What is Bird Flu ?

What is Bird Flu ?
Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral disease that causes illness in many species of birds. It's been around for more than 100 years, and there are 15 different types of it.

What is H5N1 ?
This is the subtype of one strain which is currently causing worldwide concern. But even this subtype has its own variations, and it can be a lethal kind (higly pathogenic), or it can be mild (low pathogenic).

Reasons to get panic !
This subtype can jump into different species from birds which makes it quite unusual. So far the H5N1 strain has infected more than 250 people, mainly in south east Asia, and caused 164 deaths between January 2003 and September 2006. Most animal viruses never affect humans.

Can it pass between people?
The happy news is that till now there has not been any human-to-human transmission. All the cases reported were from birds to people only.

What makes it mutate?
This flu virus mutates every time it replicates. This could mix with a normal human flu strain, and create a new virus. Or it might simply evolve into a form which was easier to spread.

What are the first symptoms?
In south-east Asia, the early symptoms have been high temperature and coughing. Within 3 days however, their breathing had become more worse. When the disease becomes fully communicable between people, it is likely that the disease will have its own symptoms - but these may still like normal flu in the beginning.

Can it be treated?
There are some drugs known as inhibitors, which to some extent acts as an antidote. It does prevent people who are infected, but it helps people once they have the early symptoms, but it may not work for everyone.

Hence, till date, the bird flu is a deadly epidemic and the people have to be very cautious and report to the concerned person immediately if they find the behavior of the birds to be abnormal.