All About Avian Flu

The illness popularly known as avian flu, or bird flu, refers to a strain of the flu known as H5N1. This strain is usually confined to birds, but occasionally it infects pigs, cats, and, in rare cases, humans.

• Outbreaks have occurred in birds in East and Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Northern and Western Africa. As of May 5, 2006, reports of outbreaks have come from Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan, Palestine, Republic of Korea, and Pakistan.
• Like humans, birds are routinely infected with relatively harmless flu strains, but the H5N1 strain of the virus can spread swiftly and is often fatal.
• Avian flu has afflicted tens of millions of birds, but relatively few humans. People at greatest risk have direct contact with contaminated birds or their waste, such as people who work with farm animals in a region where birds are already infected.
• Since 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 206 human cases of avian flu (H5N1), with 114 resulting in death (as of May 5, 2006). It's unknown how many human cases of the H5N1 virus have not been documented because of lack of access to health services, mild symptoms, and/or failure in health surveillance systems.
• All flu viruses can change form, and avian flu is no exception. There is no way to predict exactly what may, or may not, happen as the virus alters itself. Avian flu might mutate into a type of flu that spreads from person to person. But this is just a possibility. The best thing to do is take precautions and be prepared, just in case.

What's the Big Deal?

The main concern people have about avian flu is that if (and this is still a big "if") it were to spread from person to person, it could cause a pandemic—an outbreak with the potential to impact many people across the globe. It would certainly alter daily lives, as dealing with an outbreak would include measures to halt the spread of bird flu, such as encouraging people to work from home, closing schools and businesses, and restricting travel.

For many countries, it would also bring economic challenges because of the costly preventative measures and the loss of business. Currently, the poultry industry has sustained an estimated US$10 billion in losses globally. More than 140 million birds were affected, either by having the virus or through culling as a preventative measure to contain the disease. In a worst case scenario involving future outbreaks, experts predict that a global influenza could drop the global GDP by 2%, which would mean a loss of about $800 billion a year.

International Action

A global action plan is already underway. In the beginning of November 2005, a group of international organizations including The World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health and the World Bank met in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss a long-term plan of preventative measures and preparations for a possible outbreak. During a follow-up meeting in Beijing, China, in January 2006 governments collectively pledged $1.9 billion to fight avian flu in countries where they don't already have the resources and knowledge to deal with an outbreak not just among animals, but also a potential outbreak among people.

What's included in the plan?

• Curbing transmission among animals is now the number one priority. Birds and other animals at risk are to be closely monitored for the virus. High risk birds are to be tested, vaccinated, and/or culled.
• International organizations are also working together with governments to provide funding, increase the capacity for health care, and stockpile medications like Tamiflu (which helps reduce the symptoms of the standard human flu).

What about a vaccine?

Unlike the seasonal flu in humans, there isn't yet a usable vaccine to prevent infection. Researchers, however, are currently working to develop one not only for the current strain of bird flu, but also for possible future strains. International organizations are also exploring ways to encourage more research as vaccines currently take six months to produce, test and distribute.

What Can I Do to Avoid Avian Flu?

Take care of yourself and be prepared to change some of your routines in case avian flu reaches the point where you might be at risk for exposure.

Do what you normally do to prevent the spread of contagious illnesses:

• Wash your hands often. It's simply one of the most effective ways to prevent getting sick.
• Try not to rub your eyes or touch your face with your hands too much, if you can help it.
• If you're feeling sick, stay home and rest! Not only will you feel better, but you'll also do your friends a favor.

If avian flu does begin to spread among people, you should avoid crowds and stay home more. If you have to come into contact with a lot of people, you could wear a protective mask.

While there is a lot of concern about the possibility of an outbreak in people, there is also a lot of uncertainty. In fact, the WHO says that the threat of a pandemic might last for months or years. Whether it will ever occur, how long it might take, and to what extent it could have an impact on people are all still unknown. It's important to stay calm and keep informed in the event of an outbreak.

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