AVIAN INFLUENZA AND PREVENTION.

1. Most of us have heard and some must have suffered from influenza/flu which occurs pandemic-wold wide or epidemic with its symptoms with high fever,difficulty in breathing ,head ache ,malaise,nose running,cough,sneezing,etc near about 4 days of its occurrence,The incubation periods is 2 to 4 days,It is due to a virus of 250 groups estimated and human being has no natural immunity for those.Can infect by other group after fortnightly or after a month by other group of organism/virus.It is all known as influenza/flu.Avian flu is deferential from that and through birds.
2.  But Avian influenza/Flu is different from that which causes an organism/virus called H5N1,and normally infected birds including chickens ducks,wild birds,other poultry can infect other birds flu can pose health of people.A case of bird flu directly infected a man N5N1was in Hon gong,China in 1997 then the bird flu has spread the other in countries in Asia,middle east and Europe. Human  infection is still rare,but the virus that causes infection in birds might change and infect humans thus could lead to pandemic,a world wide out break of illness.During an out break of bird flu,people who have contact with infected birds can become sick.May be catch with,bird flu may be possible by eating poultry or eggs that are not properly cooked or that a person contacted with the disease who has it.It can make more people sick and fatal.Antiviral drugs may make the illness less severe may prevent the flu in man ,who were exposed to it,There is no vaccine currently available for it.
3.  Risk of getting flu virus is higher to poultry farmers, travelling country when virus is present,eat a under cooked poultry meat,eggs or blood from infected birds.People who live in the same house with bird flue may also be at higher risk of infection,The flu virus H5N1 lives in the environments for a longer periods of time infection should be spread such by touching surfaces that have the organisms of illness.The birds who were infected with this disease/flu may give the virus in their faces and saliva as long to 8 or 10 days.
4.  Symptoms depend upon the strains of viruses in infected man.The H5N1 virus in infected man causes influenza like symptoms such as cough,diarrhea,breathing trouble,fever.Temperature above 38 C,head ache,malaise,muscles pains,watery nose and sore throat.Tests,x ray chest.blood differential counts,and other tests as per the functioning of heart,liver,kidneys.Treatment differs as per the symptoms out break depend upon the the type of flu and how bad the infection is.The disease can be fatal and the possible  complication are,sudden respiratory failure,jaundice,pneumonia and sepsis.
5.  Prevention.Use protective clothing and wear of special breathing musk,if any one work with mask.If travelling to an area to that H5N1 Out break.avoid going to live birds markets.During this time,does not recommend travel to countries affected H5N1.Avoid uncooked or under cooked meat.Reduce risk of exposure to Avian flu and other food borne diseases.Burial of carcasses flu infected by H5N1 with quick time.Very recently 3-4 days back in Kerala,India in Kuttanadu and Alapuzha ducks were died totally and their blood were examined and found it was due to H5N1,there,fore,all destroyed and buried/burned to prevent infection  to other birds/chickens and human beings.

by pmkutty