| Bird Flu or more correctly, avian flu, is | | | | |
| much in the news and causing a lot of | | | | "These H5N1 viruses might be acquiring the |
| anxiety. Many people are worried that they | | | | ability to adapt to humans, increasing their |
| may get it, and the papers are full of horror | | | | pandemic risk ... there is a suggestion there |
| scenarios. | | | | may be some parallel evolution going on." |
| | | | |
| There are over 100 strains of avian flu, but | | | | Scientists still do not understand completely |
| most of them do not infect humans. The | | | | how a bird virus becomes a human virus, but |
| current strain H5N1 can infect humans, but | | | | H5N1 is already showing some of the mutations |
| not easily. The number of cases of avian flu | | | | necessary for it to become a human flu, but |
| in humans in the current outbreak is very | | | | at the moment, in spite off all the panic, |
| small, and almost all have come about by | | | | there is no pandemic flu strain. |
| direct contact with infected or dead birds | | | | |
| something that most of us are unlikely to | | | | Research in the Netherlands and the USA has |
| experience. So far, the spread of H5N1 virus | | | | shown that while human influenza viruses are |
| from person-to-person has been rare and has | | | | able to bind with receptors in the windpipe, |
| not continued beyond one person. In fact | | | | H5N1 binds only much deeper inside the lungs. |
| according to The Times (London, 23rd March | | | | This makes it more difficult for the virus to |
| 2006) only 184 confirmed cases have been | | | | infect humans, because the virus is less |
| reported worldwide so far from this strain, | | | | likely to reach the inner lungs than the |
| with 103 deaths. These have been in Cambodia, | | | | windpipe. The H5N1 virus is also less likely |
| China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and most | | | | to spread from human to human. Coughing and |
| recently, several cases in Turkey. | | | | sneezing easily transmits viruses that have |
| | | | multiplied in the windpipe, but not those |
| What the authorities are much more concerned | | | | located deep in the lungs. If H5N1 manages to |
| about is the strain mutating into a variation | | | | mutate so that it can replicate in the upper |
| that can be transmitted between human beings, | | | | respiratory tract, a pandemic becomes more |
| rather than just from bird to human. This has | | | | likely. Scientists are constantly monitoring |
| been designated as influenza A/H5N1. Humans | | | | the virus for this mutation. |
| do not have any resistance to this strain, | | | | |
| because these viruses do not commonly infect | | | | So should we be concerned? There have been |
| humans. If a strain developed that could | | | | many scares over the years that have not come |
| infect the human population, a pandemic would | | | | to anything, and this could turn out to be |
| be likely with many people being infected and | | | | one of those too, but it is worth taking some |
| dying. The 1918 Spanish flu is estimated to | | | | sensible precautions rather than just relying |
| have killed 50 million people worldwide. At | | | | on the scientists to find a powerful enough |
| least four of the eight genes of H5N1 avian | | | | solution. Having a strong immune system has |
| flu now contain mutations seen in that deadly | | | | to be the first line of defence. Eating a |
| strain. | | | | good diet, taking exercise, getting plenty of |
| | | | sleep, and reducing stress can all lead to a |
| Jeffery K. Taubenberger, a molecular | | | | stronger immune system that can fight more |
| pathologist at the Armed Forces Institute of | | | | effectively against the bugs of this world |
| Pathology in Rockville, USA has said: | | | | and any dangerous mutations. |