has NOT made the leap of transmitting from person to person.
So what exactly does this mean? In a very general sense, it means that a flu pandemic is possible. That being said, it is also just as improbable. Why? Because just as with any other virus outbreak, there are some simple measures that can be taken to ensure that mass numbers of people do not get sick. The most effective method is to stay away from areas that have already had instances of Asian bird flu. Right now, that is fairly easy as the virus is contained in certain countries of the world.
Another highly effective way to stall transmission is to cull flocks of birds that are infected. While this may seem harsh, it is best for everyone, including the sick birds. Of course, washing your hands with a good quality soap is always wise. If you are traveling abroad, always check to see if that particular country has been inflicted with the Asian bird flu. If it has, be aware of the symptoms (normal flu symptoms, intensified), stay away from areas that have lots of domestic birds and continue to be vigilant about hand washing.
Avian flu is not a concern for most people throughout the world. With a combined effort from everyone, we can keep it that way.
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