Dog flu, swine flu, horse flu or human flu are phrases similar to “Bird flu”. Avian influenza also known informally as Avian flu or bird flu (H5N1) refers to influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds. Avian flu refers to the influenza A virus and out of the three types of influenza viruses which are the A, B, and C, influenza A virus is a zoonotic infection with a natural reservoir almost entirely in birds.It is epizootic (an epidemic in non humans) and panzootic (affecting animals of many species, especially over a wide area), killing tens of millions of birds and spurring the culling of hundreds of millions of others to stem its spread.
H5N1 is the most common form of bird flu. It’s deadly to birds and can easily affect humans and other animals that come in contact with a carrier. According to the World Health Organization, H5N1 was first discovered in humans in 1997 and has killed nearly 60 percent of those infected.
The virus isn’t known in spreading via human-to-human contact. Still there have been some worries that it may risk of becoming a threat to humans.
Bird flu has been a hot topic recently and people have been asking questions about it. How does bird flu spread? How do Humans get bird flu and what are its causes and symptoms?
- The virus spread through a direct contact with a dead or alive infected bird’s secretions from their respiratory tract, from their eyes or its droppings.
- Plucking or cleaning infected birds can possibly make people infected with H5N1. There have been some reports in China in live bird markets about the infection via inhalation of aerosolized materials. There is also a possibility of infection to people bathing or swimming in water contaminated with the droppings of infected birds. Infections have also occurred in people who handle fighting cocks.
- Eating fully cooked chicken or eggs won’t get a person infected with the virus.
- There have been cases where an infected person caught the virus from another person but only after an intimate personal contact. There has been no human-to-human sustained spread of the virus so far.
Symptoms of bird flu:
If you experience such typical flu-like symptoms you may be H5N1 infected
- respiratory difficulties
- fever (over 100.4°F or 38°C)
- myalgia or muscle aches
- general malaise
- runny nose
- sore throat
Different types of bird flu can cause different symptoms. As a result, treatments may vary.
In most cases, treatment with antiviral medication such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) can help reduce the severity of the disease. However, the medication must be taken within 48 hours after symptoms first appear. The virus that causes the human form of the flu can develop resistance to the two most common forms of antiviral medications, amantadine and rimantadine (Flumadine). These medications shouldn’t be used to treat the disease. Your family or others in close contact with you might also be prescribed antivirals as a preventive measure, even if they aren’t sick. You’ll be placed in isolation to avoid spreading the virus to others. Your doctor may place you on a breathing machine if you develop a severe infection.