BIRD FLU (AVIAN FLU)
Web Focus - Nature's Avian Flu
By: Barbara Camie
An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus appears against which the human population has no immunity, resulting in several, simultaneous epidemics worldwide with enormous numbers of deaths and illness. With the increase in global transport and communications, as well as urbanization and overcrowded conditions, epidemics due the new influenza virus are likely to quickly take hold around the world.
The H5N1 virus that has caused human illness and death in Asia is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine, two antiviral medications commonly used for influenza. Two other antiviral medications, oseltamavir and zanamavir, would probably work to treat influenza caused by H5N1 virus, but additional studies still need to be done to demonstrate their effectiveness.
With the arrival of avian flu on the shores of Europe, all eyes are on the H5N1 virus now endemic in domestic and wild birds in Asia. Though human-to-human transmission has yet to be properly established, the virus is deadly: since 2003, almost half of the 120 the people who have caught H5N1 from infected birds have died.
Usually, "avian influenza virus" refers to influenza A viruses found chiefly in birds, but infections with these viruses can occur in humans. The risk from avian influenza is generally low to most people, because the viruses do not usually infect humans. However, confirmed cases of human infection from several subtypes of avian influenza infection have been reported since 1997. Most cases of avian influenza infection in humans have resulted from contact with infected poultry (e.g., domesticated chicken, ducks, and turkeys) or surfaces contaminated with secretion/excretions from infected birds. The spread of avian influenza viruses from one ill person to another has been reported very rarely, and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond one person.
"Human influenza virus" usually refers to those subtypes that spread widely among humans. There are only three known A subtypes of influenza viruses (H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2) currently circulating among humans. It is likely that some genetic parts of current human influenza A viruses came from birds originally. Influenza A viruses are constantly changing, and they might adapt over time to infect and spread among humans.
Currently, the Tamiflu has been approved and this medication is being used to treat the flu infection.
This article written by Barbara Camie, the editor of http://www.flu-information.be. This article is only for information and education purpose and all the information are prepared on the basis of all the research and survey of reliable medical agencies and news agencies respectively.
Copyright Barbara Camie - http://www.flu-information.be
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