Facts About The "Bird Flu"

Facts About The "Bird Flu"
The "bird flu", also known as Avian influenza is a
contagious disease caused by viruses in animals that
normally only affect birds, and sometimes pigs. The Avian
influenza viruses are usually species specific.
Unfortunately, in some rare instances the viruses can be
infectious to humans.

The infection of poultry with the avian influenza virus
causes two different types of infections. One is a low
pathogenic form, and the second one is a high pathogenic
form. The low pathogenic form is mild, while the high
pathogenic form is deadly. The low pathogenic form usually
manifests symptoms such as decreased egg production and
ruffled feathers. The high pathogenic form spreads
rapidly, causing organ disease and mortality, usually
within the first two days.

The recent outbreaks of the avian influenza have been of
the high pathogenic form. This form initially began in
Southeast Asia in 2003. This is the most severe and
largest scale outbreak to date. Since this outbreak began,
over one hundred and fifty million birds have been
estimated to have been infected. All of these birds have
subsequently died.

This virus is considered to be primarily indigenous to
China, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Currently these
countries are exterminating millions of infected animals.
This is in an attempt to keep the virus from spreading to
humans in the highly pathogenic form. If the virus does
spread to humans in the highly pathogenic form, then the
results would be disastrous. Literally millions of people
could perish in these countries and around the world. Most
of these countries where the virus is indigenous, have very
poor healthcare and sanitary habits. One of the primary
fears, is that these poor hygiene habits will contribute to
many more human infections. The main means of
becoming infected with the virus is by having direct
contact with poultry, or any surfaces or objects which are
contaminated with their feces. Most cases of humans who
have contracted the disease, are from rural areas where
many people keep flocks of poultry, which usually roam
freely. Some of these flocks are even allowed to enter
homes and areas where children and adults congregate.
Since the birds have a potential to drop large amounts of
feces in an around these areas where people live, the risk
of exposure is phenomenal.

Roughly about one hundred humans have been infected from
the most recent outbreak of the virus. Although there is
still potential to contract the avian influenza virus, it
is very rarely that individuals that don't have direct
contact with infected birds become infected. It is still
safe to eat poultry, even if the poultry is infected with
the virus, as long as precautions are taken during food
preparation. As long as the poultry is fully cooked, then
the virus will most likely be killed during the heating
process.

Although there is still a serious risk that a human
epidemic could possibly occur from this virus, it is highly
containable. Many countries are taking drastic steps to
stem the tide of infection in both humans and animals.

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Bryan Pringle, Ph.D., is an author and an webmaster of
websites offering news and information about bird flu
prevention and pharmaceutical drugs. For more information,
please visit:
http://www.consumersdiscountrx.com/discount_prescription_rx