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Bird flu
Bird Flu created a huge furor when the last time it was found in the Eastern Countries. As the name suggest, bird flu is found in birds and animals. Domestic animals and poultry are more likely to be infected with Bird flu because they are more likely to live in human areas.
The chances of finding Bird Flu in humans is very less, and even if a human has been afflicted with Bird Flu, the chances of this spreading from a person to person is highly minute. However, with a combination of various factors humans can be infected with it.
Here fluhelpcenter.com brings you a complete detail of how bird flu can affect you.
Chicken & Bird Flu:
Bird Flu virus is always present inside a bird or an animal. However, it stays dormant until this virus mutates and starts to affect. The first and easily affected are the birds, and before any body can realize, bird flu can kill thousands of birds.
People working with birds, especially those who work in poultries are more susceptible to Bird Flu. These people can even become carriers of this deadly disease as well. That is one of the major reasons why Chicken and all types of bird meat is best avoided when there is the first news of Bird Flu. However, when properly boiled and eaten bird meat can be harmless.
However, the last time the endemic broke in Hong Kong and other eastern countries, Chicken sales fell to the all time low, because people wouldn’t buy into the argument that boiled and well-cooked chicken is safer. The section on Bird flu offers you more information.
Vaccines for Bird Flu.
Because Bird Flu has been first discovered or noticed only in 1971 the research to find most effective vaccination is still on. China, has found a vaccine recently and it has been proving successful over the last few years.
However, it is interesting to note that only European countries have Government authorized vaccinations. The US does not have an approved Vaccine for Bird flu even though there have been no side effects from the vaccine.
Fishhelpcenter.com brings you more detailed information on Bird Flu in the section dedicated to Bird Flu.
This virus is commonly found in birds, animals and mainly in domesticated animals and poultry. The virus being exclusive to animals and birds it is rarely found to infect humans and if incase it infects any human it is rarely found to pass on from person to person.
Some of the viruses are found to be permanently existent in the bodies of the birds and animals but being dormant and harmless they do not create much harm, except for ruffled feathers, poor appetite and lessened activity. Some virus, which is the root cause of influenza in birds, the type A influenza strain caused by H5N1 virus spreads very fast and the damage done in the birds is endemic. This usually affects the domesticated fowl, waterfowl, poultry and turkey. The disease spreads so fast that birds in an entire poultry farm can be killed in its’ wake.
The virus according to experts is not only limited to pigs and birds alone, but when the virus combines and mutates it can also infect humans. Such combination becomes stronger and more contagious. This strain can move from bird to human.
The first incidence and effect of such mutation and evolvement has been found in 1977 in Hong Kong. Being the first such incidence and as such no diagnoses and treatment were established for the infection in humans it was very difficult to treat it successfully and to a greater extent.
Two ways of evolvement of the virus have been identified. The DRIFT and The SHIFT.
- In the case of Drift the virus gives rise to a newer form of the strain by mutating with the same genetic formation with the same DNA that can still exist in the original single species.
- In the case of shift- the virus breed or mix with different virus inside a single carrier and this mixture when combining with a flu virus of another bird or a human being becomes the root cause of bird flu among humans. This can happen due to direct contact with the affected birds and the virus can also strengthen and aggravate if the human is already suffering from common cold or flu whereby his resistance and immunity system are weakened.
- The evolvement has not established any evidence of infection caused due to human-to-human contact, but still the danger lurks around the corner and it is always beneficial to take precautionary steps to guard oneself against any such attack.
- People working with fowls, swimming in infected waters, moving in areas where the carcasses were burned, eating the infected chicken and meat, however less the infection might be and staying near the poultry processing plants, need to be extra cautious and take all precautions like wearing masks and cleansing the hands and body very often.
- Doctors have been successful in diagnosing Bird Flu, identifying the particular strain that causes it, targeting it and taking necessary steps to dispose the infected birds but a proper treatment still remains insufficient and elusive.
Symptoms
The symptoms characterizing bird flu are the same as that of any normal flu, but any negligence can lead to serious problems such as pneumonia and can other serious ailments can be aggravated.
- For a normal adult: Fever, Chills/sweat, Coughs, Muscle and Joint pains, Headache, Fatigue and Weakness in the limbs, sore throat.
- For Children Of 5 and Under 5: Fever can be accompanied by Vomiting, Diarrhea, Nasal congestion and sore throat.
- For People Who Are 50 and above: Fever can range higher than 99degrees F., Fatigue, and weakness in the limbs, Confusion and Disorientation and Nasal congestion.
- The symptoms may prove hazardous if the patient is known to have a record of any of such issues like Diabetes, Heart problem and Asthma.