Bird Flu also known as Avian flu, Avian influenza, H5N1 is the 21st century epidemic. The highly pathogenic influenza A virus subtype Bird Flu virus has been causing global concern as a potential pandemic threat. It refers to “influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds. It is highly pathogenic avian influenza. “Bird flu” is a similar word to “swine flu,” “dog flu,” “horse flu,” or “human flu” in that it refers to an illness caused by any of many different strains of influenza viruses that have adapted to a specific host. Birds, just like people, get the flu. Bird flu viruses infect birds, including chickens, other poultry and wild birds such as ducks.

Most bird flu viruses can only infect other birds. Human infection is still very rare, but the virus that causes the infection in birds might change, or mutate, to more easily infect humans. This could lead to a pandemic, or a worldwide outbreak of the illness. During an outbreak of bird flu, people who have contact with infected birds can become sick. It may also be possible to catch bird flu by eating poultry that is not well cooked or through contact with a person who has it. Bird flu can make people very sick or even cause death. There is currently no vaccine of it.

The complete Book of Swine flu

Evolution of H5N1
H5N1 has evolved into a flu virus strain that infects more species than any previously known flu virus strain, is deadlier than any previously known flu virus strain, and continues to evolve becoming both more widespread and more deadly. Since the first H5N1 outbreak occurred in 1997, there has been an increasing number of HPAI H5N1 bird-to-human transmissions leading to clinically severe and fatal human infections. Although millions of birds have become infected with the virus since its discovery, 248 humans have died from the H5N1 in twelve countries according to WHO data as of Sep 2009. Epidemiologists are worried that the next time such a virus mutates, it could pass from human to human. If this form of transmission occurs, another pandemic could result. Thus disease-control centers around the world are making avian flu a top priority.

Chikungunya – A Mosquito-Borne Viral Disease

Symptoms of Bird Flu
Bird flu symptoms usually include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, conjunctivitis and, in severe cases, severe breathing problems and pneumonia that may be fatal. The severity of the infection will depend to a large part on the state of the infected person’s immune system and if the victim has been exposed to the strain before, and is therefore partially immune. No one knows if these or other symptoms will be the symptoms of a humanized H5N1 flu.

Bird Flu – The Disease of Birds