Bird Flu – Answers To 1 Important Questions Author : Brian McGregor Submitted : nail salon hong kong26-1-24 ::    Word Count : 114    Popularity:   39 Tags:   bird flu, avian flu, asian flu, influenza, antivirus, virus, tamiflu, epidemic, pandemic    Author RSS nail salon hong kongFeedMost people know that bird flu is beginning to emerge as a serious health threat to the world.There are real concerns and in this article we give nail salon hong konganswers to 1 questions which many individuals are asking about bird flu. 1. What is Bird Flu?Avian influenza or ‘bird flu’ is a highly contagious disease of birds, caused by influenza A viruses. In birds, the viruses can present with a range of symptoms from mild illness and low mortality, to a highly contagious disease with a near 1% nail salon hong kongfatality rate. The bird flu virus currently affecting poultry and some people in Asia is the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the virus. As the virus can remain viable in nail salon hong kongcontaminated droppings for long periods, it can be spread among birds, and from birds to other animals, through ingestion or inhalation.All bird species are thought to be susceptible to avian influenza. Migratory birds such as wild ducks and geese nail salon hong kongcan carry the viruses, often without any symptoms of illness, and show the greatest resistance to infection. Domestic poultry flocks are par to Person?There nail salon hong kongis no firm evidence that the H5N1 strain which caused the outbreaks in South East Asia has acquired the ability to pass easily from person to person or to sustain transmission.So far, while some instances of spread from one person directly to another have been reported, these have been isolated one-off occurrences with no further spread to people, and the route of transmission remains unconfirmed.4. Have There Been Previous Outbreaks of Bird Flu Affecting People?The first documented cases of bird flu in nail salon hong kongpeople appeared in Hong Kong in 1997, when 18 people infected with an H5N1 virus strain were admitted to hospital, six of whom died. The source of infection in most cases was traced to contact with diseased birds on farms, and in live poultry markets.As of 13 October 25, 117 reported cases of H5N1 infection in people have occurred in four countries – Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia. Sixty of these have been fatal. 5. What is the Source of the Current Outbreak of Bird Flu?The outbreak now concerning health experts began in poultry in South Korea in mid-December 23, and has affected birds in many countries in Asia, Russia, and most recently Turkey and Rumania. It involves a variant of the same virus subtype as that associated with the 1997 Hong Kong outbreak.6. What is the Risk of a Human Influenza Pandemic?A pandemic can be broadly described as a massive epidemic. It occurs on a much greater scale than an epidemic, spreading around the world and affecting many hundreds of thousands of people across many countries.Experts are concerned that the virus could adapt, giving it greater affinity for humans. Or that it could exchange genes with a human flu virus, thereby producing a completely new virus strain capable of spreading easily between people, and causing a pandemic. By necessity, if a new strain were to occur then few people, if any, would have a natural immunity to it.7. What Can I Do to Protect Myself and my Family?There is some evidence that recent H5N1 viruses are susceptible to a class of antiviral drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors. The UK Government is expanding its stockpile of antiviral drugs against the contingency of a flu pandemic, whether due to an H5N1 or another new strain. On 1 March 25, the Health Secretary announced the nail salon hong kongprocurement of 14.6 million treatment courses of the antiviral, Tamiflu – enough to treat a quarter of the UK population.Individuals can purchase Tamiflu privately. The manufacturer, Roche, is working hard to supply what is required. World-wide demand, however, has increased dra?The following organisations have sections on avian influenza which provide us outlines the bird flu issue in much more detail, and is available free from:Article Source:www.1ArticleWorld.com  m  http://aquaeria.asia/