The Top FAQs about the Bird Flu aka Avian Flu
Naturally, people are curious about the avian flu and have a large number of questions regarding this disease. What is avian influenza or Bird Flu? Avian influenza, which is also known as bird flu, is an infectious viral disease. It originates from a virus that typically infects only birds (including chickens, ducks, geese, quails and wild birds), and less frequently, is found in pigs and other mammals. What are the symptoms of Bird Flu in birds? The symptoms in birds differ from a hardly noticed mild illness, to a highly pathogenic avian influenza, which is very contagious and quickly fatal in birds. How is Bird Flu spread? Ducks and other waterfowl act as storage for the avian influenza virus by carrying it in their intestinal tract and shedding it in their feces. Bird flu viruses migrate to vulnerable birds through inhalation of influenza particles in nasal and respiratory secretions and from contact with the feces of contaminated birds. How do we control the spread of Bird Flu? Controlling the spread involves quickly destroying or gathering all contaminated or exposed birds. Their bodies must be appropriately destroyed and when needed quarantining must take place. On farms, proper disinfection methods should be met; Biosecurity enhancement known, and public awareness campaigns should be in place. Another control measure is to limit the movement of live poultry, from both within and between countries. Are there public health interventions and safety measures? There are a number of public health intercession and safety measures that can reduce the risk of avian influenza. Personal protective equipment such as clothing, gloves, masks, goggles and footwear should be worn. Hands should always be washed and disinfected properly. Anyone exposed to contaminated chickens or farms should be monitored. Are the flu viruses of human and birds the same? Most times, the influenza viruses that infect birds do not infect humans. There are however, alterations of the bird flu virus into new and more destructive strains that happen frequently and have already caused several avian flu outbreaks in the past, some of which caused human fatalities. What are the symptoms of Bird Flu in humans? Patients with avian flu symptoms developed fever, sore throat, cough and, in many of the fatal cases, harsh respiratory distress. Can a pandemic be averted? This cannot be determined, as nobody knows because influenza viruses are highly insecure and their behavior is not predictable. Is there a vaccine effective against H5N1 in humans? At this time, there is not a vaccine effective against H5N1 strain in humans. What medical treatment is recommended for patients with H5N1 avian influenza? There are two classes of drugs available for patients. These are the M2 inhibitors (amantadine and rimantadine) and the neuramindase inhibitors (oseltamavir and zanimivir). These drugs have been licensed for the deterrence and treatment of human influenza in some countries. They are considered to be effective despite the contributory strain. What is ADBs support to member countries? After the avian flu outbreak in January 2004, ADB extended the use of the funds under TA 6108-REG: Emergency Regional Support to Address the Outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) for a variety of activities connected to avian flu. These consist of the acquirement of equipment and supplies, training, surveillance, monitoring and screening and other public health system needs relating to the avian flu outbreak. Regional departments and resident missions for impaired countries were conferring with corresponding staff to see how ADB might help, in close relationship with WHO as well as other agencies.
Latest News About Bird Flu:
Antibodies From Deadly Avian Flu Survivors Could Give Immunity To Others
An international team of scientists has shown that specific antibodies taken from the blood of Vietnamese survivors of the deadly strain of H5N1 avian flu can be reproduced in the laboratory and used to neutralize the virus in a test tube and in mice, suggesting that it could also be a way to confer immunity to humans before and shortly after becoming infected.The findings are published in the open access journal PLoS Medicine. [click link for full article] Computer Model Maps Efficient Inoculation Of Hospital Staff In Pandemic Outbreak
Community preparedness for a bioterrorism attack or influenza outbreak has been the focus of much interest and effort in recent years. Now, public health experts at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center have developed a strategy for how hospitals can most efficiently inoculate their own staff with minimal disruption to patient care. [click link for full article] Avian Influenza On People's Minds
Researchers at the Food Policy Institute at the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station have conducted a nationwide survey of public knowledge, attitudes, intentions and behaviors related to the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The researchers conducted a total of 1200 telephone interviews on the topic between May 3 and June 5, 2006.The results suggest that avian influenza is on the national agenda. [click link for full article] Engineer Who Survived Pandemic Of '68 Creates Model To Track Outbreak
Nearly 40 years ago, MIT Professor Richard Larson spent a week sick in bed with the worst illness he'd ever had-the particularly virulent strain of flu that swept the globe in 1968. "That was the sickest I'd ever been," Larson recalled. "I really thought that was the end." It took him two or three months to recover fully from the illness. [click link for full article] 99 Cases Of Bird Flu Human Infection So Far In Indonesia
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced a new case of human infection of H5N1 avian influenza.A 5-year-old female from Wonogiri district, Central Java Province developed symptoms on 8 May, was hospitalized on 15 May and died in hospital on 17 May.Initial investigations into the source of her infection indicate exposure to dead poultry.Of the 97 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 77 have been fatal. [click link for full article]
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