Avian Flu Pandemic Concerns, Fears and Facts
The term avian flu pandemic has been used widely, but in actuality the avian flu virus and an influenza pandemic are not the same things.
An avian flu virus primarily affects birds.
Occasionally an avian flu virus may infect humans or pigs.
But, in most cases humans are not infected by the avian flu.
Pandemic literally means worldwide epidemic.
The fear over an avian flu pandemic arises from the concern that the H5N1 avian flu virus currently spreading throughout the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe has the potential to adapt into a strain that is highly contagious among humans.
That is to say it could be spread by coughing and sneezing from human to human in the same way that seasonal flu viruses spread.
Scientists expect that the H5N1 avian flu virus will eventually spread among birds worldwide, because migratory birds from Asia do interact with migratory birds from the Americas.
But unless the strain mutates, creating a new virus, unlike one that has previously existed in humans, there is little concern about an avian flu pandemic affecting large numbers of humans.
The total number of confirmed cases of H5N1 avian flu virus infecting humans is 239.
While over half of these people have died from complications arising from the avian flu, pandemic flu viruses are much worse, typically infecting millions and killing millions.
Worldwide health organizations have been monitoring the H5N1 avian flu virus since 1997 when the first human cases showed up in Hong Kong.
Wild birds spread the avian flu virus, but are unaffected by it, however domesticated birds (chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc.
) are devastated by the H5N1 avian flu.
Pandemic concerns arise from the fact that people, who have been infected by handling sick birds or by being exposed to their excrements, become very sick, very quickly.
If the disease mutated to a form that was highly contagious among humans and continued to kill more than 50% of those infected, then the death toll could be worse than anything on record.
Attempts are being made to develop an avian flu virus vaccine, but the effectiveness of such a vaccine is unknown.
The effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine is believed to be around 70%, but it is hard to determine if the vaccine provided the protection from the virus or if the person's natural immune system and good health habits prevented the flu.
Many people are concerned about avian flu, pandemic flu and other influenza viruses.
A recent study in Canada concluded that more and more people are using natural products believed to assist the body's natural immune system.
For more information about the avian flu virus or for information about natural products believed to give the immune system a boost, visit www.
immune-system-booster-guide.
com.
An avian flu virus primarily affects birds.
Occasionally an avian flu virus may infect humans or pigs.
But, in most cases humans are not infected by the avian flu.
Pandemic literally means worldwide epidemic.
The fear over an avian flu pandemic arises from the concern that the H5N1 avian flu virus currently spreading throughout the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe has the potential to adapt into a strain that is highly contagious among humans.
That is to say it could be spread by coughing and sneezing from human to human in the same way that seasonal flu viruses spread.
Scientists expect that the H5N1 avian flu virus will eventually spread among birds worldwide, because migratory birds from Asia do interact with migratory birds from the Americas.
But unless the strain mutates, creating a new virus, unlike one that has previously existed in humans, there is little concern about an avian flu pandemic affecting large numbers of humans.
The total number of confirmed cases of H5N1 avian flu virus infecting humans is 239.
While over half of these people have died from complications arising from the avian flu, pandemic flu viruses are much worse, typically infecting millions and killing millions.
Worldwide health organizations have been monitoring the H5N1 avian flu virus since 1997 when the first human cases showed up in Hong Kong.
Wild birds spread the avian flu virus, but are unaffected by it, however domesticated birds (chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc.
) are devastated by the H5N1 avian flu.
Pandemic concerns arise from the fact that people, who have been infected by handling sick birds or by being exposed to their excrements, become very sick, very quickly.
If the disease mutated to a form that was highly contagious among humans and continued to kill more than 50% of those infected, then the death toll could be worse than anything on record.
Attempts are being made to develop an avian flu virus vaccine, but the effectiveness of such a vaccine is unknown.
The effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine is believed to be around 70%, but it is hard to determine if the vaccine provided the protection from the virus or if the person's natural immune system and good health habits prevented the flu.
Many people are concerned about avian flu, pandemic flu and other influenza viruses.
A recent study in Canada concluded that more and more people are using natural products believed to assist the body's natural immune system.
For more information about the avian flu virus or for information about natural products believed to give the immune system a boost, visit www.
immune-system-booster-guide.
com.