Bird Flu Manifestations In Poultry And Wild Birds

The avian flu is a specific bird condition that affects all kind of birds but wild ones seem to be more resistant and carry the virus without showing any obvious signs. Poultry is most sensitive to the virus and develop the disease; mild cases evolve with respiratory symptoms, low egg production ruffled feathers. The second type of illness is the rare but lethal infection and was first discovered 1878 in Italy. The severe symptoms appear sudden and the mortality can reach 100% in less than 48 hours; the viral strain affects the respiratory tract but also produces damages to other tissues and organs and causes massive hemorrhages.

There are 16 haemaglutinins known and 9 neuraminidases and all can be found in wild birds. This makes the permanent reserve of avian flu as many of the infection viruses cause no harm in normal conditions. Most severe cases of bird flu have been caused by the subtypes H5 and H7 containing a set of basic amino acids.

All low pathogenic virus types have the possibility to become most dangerous after mutations. If earlier it was thought that waterfowls carry the low pathogenic virus, today we know they are able to transmit the most dangerous H5N1 to the visited countries. Highly pathogenic viruses can be transmitted from farm to farm by live birds, contaminated clothing, equipment, feed or cages. Very contagious virus types survive long periods of time in the environment if the temperature is low. H5N1 remains in feces for 35 days at 4 degrees Celsius. At 35 degrees the virus can survive 6 hours in faecal samples.

In cases of high pathogenic strains immediate measures such as quarantine, disinfection, proper disposal of carcasses and rapid culling of the infected birds. Strict biosecurity and sanitary measures oblige large poultry farms to isolate birds and stop the movements of live poultry. The control is easier to be done in big commercial poultry farms than in small private flocks in rural and per urban areas.

If the culling method proves unsuccessful a vaccination campaign can be recommended in high risk areas. The vaccines however must be certified by the National health organization and should be of high quality. Poor quality vaccines lead to dangerous viral mutations and can expose humans to an apparently healthy poultry population.

Backyard flocks expose humans to the infection as birds usually roam free and share water places with wild birds. These situations place humans at risk especially when birds are brought inside the household and in direct contact with children. Most common, house owners tend to sacrifice birds with illness signs and consume the meat with their families instead of alerting the authorities. Many persons especially in the country side hide their poultry during culling operations.

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

Bird Flu

The recent growth of bird flu cases popping up around the globe has triggered a world wide concern to prevent the spreading of this lethal disease.

Firstly, avian flu or bird flu caused by the H5N1 virus is a very common affliction with wild birds. Although they are only carriers without being affected by the infection, the disease is deadly for domestic poultry and humans.

Furthermore, the increased number of people affected by avian flu and its high mortality rate prove that the H5N1 virus has the power to mutate and redevelop its structure. The virus can be detected in the saliva and nasal secretions of birds. The possibility of new strains being developed is more likely to happen in under-privileged communities where people live in close quarters with poultry. For example, sharing the same water between various types of domesticated animals can determine animal-to-animal transmission and even more drastically animal-to-human transmission.

Additionaly, even the common flu virus manifests a permanent antigenic shift. For this reason, the vaccines must be constantly updated to be able to fight-back the newest strains of the virus. Until now there have been detected three types of influenza viruses: A, B and C, the former being the most dangerous to humans.

Moreover, immunity deficiency against avian flu can generate a world wide pandemic. Even more the virus does not respond to Amantadine (drugs used to treat flu). Among the manifestations of the infection are: fever, sore throat, muscle aches, headaches, lethargy, conjunctivitis (eye infections), chest pains and breathing problems. Death occurs because of respiratory illnesses in no more than weeks after contacting the infection. The cases of avian flu affecting humans have provoked the killing of millions of domestic birds in South-East Asia in a desperate try to prevent the further spread of the virus.

All in all, the possibility of the H5N1 virus to cause a flu pandemic has put scientists on a tight race to protect human existence by creating an efficient vaccine against this dreadful disease.

So, if you want to find out more about bird flu vaccine or even about asian bird flu please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/

The Bird Flu: Protecting Yourself

The bird flu is another name for the Avian flu, which is a flu that could wipe out large amounts of people around the world. This flu is quite unique over the other types of flu that are usually the ones that people get. This flu, which currently has not made the leap that it must make in order to be deadly, can be something of a large worry to those that are ill. You see, the bird flu is one of the most deadly flues in animals. To this point, the mortality rate of any animal that has gotten the bird flu has been 100 percent. The fear is that if the bird flu makes its move so that it can move from one person to the next person that these high rates of mortality will happen in the human population too.

The question is, then, what can you do to help protect yourself about the bird flu, or any flu for that matter? You should use the same approach for all flu type illness. Although the bird flu has only killed a handful of people around the world, the standard types of flu that are out there every year kill some 130,000 Americans each year. Here are some things you can do to help improve your lifestyle so that you can avoid the bird flu.

* Use good sanitary cleanliness. For example, wash your hands before touching your eyes, mouth and before eating. Teaching children how to prevent germs from moving from one person to the next is also quite important. * Use an air purifier. These units can help to pull out the bacteria and other germs lurking in the air that ends up leading to these conditions. * Stay in touch, but stay home. Those that stay home from school and work when they are ill are less likely to spread the condition to others.

All of these things, as well as common sense, can help you to avoid the bird flu or any other flu that will make you ill.

Kerry Rodden is an expert on air purifiers, and has written many articles on air purifiers, fans, vacuum cleaners, air fresheners and a lot more.

You can read more of Kerry's articles about air purifiers at http://www.lowplaces.net

Overview On Bird Flu H5N1 Virus

The bird flu viruses are mostly subtypes of Influenza Virus A. There are several H5 and H7 subtypes of the 'influenza A' virus that cause bird flu among the birds. The wild fowls are considered to be the reservoir of the bird flu virus since ages. The migratory birds carry the pathogens from place to place and in turn infect the local population of the birds causing wide spread deaths.

Till 1997, the virus was restricted to the arboreal species and pigs. They never infected humans. But, the deaths in Hong Kong and other parts of the south east Asian countries have raised alarm throughout the medical world. Though it was a known fact that bird flu viruses mutate to different kinds but this was the first time that the viruses adapted themselves to be strong enough to attack mammals including humans and dogs. This bird flu virus has been identified as the H5N1 virus, a subtype of the H5 viruses.

The complete name of this virus is HPAI A (H5N1) (highly pathogenic avian influenza virus). The present form of bird flu virus is a fast mutating virus and extremely pathogenic in form than the previous strains till date. The viruses are present in the respiratory system of many species of birds. So, the spread of the virus to any part of the world is inevitable. They are mostly carried by the migratory birds.

The H5N1 virus has mutated to a form that is capable of infesting the humans and some other mammals; and the impact could be fatal enough to kill the hosts. They generally attack the respiratory system and the symptoms are almost similar to normal flu. It has become a 'panzootic' virus which means it can attack any species.

The studies conducted on them show that they continually evolve through antigenic drift. They infect humans through direct contact with the infected birds or patients suffering from the bird flu. The infected birds pass the virus in the environment through their nasal secretion, saliva, feces and blood droplets. The virus moves into the human body through the nasal cavity or the mucous membrane of the eyes.

The virus H5N1 has really become a nightmare because of its kind to mutate very fast and the evolving status may take it to a very lethal form. The scientists working on bird flu are of the view that the consequence of the combination of this H5N1 virus with human flu virus may be so complicated that before anything would be thought, it would wipe out millions of lives.

Precaution is very important. So, if there is an outbreak in your area, be prepared to defy the bird flu virus with proper care and implement the methods instructed by the health department in your area.

To get more information on bird flu, bird flu virus and bird flu vaccine visit www.isitbirdflu.com

Bird Flu - The basic facts.

Could there ever be a Bird Flu Pandemic'
This is a crucial question being asked by Scientists around the Globe.
Regarding a Bird Flu Pandemic. No-one is really sure if a Pandemic will happen but there are relevant facts that "seem" to indicate a Bird Flu Pandemic is 'possible'.
To date, very few viruses like the Bird Flu have crossed from one species to another and infected Humans on a Pandemic scale.
Regarding those viruses that have crossed from one species to another, H5N1 strain of Bird-Flu has created the largest number of 'severe cases'.
Across Europe, the outbreak of this strain of Bird Flu has been held responsible for the death of 50% of those infected.
Horrifyingly, the majority of the reported cases have been children and the elderly.
To date, this deadly strain of Bird Flu has not spread from person-to-person in any great numbers, BUT all flu viruses CAN mutate!
If this happened and the deadly form of Bird Flu, H5N1 , was readily passed from Human-to-Human we would see a declaration of a Pandemic!
This is a fear long-held by Scientists, that a Flu Virus as deadly as the Bird Flu, strain H5N1, could readily pass from Human to Human.
It would be Globally devastating...


Recent History - Bird Flu.

During 1918 and 1919 around 50 million people from around the world died during a pandemic, which was named Spanish Flu.
Because victims drowned in their own 'fluids', Doctors mistakenly diagnosed a Respiratory Illness
Now we know it was a form of Bird Flu, which had mutated to humans. It was a variant strain of H1N1.
Today we are faced with a more aggressive strain of Bird Flu known as H5N1, which if it mutates to humans, has the potential to kill hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
To date there is no known vaccine. No known cure!
Scientists say that, if left uncontrolled, Bird Flu, strain H5N1, could wipe out more than half the worlds population!!
This current form of Bird-Flu could mutate at any time.
We have no remedy. It could become the most deadly viruses known to mankind.


Protection / Sensible Safe-Guards.

As with all infectious illnesses, Bird Flu in particular, basic precations are the first and most important 'line of defence'.
Avoid large crowds. Avoid all places where many people congregate and move on. Avoid Public Meetings.
This is, of course, impossible in the main because of the very nature of todays World.
Airports. Train Stations. Bus Stations. Surgeries. Schools. Offices with Air Conditioning.
The list is endless..
So that brings us neatly to the next level of precaution against contracting the Bird Flu.
The next, and most sensible precaution, is to wear Face Masks.
These are an imperative if one needs to be in a Public Area for whatever reason.
The W.H.O. made these following suggestions for the wearing of Face Masks to prevent being infected by H5N1 or Bird Flu.
1. When one comes into direct contact with infected animals or people, the wearing of a P3, or highest category filter, Face Mask is essential!
2. If, on examination, there is no apparent infection the wearing of a P2 Face Mask is recommended.
3. Unfortunatley the wearing of medical masks offer ONLY minimal protection agaist the Bird Flu so, therefore, are NOT recommended.
4. When one is wearing a mask as protection against Brid Flu, one must make sure the mask fits prefectly.
5. One must also be aware that the Bird Flu is a biologically active virus and can enter the body via contact of any sort with the skin or eyes etc so other means of protection must be employed to totally protect one against the invasion of the Brid Flu infection.


The Future - Bird Flu

Around the Globe, Countries, Institutions and Scientists of every 'ilk', are hunting down a Vaccine to prevent - then cure - the Bird Flu.
In the US, the NAIAD issued a very encouraging report on March 29th 2006 regarding a possible treatment for Bird Flu.
Clinical trials showed "" that high doses of an experimental H5N1 avian influenza vaccine can induce immune responses in healthy adults. Approximately half of those volunteers who received an initial and a booster dose of the highest dosage of the vaccine tested in the trial developed levels of infection-fighting antibodies that current tests predict would neutralize the Bird Flu virus. ""
This is a major step and ALL the study cases and notes are readily available should the need arise to fight a Global Pandemic of Bird Flu.
To reach this 'place', Countries around the Globe have contributed a variety of crucial resources and co-operated in a manner not known before.
'Red-Tape' has been cut to expedite the final solution for Bird Flu and, as a side effect, new channels have been found that will vastly speed up the exchange of information needed for a variety of Emergency Situations.
With this level of co-operation we can breathe slightly more easily today but we must never relax! The next Pandemic is just around the corner.


Thanks for finding my site and reading my article. If you want to learn more then keep looking around my site.

This Article was written by David Hill.
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How Many People Would a Bird Flu Pandemic Kill?

You see a lot of wild and crazy estimates for this. Yet, the truth is, there's no simple answer. It depends on a lot of things -- and the most important factors are still unknown.

First of all, I don't put any stock in the simplistic estimates that are based on 1918. We're living in a much different world. H5N1 is a different virus.

Some estimates are based on more sophisticated mathematical models. The only problem is, right now critical variables are still unknown.

First variable is known as the lethality rate. That is, what percentage of infected people will bird flu kill?

Right now, based on known victims, it's consistently killing just over half. However, the numbers of patients are still quite small, so that may not be statistically accurate. Plus, many of those patients are receiving good medical care. It may kill a higher percentage of those who don't make it to hospitals.

It's also true that we probably don't know the true number of infected people. Just a few days ago Indonesia announced that it just learned that a little girl who died there last year had bird flu, even though several of her family members were known to have died of it.

If a relatively advanced country isn't getting around to testing an obviously suspect child patient until 8 months after her death -- what's happening in sub-Saharan Africa?

How many more victims are going undetected? That's unknown. On the bright side, it's possible that some or many victims are recovering without being tested so the actual lethality rate might be lower than we think.

If and when H5N1 mutates into a highly contagious form, its lethality rate could go lower. Until it actually happens, we just don't know.

But it is frightening to compare H5N1 to the 1918 flu, because the 1918 flu had a lethality rate of 2.5% -- so if contagious bird flu retains anything like its current apparent lethality rate, it could be much deadlier than 1918 flu. Which would make comparisons between them way over-optimistic.

To measure the spread of a disease, scientists use the contagion rate.

This is -- how many other people on average does one infected person spread the flu to?

Partly this is based on the virus itself, so we just can't know this until it does mutate. However, right now H5N1 is a tough virus -- it can survive for hours outside a human body and in water. This means that you could be infected by an A/H5N1 virus left on a doorknob by someone who opened that door several hours before you.

Overall contagion rate must be affected by population density. Bird flu will infect more people in a crowded Calcutta slum than in rural Wyoming.

And here's a great difference between now and 1918. The world's population is over 6 times higher. But since some areas of the world are so densely crowded, it's possible that chicken flu would spread through them very quickly and kill even more than 6 times as many people as in 1918.

Plus, in 1918 various areas of the world defended themselves by closing themselves off from the outside world. Some places can still do this, but most of the world is much less self-sufficient. Unless you're on an island that supplies its own food and water, you can't isolate yourself from other people.

And even if you can -- there's still the risk of contagion from animals. So your island better not be under a duck migration route. Because duck manure does contain the active virus.

Plus, the world's population may be more susceptible to infection than in 1918. Everybody infected with HIV is at risk, for example.

Bird flu would likely travel around the world more quickly today because we have much more international travel. We go places by jet instead of steam ships.

There's another advance in transportation -- not usually mentioned -- which will affect transmission of bird flu: the automobile. Only a very few people in 1918 had cars, and there was no system of highways.

Now cars and highways connect the entire developed world. And are common and widespread in the developing world.

Of course, riding alone in a car during a lethal flu pandemic is safer than riding in a bus, train or other mass transit vehicle with many other people. Yet if you're the one infected, a car can help you spread the virus farther and faster than you could have in 1918.

There's another risk of death the world's population faces from A/H5N1, which is not being addressed.

That's the risk of the consequences of the pandemic.

If the pandemic causes many deaths the world's economy will be disrupted.

There'll be shortages of food, water, medicine, energy and other necessities. This could last for a year or more, if agriculture is greatly affected.

In many places there's likely to be problems with both law and order and civil unrest.

In a pandemic of any significant seriousness there will death caused by a large number of various groups seeking to take advantage of the situation: ordinary criminals, terrorists, organized crime, renegade groups of soldiers and police, ethnic/racial hate groups, political/religious extremists of all stripes -- and just any old mob looking to loot and kill just because they can get away with it, or to scapegoat some other group for the pandemic.

In some cases there's bound to be organized armed battles and wars between countries and between competing groups within countries.

My personal belief is that there'll be great civil unrest but ultimately society as we know it will prevail -- though the world's map may change in many places.

With central governments weakened by deaths and lack of resources, many disaffected ethnic groups will seize the opportunity to become independent.

On the other hand, many ethnic majorities will seize the opportunity to blame ethnic minorities for the pandemic -- and kill them in riots.

The severity of events will likely fall somewhere between the temporary default of law and order in New Orleans during the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the total anarchy of Stephen King's novel THE STAND.

How can anybody predict the number of dead from these events?

Richard Stooker Richard discusses how to avoid the bird flu virus in his book How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From the Bird Flu Virus -- And check out his Bird Flu Virus blog

Two Questions To Ask About Bird Flu Vaccines

 

The results of a government-funded study show that very high doses of an avian influenza vaccine, supplied by Sanofi-Aventis, are needed to produce an immune response that should guard against the virus. 54% of the volunteers received two shots of 90 micrograms each, 28 days apart. A typical flu shot is 15 micrograms.

Based on the requirements seen in the study, the U.S. government's current stockpile of vaccines would provide enough for only about four million people, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases.

The problem isn't just a matter of dosage. It is also a matter of production. Flu vaccines are produced using hen's eggs,a 50-year old technology, if it can be called that. Automated machines inject hundreds of thousands of eggs, then an 11-day waiting period begins while the eggs incubate, brewing viruses that are then killed and bottled. To produce millions of the the final product takes about six months.

Then there's the question no one seems to be asking: if we plan to rely upon chicken eggs to incubate an H5N1 virus, how do we know the H5N1 virus won't kill the eggs? H5N1 already kills chickens. Shouldn't we assume it also kills a high percentage of chicken eggs? Sanofi-Aventis is spending $150 million of its own money building a new vaccine-making plant based on the theory that H5N1 won't kill the eggs. By the way, eggs have to be ordered many months in advance for this antiquated process.

And where does Sanofi-Aventis plan to get all these egg-laying chickens anyway? Millions of chickens have been slaughtered worldwide already and a pre-pandemic scenario could kill off whole U.S. chicken farms at once.

However, there is a new vaccine technology on the horizon. It's called cell-based vaccine. Giant vats of living cells, such as dog kidney cells, multiply and then are inoculated with the virus. There are two companies already in the marketplace, one in Holland, one in Germany, but the technology won't be widely available for years. The FDA must review the entire method before any equipment can be imported to the U.S.

Clearly, the U.S. has waited for a new virus to come along to spur vaccine research. We may have waited too long. H5N1 isn't waiting. It's figuring out how to mutate into human-to-human transmission. In fact, the rate of mutation is alarming. Dr. Robert Webster, Ph.D., Member, St. Jude Faculty Rose Marie Thomas Chair, calls H5N1 "the most frightening virus I've ever seen in 40 years of research."

If you and your family are counting on a vaccine to protect you against H5N1 (Avian Influenza), don't bet on it. There are still too many unanswered questions and too many risks.

Mr. Hart is a medical journalist/researcher, and the author of "Killer Bird Flu...Get Ready Now!" a paperback that outlines what families can do to get prepared for the coming pandemic. Learn more at http://www.buynanomask.com.

Questions To Ask Your Employer Before A Bird Flu Pandemic

Bird flu? Have you heard of it? You have probably been hearing more about it in the news lately. What is it and why should you be worried about it? Avian influenza affects poultry and wild game birds. It has been mainly in Southeast Asia but is spreading to other countries. Since 2003 160 people worldwide have become ill and about 82 have died. It is deadly to poultry and can be lethal in humans as well. The people who have contacted bird flu have been in close contact with infected birds. At this time it is not transmitted by human-to-human contact. But scientists fear, and health experts agree, that it is only a matter of time that the virus will change into a form that can be easily passed from person to person. When that happens there will be an increased risk of a worldwide pandemic.

We will not have immunity to this form of the flu and it can be deadly. It may be similar to the 1918 flu that killed 40-50 million people around the world. If it starts to spread, life as we know it will change. Millions will become ill and millions will die around the world. This flu could last for months at a time and up to three years. More than likely schools and businesses would be closed, public events canceled, transportation shut down and travel severely limited. Meaning your only choice is to stay home with your family.

Your business or company may have anywhere from 30-60% of the employees out sick, or out to take care of ill family members.

A bird flu pandemic could last for weeks or months at a time. You may be out of work for several months. You may want to start taking some measures now so you are prepared for being out of work and loss of income.

You need to ask your employer how they will be handling a pandemic crisis. What will their policies be? How are they going to provide a healthy work environment so that it will minimize the spread of the flu? How is your health insurance? Does it need to be updated? Will they offer additional sick time or paid leave of absence? Can you get a wage or salary advance or partial advance? Who will fill in for you, if you are out sick or need to stay home with family members who are ill? Are your co-workers crossed trained? What happens if you need to stay home with your children because schools are closed? Can your business run with 50% of employees out sick? What happens if the business needs to shut down completely? How do they plan on communicating with employees who are at home? Are there options for working at home? What if you need to leave the area to go somewhere safer? Will you have a job when you return? These are the type of questions you need to start asking today before a bird flu pandemic.

You will want to make copies of your employment agreements, health and life insurance policies and other employee documents including investment plans, stock options and other benefits. If we enter a pandemic and you need to stay home and be out of work for several months, you may want to consider tapping into any investment plans to find available cash to carry you through. A global influenza pandemic will have catastrophic consequences worldwide that will affect your business, career, investments, home, family and community. Stay informed about the bird flu and start planning for a possible pandemic.

To stay up to date on avian influenza, bird flu and the h5n1 virus visit The Bird Flu Index http://www.birdfluindex.com Find links to bird flu websites, blogs, forums, official medical and government sites and full information about how the bird flu could turn into a global pandemic

Can A Respirator/Mask Really Help Against Bird Flu?

Surgical masks and respirators are forms of personal protective equipment used to guard against the spread of infectious diseases. With the increased onset of bird flu, many manufacturers and distributors of various protective equipment have touted incredible results from the use of their products. Do they hold water? Do these respirators and masks actually protect against bird flu?

For many years, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended the use of various forms personal protective equipment to safeguard against spreading diseases. Of these are surgical masks. These masks are manufactured to block the passage of tiny particles such as the influenza virus and keep the particles from reaching the eyes, mouth, and nose of the wearer, therefore preventing infection.

However, all masks are not developed to guard against infection. Masks for healthcare use are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which ensures certain standards and criteria are met by all personal protective equipment. Therefore, if a mask is FDA approved, you can be assured the mask protects against the spread of infection. However, if a mask is not approved by the FDA, you should consider purchasing a different type.

Many manufactures are specifically guaranteeing bird flu protection; it should be understood that the FDA does not test for specific forms of disease, and therefore, companies are not allowed to make such allegations. If similar claims are made, you should be skeptical of the company's validity and the quality of their products. There is a website to search for approved FDA masks, http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/devicesatfda/index.cfm?st=fxx+or+(surgical+mask). On the other hand, the CDC determines which type of equipment is appropriate for varying conditions.

You do not need a prescription or any special information to buy these masks and they can be bought at most pharmacies, medical supply stores and on the internet. However, if you are buying from the internet, be certain you are dealing with a reputable company to be certain you are purchasing quality products.

For the most part, personal protective equipment has proven to be a very effective way to prevent against infection. However, the CDC does not suggest or imply the use of these masks is appropriate for common use to keep from becoming infected. They suggest, instead, staying home when you are sick and simply staying away from sick people to prevent the spread of illnesses. However, with the threat of bird flu, many are seeking any means available to guard against infection.

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.

Why Bird Flu Is Not A Pandemic

Most people are aware of the threat of bird flu and the possibility of it creating a pandemic, a worldwide epidemic of an infectious disease breaking out and affecting a large geographic region. Although the virus affects an extensive geographic region, this virus has not yet reached pandemic proportions.

According to the World Health Organization, in order for a pandemic to occur, three conditions must be met: the emergence of a disease new to a population, the agent affects humans and causes serious illness, and the agent spreads easily and sustainably among humans.

The first of these three, "the emergence of a disease new to a population" has occurred. Although bird flu is in no way a new disease, as it was first identified in the early 1900's, it was not infectious to humans until the late 1990's. Therefore, this particular strain has emerged "new to a population", being the human population, which was previously unaffected by the disease.

Likewise, the second criterion has been met, "the agent affects humans and causes serious illness". The virus has infected 131 people and killed 68. Therefore, the severity of the disease is apparent. H5N1 causes an exaggerated response in cytokines, hormones that regulate the immune system, therefore, limiting the effectiveness of the body's ability to fight the infection. This virus is also partially resistant to other cells of the immune system, making it especially resilient.

The third condition has not been met, however. At this point, the virus does not spread easily and sustainably among humans. Currently, the H5N1 virus is only transmitted from poultry to humans, and is not able to pass through human contact. Unfortunately, the virus is mutating and may be able to do so in future months, increasing the speed and efficiency in which it spreads.

Human to human transmission has been suspected, though not confirmed. Several isolated cases in which the cause of infection was not clear have prompted questions of the virus being passed through human contact. In particular, cases of nurses becoming infected after treating patients, children being infected with no poultry contact, and parents being infected after treating children with the disease. However, until confirmation is attainable that the virus has mutated to the point human transmission is possible, the third criterion will not be satisfied and H5N1 will not be classified as a pandemic. Likewise, the fatality rate will also have to increase to change the classification of bird flu.

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.