Bird Flu FAQ

Flu pandemics have a relatively predictable rate of occurring, statistics showing that they appear around 3 times per century. Their intensity depends on the power of the virus, as well as the speed with which humanity combats it. The last such pandemic, the bird flu (also known as avian influenza) has not yet fully developed, greatly due to the fact that hasty measures have been taken in order to lower its effects. The more informed we are, the higher the chance of stopping the bird flu before it expands to an uncontrollable rate. For this matter, we have compiled a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about the bird flu, hopefully doing our small part in informing you about it.

Q: What is the bird flu?

A: The bird flu is the newest type of influenza virus, affecting birds (both wild and domestic ones). Birds are known to be a good "support" for such viruses, however in the last decade, these viruses started amplifying, causing severe contagions among bird populations, leading to several epidemics worldwide.

Q: If the avian flu affects birds, why should we worry about it?

A: Until recently, it was thought that avian flu only infects birds. Over the last few years however, there were more and more cases of humans catching the disease, especially humans working in close contact to the birds. This process, called "species jumping" is extremely worrying, since further mutations of the virus might allow it to spread from a human being to another one, possibly starting a new flu pandemic.

Q: How is bird flu transmitted?

A: The flu virus can be found inside a bird's saliva, faeces and mucus generally. Any contact between another bird and an infected bird's "flu sources" has a chance of spreading the disease. Humans can become infected in the same manner, although the chances of a human catching the disease this way are quite slim in comparison to a bird.

Q: Can I catch bird flu if I eat cooked chicken?

A: No, it has been proven that humans cannot catch bird flu from eating cooked chicken, at least not in the virus' current form. However, even if the virus would suffer from severe mutations in the following years, the chances of a human being getting infected by simply eating cooked chicken meat will be extremely low.

Q: Is anything being done to contain the spread of a new flu pandemic?

A: Yes, although the effects of bird flu have not yet been extremely powerful, extraordinary measures are being taken on a world-wide scale in order to contain the spread of the disease. Entire poultry stocks are being culled in the areas where the virus was found and specific antiviral medicine has been developed in order to prevent and treat human cases of bird flu.

Q: How do I know if I have a normal flu or bird flu? When should I start worrying?

A: Unfortunately, both diseases have some common symptoms such as fever, coughing, conjunctivitis, aching muscles or sore throat. Bird flu intensifies these symptoms and will also cause severe breathing problems and pneumonia. Unlike your average human flu, bird flu has a higher chance of being fatal, hence it needs to be treated with intensified measures.

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