Bird Flu 2005

Bird flu is also called avian flu. Currently there is great fear of a worldwide epidemic of bird flu, which could kill hundreds millions of people.

The strain of flu that everyone is concerned about is H5N1. Why the funny name? Well, viruses are divided into groups based on two proteins: hemagglutinin, which is where the “H” comes from, and neuraminidase, which is where the “N” comes from. There are 16 subtypes of hemagglutinin, and there are nine subtypes of neuraminidase. Nine times 16 equals 144, and thus there are 144 possible combinations of type A flu, which is the type of flu we are talking about with Bird flu.

You see, flu viruses are classified as A, B, or C. But, Type A is the most deadly to humans and bird flu is Type A.

A pandemic is an epidemic that spreads all around the world. It becomes a truly worldwide infection.

Several times in world history, an epidemic of flu has turned into a pandemic. Pandemics occurred in 1918, 1957, in 1968.

The 1918 pandemic may have killed 50 million people worldwide.

The flu is highly contagious. It spreads from person to person by air droplets, infected air droplets, such as by coughing or sneezing. Nasal secretions can also spread it. The flu gets on objects, or is inside droplets, and then can be picked up on your hands, which if touched to the face, can also spread the flu. That’s why hand washing is so important as a defense against the flu.

One could say that the flu is a bioterrorist threat, often unleashed on upon the human race by animals, that attacks us every winter.

The bird flu comes from birds. Currently, chickens, ducks and, quail, and geese are thought to be spreading the bird flu.

Vaccines for the bird flu are being developed. And, Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is thought to be an effective antiviral medication.

The bird flu has jumped from birds to humans. In September 2004 the first case of a human-to-human transmission was documented.

The first case of the bird flu being resistant to Tamiflu may also been documented recently.

The worst is possibly yet to come.
------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2005 Bradley Hennenfent M.D. All Rights Reserved.