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The Perils Of Bird Flu

By: Emily Purles

Avian influenza or bird flu is a highly contagious disease in animals caused by viruses that infect birds and in some cases pigs also. These viruses can infect us humans too. There are two forms of this disease called low pathogenic and high pathogenic, the low grade virus causes domestic poultry to get ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production but the high grade virus spreads rapidly from one to another flock, affects many internal organs and can cause death within 48 hours.

The extensive persisting H5N1 in poultry causes two major risks for our health: first is the danger of the virus directly passing from poultry to humans causing very high grade infection and the H5N1 has been the cause of the largest number of such cases and of human deaths. With this virus, primary viral pneumonia and multiple organ failure with rapid deterioration and death is common. Recently, the bird flu has killed more than half of the people infected mostly, healthy children and young adults.

The second danger, which is more than alarming, is that if this virus is not contained it will change into a highly infectious disease for us and spread from one to another and this could then be the beginning of a pandemic or global outbreak. Recently it is being said that some migratory birds are now spreading the H5N1 virus in its highly pathogenic form and further spread to new areas is likely.

People become infected when they are in direct contact with the infected faces or are in areas where these faces are found as well as during the slaughter, defeathering, butchering and preparation of this infected poultry for cooking purposes.

Countries free from the outbreak can consume poultry and its products. Those experiencing the outbreak can also safely consume these, provided:

• They are fully cooked under hygienic conditions at 70 degrees Celsius.
• Hands must be washed with soap and water before and after cooking.
• Disinfect areas that come in contact with poultry products.

So far the countries affected by this outbreak in humans are: Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Malaysia, Russia, Turkey, Mongolia and Romania have had cases of the flu in poultry, dead and migratory birds in the past.

Two drugs oseltamivir or Tamiflu and zanamivir or Relenza are known to reduce the severity and duration of the illness within 48 hours of the symptoms. These may increase the chances of survival but clinical data is limited regarding this.

Last but not least, WHO issued a document with recommended strategic actions in August 2005 to strengthen national preparedness decrease the chances of a pandemic outbreak; accelerate vaccine and antiviral drug manufacture and to improve the systems that slow down timely and necessary actions. It would be in our best interest to act upon this with immediate effect.

Article Source: Main Articles

About The Author:: Emily Purles is an associated editor to the website www.checkflu.com, a Roche Tamiflu Online site, is committed to provide visitors with complete information on Roche Tamiflu, Treatment of Influenza, Tamiflu, Influenza, Avian Influenza, H5N1 Virus, Human Transmission, Bird Flu, Mutating Virus, Neuraminidase Inhibitors, Oseltamivir Phosphate, Treatment of Flu.

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