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Bird Flu Explained

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 theyability to adapt to humans, increasing their
may get it, and the papers are full of horrorpandemic risk ... there is a suggestion there
scenarios.may  be  some  parallel  evolution going on."
There are over 100 strains of avian flu, butScientists still do not understand completely
most of them do not infect humans. Thehow a bird virus becomes a human virus, but
current strain H5N1 can infect humans, butH5N1 is already showing some of the mutations
not easily. The number of cases of avian flunecessary for it to become a human flu, but
in humans in the current outbreak is veryat the moment, in spite off all the panic,
small, and almost all have come about bythere  is  no  pandemic  flu  strain.
direct contact with infected or dead birds
something that most of us are unlikely toResearch in the Netherlands and the USA has
experience. So far, the spread of H5N1 virusshown that while human influenza viruses are
from person-to-person has been rare and hasable to bind with receptors in the windpipe,
not continued beyond one person. In factH5N1 binds only much deeper inside the lungs.
according to The Times (London, 23rd MarchThis makes it more difficult for the virus to
2006) only 184 confirmed cases have beeninfect 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 mostto 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 concernedlocated deep in the lungs. If H5N1 manages to
about is the strain mutating into a variationmutate 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 haslikely. Scientists are constantly monitoring
been designated as influenza A/H5N1. Humansthe  virus  for  this  mutation.
do not have any resistance to this strain,
because these viruses do not commonly infectSo should we be concerned? There have been
humans. If a strain developed that couldmany scares over the years that have not come
infect the human population, a pandemic wouldto anything, and this could turn out to be
be likely with many people being infected andone of those too, but it is worth taking some
dying. The 1918 Spanish flu is estimated tosensible precautions rather than just relying
have killed 50 million people worldwide. Aton the scientists to find a powerful enough
least four of the eight genes of H5N1 aviansolution. Having a strong immune system has
flu now contain mutations seen in that deadlyto 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 molecularstronger immune system that can fight more
pathologist at the Armed Forces Institute ofeffectively against the bugs of this world
Pathology  in  Rockville,  USA  has  said:and any dangerous mutations.



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