Bird Flu is Still a Threat for Humanity

Bird flu, also known as avian influenza is a disease which affects the birds, especially the poultry, in different extents. The bird flu is produced by subtypes of influenza A virus and it sheds in the wild birds which transmit the virus to the poultry. The H5N1 subtype is considered to be the most pathogenic virus from all the subtypes of influenza A virus.

Chicken, ducks and turkeys get infected if they get in contact with discharges from infected birds, infected water, and infected vehicles. The eggs can also contaminate the incubator if they are from infected hens.

The birds which survive the infection can spread the virus for another period of at least 10 days through secretions, discharges and feathers.

The virus can easily spread in the area if a contaminated bird is left to roam freely; if it drinks water from the place other birds drink, this way contaminating the water. Cars can spread the virus also from one place to another if they are not disinfected properly. Shoes, cages and clothing are also a way of spreading the virus.

Humans can get infected if they get into close contact with ill birds. People who transport poultry, who feed them and clean the place the birds live in, are exposed to the virus if the birds are infected. Eating cooked chicken meal is not dangerous as the virus gets inactivated at heat.

Until now human to human transmission was not encountered.

The governments are concerned that the virus could mutate and achieve the ability of transmitting itself from one person to another. This could lead to a global pandemic and millions of people might die. Also, if this problem is not solved quickly the poultry industry will suffer and the economy of the country will drop.

In chicken the bird flu gives these symptoms: diarrhea, muscle weakness, breathing problems, sudden deaths, facial swelling, and a decline in the egg production.

In humans the symptoms of bird flu are: fever, muscle pain, sore throat and then cough, breathing problems and multi-organ failure in the last stage of the disease.

As there are so many diseases which manifest very much alike with bird flu the doctors must be very careful when diagnosing bird flu. If the patient got into close contact with a sick bird, or handles bird cages, laboratory tests will be done to see exactly if there is a bird flu infection.

There has not been yet discovered an effective vaccine against bird flu virus. The only thing humans can do is take a shot for a human influenza virus to prevent the recombination between the bird flu virus and human flu virus which could form a more threatening virus.

In order to prevent bird flu people must avoid getting into close contact with birds or their discharges; must not buy any living bird illegally as they are not controlled by the veterinaries, must report any suspect death of a bird to the authorities, and must disinfect properly after handling bird products.

For more information about bird flu or even about symptoms of bird flu please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/symptoms-of-bird-flu.htm

Dogs and Cats Killed in an Attempt to Thwart a Bird Flu Outbreak

Officials began the slaughter on Tuesday. Park Kyung-hee, an Iksan city official, indicated the culling would include 677 dogs raised on a farm for their meat and 300 pigs. Numbers of other dogs and cats including pets to be exterminated were not estimated. The culling will go so far as to kill even the mice in the area.

The World Health Organization has confirmed 253 human cases of bird flu resulting in 153 deaths, a staggering 59% death toll. To date there has been no documented evidence to suggest that the H5N1 form of bird flu can be spread to humans by dogs, cats or pigs.

It is clear however that pig to human transmission of seasonal flu occurs and authorities are being cautious. Most animals that have become infected are believed to have acquired the virus by eating infected raw birds or poultry. Cats are known to be able to spread the infection to other cats and it is believed that at least some of the tiger deaths have been due to tiger to tiger transmission as well.

Kim Chang an official with the health ministry said that other Southeast Asian countries also cull dogs, pigs and cats, but just haven?t publicized it. Kim stated that all mammals are potentially a source of the virus and that South Korea was just trying to take all precautionary measures to contain the virus.

European countries have issued guidelines to pet owners in areas where exposure to bird flu may occur. Recommendations include keeping cats indoors and dogs on leash. Bird flu is known to be present in bird excrement and carcasses both of which should be avoided.

One of the often unappreciated dangers of the H5N1 version of avian influenza is its? ability to infect many non-avian species. This broad host spectrum is something that?s not common amongst flu viruses. Cats for example are usually not infected with influenza A viruses.

H5N1 has been associated with death in many mammalian species including, dogs, cats, pigs, ferrets, tigers, snow leopards and fox. According to the Center for Disease Control other mammals may be susceptible as well. The virus is continually evolving and appears to be expanding its? host range.

Studying the evolution of H5N1 Dr Kawaoka, of the University of Wisconsin, has found isolates of the virus from humans that have acquired two mutations that make them better suited to infecting humans. He said, ?We are watching this virus turn itself into a human pathogen.?

The tragic death of dogs and cats in Korea has stirred the hearts of many and made headlines. This drastic action serves as wakeup call to prepare and protect our loved ones including the furry ones. The time to act though is now as a much larger tragedy will ensue if the virus continues to evolve to a pandemic strain.

Tracy Ferea, Ph.D. is a published scientist whose research at Stanford focused on evolution of genomes. She writes for Bird Flu Smart, http://www.birdflusmart.com, to increase the general publics understanding of the risk of a bird flu pandemic. Bird Flu Smart?s mission is to prepare the public for a pandemic by providing both information and products that increase the level of preparedness http://birdflusmart.com/products.html

7 Simple Ways to Boost Your Immune System Against Bird Flu - and Every Other Infectious Disease

If nothing else, the bird flu scare should remind us not to take our immune systems for granted.

According to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt, it'll take 6 months after a contagious strain of bird flu is isolated to make enough doses of vaccine to innoculate everybody in the U.S.

By that time, the pandemic will be over.

The message is clear -- we're responsible for our own health.

1. Get 7 to 8 hours sleep every night.

I believe this is very important, and many recent studies verify that sleep is essential for our health in many areas. That's why when you feel sick all you want to do is lie down and close your eyes. That is nature giving you a clue. I know that when I feel a cold coming on the best I can do for it is to sleep for as long as possible.

2. Exercise moderately.

Too many people are either couch potatoes or ultra-marathon fanatics. Yet good health lies in staying active -- without overstressing yourself.

3. Stop smoking.

Cigarette smoking weakens the small hairs called cilia which line your respiratory tract. These are particularly important in fighting bird flu and other respiratory infections because they guard your lungs against infection.

4. Reduce alcohol to 0-3 ounces a day.

I'm not lecturing you here. Alcohol is not immoral. But in large quantities it reduces your immunity.

5. Cut way down on sugar. It weakens your immune system.

In fact, cut down on all forms of starchy carbohydrates -- including wheat (yes, even whole wheat), rice and other grains.

6. Take a good multi-vitamin/mineral. At the very minimum, you need Vitamin A, Vitamin C, zinc and selenium.

7. Wash your hands thoroughly through the day.

Your skin is part of your immune system -- and touching infected people and objects with your hands is the most common way to catch colds and the flu.

Wash those viruses away -- scrub your hands with soap and water for 30 seconds at a time.

Face it -- you are under constant attack by germs. Bacteria, viruses and parasites want to feed off you and many of them will make you sick.

Some cancers are known to be caused by viral infections. Some medical researchers believe that many more cancers than we realize are caused by infections. And no matter how cancer is caused originally, a powerful immune system is good at destroying cancerous cells before they multiply. A weak immune system is more likely to allow tumors to survive.

Besides, bird flu, we face assaults by a wide range of previously unknown emerging infections such as West Nile fever. Plus newly resurgent medical threats such as tuberculosis.

And bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

Even if bird flu never becomes a problem in your area, you need a strong immune system to fight off diseases.

Learn How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From the Avian Influenza Pandemic

Latest news and immune info at: Bird Flu Updates

Some Knowledge About Bird Flu

What is Bird Flu?

Avian influenza (also known as bird flu) is a type of influenza virulent in birds. It was first identified in Italy in the early 1900s and is now known to exist worldwide.

What are the Symptoms?

Flu can cause fever, chills, headache, dry cough, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, and muscle aches. Unlike other common respiratory infections such as the common cold, influenza can cause extreme fatigue lasting several days to more than a week. Although nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can sometimes accompany influenza infection, especially in children, gastrointestinal symptoms are rarely prominent. The illness that people often call "stomach flu" is not influenza.

*Spread from person to person.

Influenza is spread easily from person to person primarily when an infected person coughs or sneezes. After a person has been infected with the virus, symptoms usually appear within 2 to 4 days. The infection is considered often contagious for another 3 to 4 days after symptoms appear. Because of this, people used to think the flu was caused by the "influence of the stars and planets." In the 1500s, the Italians called the disease "influenza," their word for influence. Each year, an estimated 10 to 20 percent of the population contracts influenza.

Treating flu with drugs.

Antibiotics are not effective against flu viruses. However, there are two drugs-- amantadine and rimantadine--that can be used to treat some types of influenza infection. When taken within 48 hours after the onset of illness, these drugs can reduce the duration of fever and other symptoms and allows flu sufferers to return to their daily routines more quickly. Both of these drugs are only available by prescription.

Rimantadine is a derivative of the drug amantadine. Amantadine, however, is more likely to cause side effects such as lightheadedness and inability to sleep more often than does rimantadine.

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How Do Humans Become Infected With Bird Flu

The infection process with bird flu is not particularly complicated. As with other strains of influenza, the virus itself is passed from host to host, although bird flu is not transmitted from human contact like other strains of the flu. However, people should still be knowledgeable of how bird flu is contracted to avoid it as much as possible.

Currently, the primary way humans become infected with the disease is through contact with infected animals or their feces. The virus is transmitted through bodily excretions, such as saliva, nasal secretions, and feces or through contact with contaminated surfaces. In many of the regions where outbreaks have occurred, people, poultry and pigs live in very close contact, therefore, increasing the likelihood of transmitting the disease.

Especially in agricultural arenas, virus transmission occurs more frequently to humans. The reason for this is the necessity of handling fowl for feeding, medical care, and slaughter. People will often handle birds and not properly sanitize their hands and clothing afterward. Also, because fowl are usually kept in small areas for farming purposes, the disease spreads easily and feces accumulates quickly, also increasing human contact with potentially dangerous excretions. The virus lives on contaminated surfaces for several days, which also increases infection probability.

Another way of infection is by ingesting infected poultry that was not cooked properly. It is always suggested to fully cook any meat you are preparing for yourself or your family to eliminate bacteria and harmful viruses. When cooking poultry, you should cook the meat to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius to ensure its safety. Especially in the cases of infection in children, ingesting contaminated food is believed to be the primary cause because children handling fowl is considerably less common in the areas where outbreaks have occurred. This is of particular concern as children have a higher mortality rate than adults. As with most infectious diseases, it has more of a negative effect of the weak: the very young and very old.

With time, people fear the virus will mutate to a form transmittable from human to human. If this occurs, infection will occur as with the regular flu strain. The virus will spread through saliva and mucus contact through sneezing, coughing, or breathing in close vicinity of others. With mutation, the virus will spread with much more ease through human populations, possibly causes massive illness and death.

Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Cohn's Disease. For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.