Health Articles : Infections : Bird Flu
Bird Flu Virus : Bird Flu Masks
Bird Flu PreparationBird flu is less popularly known as Avian Influenza. It is a type of influenza virulent in birds ..... Birds influenza was recognized over a century ago. Infections are usually very mild, making wild fowl ideal reservoirs for carrying the disease wherever they fly. Infected birds discard the flu virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Other birds become infected when they contact virus-containing excretions or surfaces impure with the excretions. Close human contact with diseased birds provides the chance for the virus to infect man. Concern heightened recently after a large outburst of avian flu occurred in northern Russia. The flu is scattering among wild and domestic birds as infected flocks fly south along migration routes. As increasing numbers of birds become infected and enter more thickly human populated regions, the probability for successful transmission to man is increased.
Direct contact with poultry or surfaces and objects impure by their droppings or saliva, are considered the main routes of human infection. Exposure risk is measured highest during slaughter, de-feathering, butchering, and preparation of poultry for cooking. With very rare exceptions, bird flu is unable of being transmitted from person to person. However, like all Type A influenza viruses, this Type A has a tremendous capability to mutate rapidly. Therefore, it is probable that just the right mutation will occur to facilitate human-to-human transmission. The probability of this occurring is significantly increased if the bird flu infected individual is also infected with a human flu virus. This provides the opportunity for the bird virus to exchange genetic information with the human virus, comprising of the ability to transfer from human to human.
Just as human influenza is very easy to catch by inhalation of droplets or by touching the droplets after they land on surfaces such as furniture, doorknobs, telephones, skin, clothes, soiled tissues, etc. and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes, the avian-human hybrid virus could spread very rapidly. Unlike human influenza, there is some confirmation that this virus might also be spread via the airborne route. Seasonal human flu infectious 2 droplets are greater than 5 micrometers in diameter. Due to their size and weight, these droplets have a 3-foot course from the mouth before falling. There is a possibility that evaporated droplets containing bird flu virus are still infectious as they are carried on air currents for significant distances. This is also mentioned as airborne transmission.
Bird Flu NewsBird flu has affected many a countries and places. Especially, the Asian countries are most badly affected. There .....
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