Avian flu, also known as bird flu, is a flu infection commonly found to infect various species of birds. The virus that causes the avian flu strand has the potential to mutate to infect humans, which could ultimately lead to a widespread epidemic. The disease is of most concern to humans with no immunity to the avian flu and will be affected regardless whether the strand mutates.
History
Initially the avian flu was an infection in the swine population, but as disease and infections like to do, genetic information was exchanged leading to a new strand of the infection that was able to affect other animals and also humans. The first case of avian flu documented in humans was in 1997 in Hong Kong. This case was found to be linked to chickens. Eight years later a case was discovered to have infected poultry in Romania and Turkey.
Mutation
The severity of the avian flu and its potential outcomes are various and depend upon the different strand types of avian flu that exist. While the H5N1 is believed to have a more than 50 percent mortality rate as reported by pandemic101.com, the H7N7 resulted in only 1 death out of 89 cases in the Netherlands and an outbreak of H9N2 in Asia affected three children, all of whom recovered.
Risk Factors
Persons who work with poultry, such as farmers and butchers, have a much higher risk of contracting avian flu than any other persons. Persons visiting infected areas may also be at a higher risk because they have not been exposed to it like the inhabitants of the area and have therefore not grown immunity to the infection. People with a risk of contacting avian flu should take preventative measures.
Prevention/Solution
Wearing protective clothing and face masks when working with poultry can help to prevent contracting avian flu. Travelers are advised to avoid any areas in which they would be exposed to the native birds. Another way to prevent avian flu is to ensure that all meat is cooked thoroughly, especially fowl. This can help to prevent other food borne illnesses as well.
Symptoms
Should prevention fail to work and a person presents symptoms after contact with a bird, then the symptoms should be reported to a physician immediately. Symptoms include: sore throat, cough, fever, headache, runny nose, diarrhea and difficulty breathing after an encounter with a bird, uncooked meat from a bird or bird excrement.
Warnings
Another way to prevent contacting avian flu is to watch children closely as they are playing to prevent them from picking up pieces of bird dropping that may be deposited near homes, in a yard and even on a child's outside toys.
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