| Avian is another word for bird. When flu bugs first | | | | World Health Organization (WHO). 148 deaths |
| infect one species and then later infect humans, | | | | worldwide have been attributed to the H5N1 virus, |
| they are often called by a name that reflects the | | | | which is why there is a major effort to control |
| original animal that carried the virus. Swine and | | | | and fight avian influenza outbreaks and inform the |
| now avian human influenza are examples. | | | | public about safe handling practices. |
| Whether it is called bird flu or avian influenza, | | | | Avian human influenza symptoms have been |
| efforts to fight it are the same. In order to fight | | | | reported in many countries in Asia and the Middle |
| avian influenza in humans, the public must be | | | | East, but most have occurred in small villages and |
| aware of the threat and practice good health | | | | outlying areas of Indonesia and Vietnam. Most |
| habits to avoid contamination. | | | | confirmed cases have resulted from contact with |
| Although wild birds carry the viruses, they do not | | | | infected domesticated birds or contact with |
| usually have symptoms. It is domesticated birds | | | | surfaces contaminated by the feces and fluids |
| (chickens, ducks and turkeys) in which avian | | | | from infected birds. The symptoms of avian |
| influenza symptoms cause sickness and | | | | human influenza are typical flu-like symptoms such |
| sometimes death. The symptoms in domesticated | | | | as fever, sore throat, cough and muscle aches. |
| poultry may be mild causing ruffled feathers and | | | | But, in some confirmed cases the symptoms |
| low egg production or severe causing disease that | | | | have included eye infections, pneumonia, severe |
| affects multiple organs and death in 90-100% of | | | | respiratory diseases, acute respiratory distress |
| flocks in as little as 48 hours. It is believed that | | | | and other severe and life-threatening |
| the degree of difference in the symptoms is | | | | complications. As with poultry, The Center for |
| related to the strain of the virus infecting the | | | | Disease Control (CDC) believes that the wide |
| birds. | | | | range of avian flu symptoms in humans may |
| Avian human influenza cases are rare. However, | | | | depend on which strain of avian human influenza |
| 253 confirmed cases have been reported since | | | | virus the person was infected with. |
| 2003, according to statistics compiled by the | | | | |