All about Avian Influenza Virus, Avian Virus

Flu not in TN air, say animal experts

2006-02-24T05:49:00.000-08:00

Flu not in TN air, say animal experts

M BHARAT KUMARChennai, Feb 20:

The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department has geared itself up to tackle any outbreak of bird flu in Tamilnadu.

Close on the heels of the Maharashtra Government confirming the presence of strains of
avian virus flu in a few chickens in Nadurbar district in the State yesterday, panic gripped all over the country and sale of the birds and eggs dropped fast in several places. SMSs have started doing the rounds asking people to stop eating chicken.

Talking to News Today, a senior doctor of the Tamilnadu Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, dismissed the fear as needless.

'The situation is well under control in the State and check posts have been put up at three places ? Thalavadi, Hosur and Katpadi to check lorries and trucks bringing poultry and eggs into Tamilnadu', he said.

'A red alert has been issued at all poultry farms and hatcheries throughout the State and they have been sanitised and quarantined.

Several hatcheries in the districts have been asked to come up with protective bio-shields', he added.

The doctor said there had been no trace of the H5N1 virus anywhere in the State. 'Moreover, our method of cooking, which involves deep-frying and boiling, will kill the bird flu virus, if at all it exists,' he added. The avian influenza virus is also sensitive to commercial disinfectants and alcohol, he added.

Sanctuaries safe

Similarly samples collected from wild and migratory birds in the various sanctuaries in Tamilnadu showed no signs of H51N- virus, a Forest Department official said. He appealed to bird watchers to tell the department if they sighted any dead bird.

Drastic drop in sales

As TV channels reported the disease, panic gripped people in Chennai.

Said Zakir Hussain, who runs a chicken outlet: 'Sales dropped drastically. People are afraid to eat chicken now. On an average, I sell over 150 kg meat on Sundays. But yesterday, I sold hardly 60 kg'.

Same was the case with several restaurants.

Hoteliers and caterers said the same story. 'The fear is so much. People even avoid eggs,' said the owner of a fairly crowded eating house in the city. Many others whom this reporter spoke to, said they feared the eggs might get spoiled if they do not use them in another day or two.

Reports reaching here this morning said hundreds of trucks carrying poultry and eggs were waiting at Palaiyaru, on the Kerala - Tamilnadu border entry. Talks were on with officials for entry into the State.

No need for tension

The National Egg Co-Ordination Committee and All India Poultry Development Services have issued statements stating that everything is in control and people could continue eating chicken and eggs. They have also appealed to the Centre not to go ahead with culling and vaccination programme until fresh samples are sent for testing and the results are received.

The Tamilnadu Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has opened a helpline which would function round the clock. The telephone number is 24338714.

Meanwhile, Vishwanath She-gonkar, Secretary of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, told presspersons that the State had not been affected by the avian influenza.

Four checkposts had been set up to screen the vehicles coming from Maharashtra, he said adding that, 'we have barred the entry of any vehicle carrying poultry from Maharashtra.' He also said other vehicles too would be sprayed with disinfectant before letting it into the State.

Personal protective equipment and fogging machines had also been kept ready in all district offices of the Animal Husbandry Department, he said urging poultry farmers to wear masks and protective gears, and also clean their hands with disinfectants.

He also requested the farmers to contact the following numbers in case they come across any symptoms of the avian flu - 24338714, 24339097

If Tamiflu won't save us...

2006-02-23T00:12:00.000-08:00

If Tamiflu won't save us from the avian flu, is there anything that can?

The short answer: There's no way to tell for sure. But if a pandemic does occur, there are several natural ways to provide your immune system with a sort of "security force" that might give you an edge.

In the e-Alert "Fantastic Four" (10/3/05), I told you about four pathogen destroyers recommended by Jon Barron. (A pathogen is a disease-causing microorganism that may arrive in the form of bacterium, virus, fungus or parasite.)

Garlic
Excellent for fighting both bacterial and viral infections Effective against strep and staph bacteria Helps clear mucous from the lungs

Grapefruit seed extract
A natural antibiotic and a broad-spectrum anti-pathogen Helps fight influenza, colds, gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhea, food poisoning, parasites, candida yeast infections, oral infections, sore throat, strep throat, and sinusitis

Olive leaf extract
In one laboratory test an olive leaf extract effectively eliminated a wide range of organisms, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and yeast/mold/fungus

Oil of wild mountain oregano
Rich in minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, manganese) and vitamins C and A Antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic Strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects

Note that, except for garlic, these anti-pathogens can produce harmful effects in the intestines by destroying beneficial bacteria, in which case a probiotic supplement would be advantageous.

For more information about these four anti-pathogens (as well as advice from HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., about mega-dosing with viamin C), you can find the e-Alert "Fantastic Four" on our web site at hsibaltimore.com.

Bird Flu: Nigeria Caught Napping Again

2006-02-22T05:51:00.000-08:00

If medals were to be awarded to countries for fire brigade approach to national issues, Nigeria obviously would score first. This fact was brought to the fore about a fortnight ago when the presence of the deadly strain of bird flu virus was confirmed in the country. As usual, the country was thrown into confusion as the government grappled with what to do to stamp out the influx of the alien virus. Science Reporter, Onche Odeh, observes that, like in the cases of polio, HIV/AIDS, among others, Nigeria was again caught off guard.

On Wednesday, February 8, the Nigerian media was awash with news of the sudden discovery of the deadly avian flu among birds in a commercial poultry farm in Jaji, Kaduna State.
The confirmation that the highly pathogenic strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus was responsible for the death of a huge number of birds in a farm owned by a serving minister marked the first reported case of the disease in Africa, as confirmed by Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health.

As usual, this triggered a presidential emergency response, as President Olusegun Obasanjo announced less than a week later the establishment of a crisis management centre in Aso Rock, Abuja, to co-ordinate all measures to stamp out the bird flu from the country.
The president had directed that the centre’s activities be supervised by the Ministers of Health, Professor Eyitayo Lambo, Information and National Orientation, Frank Nweke Jnr., and Agriculture, Alhaji Adamu Bello, on a 24-hour basis.

Also, a task force raised by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration was drafted to test all birds in Aso Rock and destroy them if susceptible to the virus. This measure is to be taken to FCT streets where officials of the task force would visit private homes to pick birds for test and destruction.

At state level, governments and public institutions such as universities have continued to unfold steps initiated by to contain the virus spread.

All these amounts to reactionary measures, which are viewed as indictment on government, being the determinant of most of the policies in the country.

It would be recalled that an emergency committee was set up by the minister of health when it was suspected that Nigeria could fall victim of the avian flu during the wake of the outbreak in Asia.

Dr. Edughie Abebe, then a director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health, had warned over two years ago during a WHO Assembly meeting that Nigeria and Africa may soon witness an outbreak of influenza.

She obviously was thinking of human influenza and not this soon.
The rationale behind the constitution of the committee in November 2005 while the outbreak raged in parts of Asia and Europe was seriously questioned even as the country was still caught off guards by the deadly avian flu.

The health minister had stated during the inauguration of that committee that it urgent assignment was to prepare and produce a specific pandemic preparedness and health sector response action plan in four weeks.

The first four weeks, beginning late November and December, went and another went in January only for us to suddenly wake up to the reality in the first week of February.
This marks the failure of a committee made up of seasoned epidemiologists, virologists and laboratory experts, who were mandated to search for the virus in the northern wetlands and among poultry farms and markets.

Last month, Nigeria had sent veterinary scientists to the northern wetlands to find out if any of the migrating birds there has the virus.

This was never ascertained until we caught the deadly bug.
The headship of the committee in an attempt to exonerate the team had accused the government of lackadaisical approach in preparing for the outbreak.
Although the Minister of Information and National Orientation had disregarded reports of the spread of the flu to other human cases, it remains uncertain.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus found in Nigeria was identified by a laboratory in Padova, Italy. The laboratory is conducting further analysis to ascertain its genetic composition as well as define the degree of genetic homology with the currently known H5N1 strains.

The greater atmosphere of uncertainty pervades the country as suspected cases of the avian flu were reported in the Southern part of the country, but government claims this was not true. Meanwhile, government veterinary officials said the initial tests on chickens that mysteriously died in another northern state showed no sign of bird flu.
Experts are particularly concerned that H5N1 might mutate into a form spread easily among humans, triggering a pandemic capable of killing millions.

It is, however, unfortunate that the response was only sequel to an influx, despite the high-profile anticipation.

Failed Regional Response

Earlier in January this year, representatives from 18 countries across West and Central Africa attended a regional conference in Malian capital, Bamako, to discuss avian influenza.
The event, which took place before the first confirmed outbreak of bird flu in Africa, was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in conjunction with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).

The primary objectives were to improve regional co-ordination by launching a bird surveillance network, reinforce national monitoring capacity in participating states as well as help governments prepare for bird flu emergency.
Then participants were asked to begin work on an action plan to be drawn and implemented with FAO assistance.

Nigeria alongside 17 other African countries attended that summit.

The Bamako conference was one of five events organised by the FAO in December 2005 and January 2006 in regions that had then not reported any case of bird flu.

Three conferences were held in North Africa, East Africa and West Africa, and others in Central Europe and the Middle East. But it is ironical that all these conferences could still not form a barricade against the influx of the virus in Africa.

Dr. David Nabarro, of the World Health Organisation (WHO), said the virus has spread wider than was currently expected.

"If it's in Nigeria it might also be in other countries that are less well-equipped."
His reaction followed that of WHO Director General, Dr. Wong-Jong Lee, who regarded the confirmation of the Nigerian case as bad omen for Africa.

“This is the first reported incidence of this highly pathogenic virus on the continent, where people are already enduring the HIV/AIDS pandemic and other serious infectious diseases,” Dr. Lee said in a statement to the press.

While referring to the experience in Asian countries and most recently in Turkey, he said, “….Slaughtering, de-feathering or butchering infected, sick or dead birds can put people at risk.

The home slaughter and consumption of birds, which appear to be sick, is high-risk behaviour. Ideally, people culling and disposing of birds should have protective equipment.”
Meanwhile, WHO is offering support to Nigeria's national public information campaign. The polio eradication infrastructure in Nigeria is also being mobilised to support other essential surveillance and protective measures such as monitoring for human cases, support for early warning systems, and logistics support for containment, treatment, and laboratory functions.

This was confirmed to Daily Independent by WHO headquarters last week on phone.
The communication officer confirmed the arrival of the WHO team in Lagos, South-West Nigeria, to help Nigerian government contained further spread.

The general interest in stamping out this outbreak in Nigeria is understandable, as the DG explains thus: “This latest outbreak confirms that no country is immune to H5N1. Every country is at risk. There is a risk that outbreaks of H5N1 infection in birds could spread within Nigeria and into neighbouring countries. Nigeria is one of several African countries located on the Black Sea-Mediterranean flyway used by migratory birds.”

Effort To Halt Spread

In a swift response, world veterinary experts raced to help Nigeria contain the bird flu outbreak in the North of the country soon after its presence in Africa was confirmed.
There is, however, i a snag, as authorities in northern Nigerian state of Kano, where the deadly bird flu is also found to be decimating chickens and endangering people, have allegedly stopped the United Nations experts from visiting poultry farms.

Two experts from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have arrived the capital of the state, where the deadly H5N1 strain was also confirmed on February 8 on two farms, as more than 30 other farms are reporting mass poultry deaths.
Boubacar Seck, co-ordinator of the FAO West African Regional Project on Avian Influenza said,

“The Kano State authorities said it was not feasible in terms of bio-security. I have my own protective suit and so do members of the team... but they said they didn't have enough for everybody.”

This also portends great danger, as Kano has the penchant for disregarding world response to critical health issues as witnessed during the polio vaccine controversy. This caused the 2005 target set by WHO for polio eradication across the world to fail.
European authorities are already assessing the risk from migratory birds making the journey north from West Africa this spring, although how big a factor migration is in spreading the disease is still in dispute.

The highly pathogenic virus strain found in Nigeria is said to be similar to those found in birds in Siberia and Mongolia, and further tests are underway to determine how close the Nigerian samples are to the H5N1 detected in other parts of the world.

The news of the Nigerian outbreak coincided with fears that bird flu is now spreading through Iraq. The avian virus, which has already claimed the life of a teenager in Kurdistan, is now being investigated as possible cause of death of a pigeon-seller in the southern city of Amara. World-wide, 88 of the 165 people confirmed as being infected with the avian virus have died.
The threat, however, remains that the virus would mutate further into something that can spread easily between people and kill millions.

Tamiflu

2006-02-21T00:02:00.000-08:00

A new kind of flu is sweeping the world. It's called Tamiflu.

Tamiflu Symptoms: Fear and panic over shocking reports about the millions of deaths that a global pandemic of avian flu might cause. This symptom is often followed by a desire to grasp at straws in search of a defense against avian flu.

Tamiflu, of course, is the name of a popular prescription drug designed to reduce the symptoms and severity of influenza. So, 1) you've got a medication that's reputed to stop the flu, and 2) you've got a potential pandemic percolating in Asia. Consumers can add. One plus one equals a desire to purchase and hoard Tamiflu. On the surface, it might seem like a good idea to have some Tamiflu on hand. After all, if the avian flu does turn into a true pandemic you can be certain that supplies of the drug will be scarce and very expensive.

Also, Tamiflu is only effective when taken shortly after the onset of a flu. Obviously that won't be the best time to start looking for something that's in short supply. But does Tamiflu actually provide a good defense against avian flu? According to an article that ran in the Washington Post last October; two different research teams recently devised mathematical models that showed how a "widespread use of Tamiflu at the outbreak site" might slow or even stop a strain of the avian flu that could be passed from one human to another. But those mathematical models are counting on Tamiflu to be effective. Numbers don't lie, but in this case they might be overly optimistic.

Last month the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published an article with details about two Vietnamese patients with avian flu who were treated with Tamiflu shortly after symptoms were identified. Both patients died. But they didn't die because Tamiflu was ineffective. They died because the virus developed resistance to Tamiflu.

If the drug had only been ineffective, that would have been discouraging. But the fact that resistance developed is far more troubling, indicating a very adaptable virus. Writing in NEJM, Anne Moscona, M.D., a Cornell University medical professor, noted that the misuse of Tamiflu stockpiles may promote resistance, lessening the usefulness of the drug. She concluded that stockpiling should be strongly discouraged.

So...how do you put a good spin on that one? According to ABC News, a representative of Roche Laboratories, Inc. (the maker of Tamiflu) reacted to the NEJM report with a news briefing about eight avian flu patients who were treated with the drug. Four of the patients showed a drop in viral levels and survived. The other four patients died. This outcome was offered by the Roche rep as evidence that Tamiflu is effective against the virus. (I guess he's a glass-half-full type of guy.) He didn't happen to mention that among the approximately 120 people who have contracted avian flu over the past two years, about half have survived.

Meanwhile, back in China, star anise supplies are fading fast. Star anise is a Chinese fruit from which skikimic acid is extracted to make a synthetic component called oseltamivir, the active ingredient of Tamiflu. So not only is star anise becoming scarce, but some are concerned that Chinese authorities may ban the export of the fruit in order make sure their own oseltamivir supplies don't dwindle.

But there is another source of skikimic acid: Christmas trees. More specifically, the needles of pine, fir and spruce trees contain enough of the acid to produce about 40 grams of oseltamivir from a kilogram of needles.

This has prompted a small drug company in Canada to request various cities (Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, etc.) to donate Christmas trees that are collected from curbs. Toronto has already agreed to donate half a million trees, which could produce about 50 million oseltamivir tables. Which would be very comforting if there were any solid evidence at all that oseltamivir/Tamiflu is genuinely effective in treating avian flu.

Sources: "Oseltamivir Resistance - Disabling Our Influenza Defenses" Anne Moscona, M.D., The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 353, No. 25, 12/22//05, content.nejm.org

"Bird Flu Victims Die After Drug Resistance" Alicia Chang, Associated Press, 12/21/05, ap.org

"The Trouble with Tamiflu" Joy Victory, ABC News Internet Ventures, 12/21/05, abcnews.go.com

"Run on Drug for Avian Flu Has Physicians Worried" David Brown, Washington Post, 10/22/05, washingtonpost.com

"Christmas Trees to the Rescue" Joel Kom, The Gazette (Montreal), CanWest News Service, 12/27/05, canada.com

"Interstate Bakeries Sees Large 1-Month Loss" Associated Press, 12/28/05, abcnews.go.com

Bird Flu in Britain

2006-02-19T23:50:00.000-08:00

The death of a bird in Britain wouldn't normally be covered by local news outlets in London, much less TV network outlets in the U.S. But if that bird dies from the H5N1 "bird flu," that's international news.

When H5N1 was found to be the flu that killed a UK parrot last week, it was a relief to find out that the bird had died while in quarantine, and had apparently picked up the flu from a quarantined Taiwanese bird.

But that's fairly small comfort in a world already on edge about the potential for an H5N1 pandemic.

Since the beginning of October, traces of H5N1 have been detected in birds in Turkey, Romania and Greece. No humans have been infected in these countries, but Bill Bonner (whose name many of you know from the Daily Reckoning e-letter) offered this assessment of the European mood in a recent DR: "Europe is watching the movement of Avian Flu bugs as if they were a Mongol army. The whole continent is on the verge of hysteria, with newspapers predicting 50,000 deaths in Britain alone."

No hysteria yet on this side of the Atlantic, but plenty of nervousness. So I'm not surprised that we've received many e-mails like this one from a member named Leslie: "Can I please have info on how to protect myself from this avian flu?"

----------------------------------------- The good with the bad -----------------------------

The best way to avoid seasonal colds and influenza is to strengthen your immune system with regular exercise, a balanced diet of nutritious whole foods, an adequate amount of sleep, and a minimum of stress.

Unfortunately, H5N1 is like a double agent spy who tricks the immune system into defeating itself.

In a recent issue of his Baseline of Health e-letter, Jon Barron explained that H5N1 appears to trigger acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), just as the Spanish Flu of 1918 did. When the immune system recognizes a virus unlike any that's been previously detected, it launches into overdrive, producing a surge of immune system chemicals that damage lung tissue when the surge becomes extreme. Severe cases of ARDS lead to suffocation.

Obviously, it's not logical to defend yourself by weakening your immune system. But there are ways to give your immune system a boost when the enemy is as formidable as H5N1.

Jon recently sent me an e-mail with this note: "Building up the immune system without using antiviral agents to lessen the viral load is likely to increase your chances of dying with avian flu. On the other hand, building the immune system AND using antivirals gives you the best of both worlds."

There's another powerful antiviral nutrient that's well known, but still doesn't get the recognition it deserves: vitamin C.

Allan Spreen, M.D., believes that vitamin C can knock out any virus - including H5N1 - if enough is taken. In an e-mail, Dr. Spreen noted that the key word is "enough."

He writes: "The required dose can, indeed, be huge...even upwards of 100,000 milligrams/day.
"During flu season, a person wanting some 'health insurance' would be well advised to take 2,000 mg of C (orally) 3x/day, along with alpha lipoic acid (ALA), 400-600 mg 1-2x/day. If you get flu-like symptoms, then the vitamin C should be increased to 2,000-3,000 mg per HOUR, up to bowel tolerance."

In other words, the first signs of diarrhea indicate that you've reached the upper dosage limit. But once a flu sets in, Dr. Spreen says getting to bowel tolerance is "nearly impossible," even with as much as 100 1-gram capsules of vitamin C in eight hours. "Often, until a certain threshold is reached (variable with both the victim, and the extent of the infection), there are no changes at all - then wham, the patient is (very) rapidly much improved. Once the virus is overwhelmed, then a far lower dose will cause diarrhea."

Intravenous mega doses of C (IVC) might be necessary to defeat a virus as daunting as H5N1. To find a naturopathic doctor in your area who can administer IVC, check the web site for the American College for the Advancement of Medicine (acam.org).

As always, it's a good idea to consult with your doctor before beginning any high-dose supplement regimen.

Sources:
"UK Parrot had Deadly Flu Strain" BBC News, 10/24/05, news.bbc.co.uk "Katie May Try Other Therapy" Jamie Powell, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 10/22/05, caller.com

Ready for the flu chic?

2006-02-19T23:40:00.000-08:00

Well, "chic" might be overstating it. But suddenly the flu is a hot topic.

Bestselling author Myla Goldberg has just published "Wickett's Remedy," a novel about a young woman coping with the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.

The October 2005 issue of National Geographic features "The Next Killer Flu" on the cover

She writes, "They talked about a killer flu they're expecting this flu season. This sounds different than the normal flu hype. From what I've heard, it sounds serious enough that it's causing me to wonder if I should get a flu shot this year (and I'm normally adamantly against them). I know it won't protect me against the 'new' flu, but it may help protect me from something. Any thoughts?"

A member named Sharon recaps the H5N1 story in a nutshell: "It has started in chickens and awhile back they were destroying these chickens at a very rapid pace. It now goes from the chickens to humans, what they are so afraid of is if it mutates and jumps from human to human."

The National Geographic cover story on H5N1 is fascinating but very unsettling. If you feel up to it you can preview some of the article at nationalgeographic.com.

But fears of an H5N1 pandemic aside, members on this "Flu" thread also discuss the pros and cons of getting a flu shot:

"I don't think the flu vaccine will help you one bit.
First of all, they only guess at the strain when making it and if this flu is 'new' then it won't be made for that strain.

Secondly, I truly believe that vaccines will compromise your immune system - not build it up. Do things that will build up your immune system and you should be okay."

"One year, maybe 3 or 4 years ago the flu season was bad. Not a big killer flu but a lot of people got it. I worked in a nursing home for a short while then. All the residents got flu shots as well as almost all the employees, except me. Well, they all got the flu and I did not. Some residents died from bacterial complications in an already debilitated body. The flu shot is worthless. I have decided to keep on hand: Olive leaf extract, colloidal silver, serrapeptase."

"My late father-in-law survived the 1918 flu epidemic to live to age 92. He did come down with the disease and his family was giving him the \'starve a fever\' routine. He said he was getting weaker and weaker and got up in the middle of the night and snuck into the kitchen and chowed down on leftovers. The next morning he was better."

The human body needs plenty of high quality nutrients to fight the flu or the common cold, fever or no fever.

Avian Flu

2006-02-17T04:58:00.000-08:00

Avian Flu

H5N1 is a subtype of the species called avian influenza virus (bird flu). Avian flu is a disease and avian flu virus is a species. The avian flu virus subtypes are labeled according to an H number and an N number.

The avian influenza subtypes that have been confirmed in humans, ordered by the number of known human deaths, are:

H1N1 caused "Spanish Flu",
H2N2 caused "Asian Flu",
H3N2 caused "Hong Kong Flu",
H5N1 is the current pandemic threat,
H7N7 has unusual zoonotic potential,
H1N2 is currently endemic in humans and pigs,
H9N2, H7N2, H7N3, H10N7.

The annual flu (also called "seasonal flu" or "human flu") kills an estimated 36,000 people in the United States each year. The dominant strain of annual flu virus in January 2006 was H3N2 which is now resistant to the standard antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine.

Avian influenza virus H3N2 is endemic in pigs ("swine flu") in China and has been detected in pigs in Vietnam, increasing fears of the emergence of new variant strains. Health experts say pigs can carry human influenza viruses, which can combine (i.e. exchange homologous genome sub-units by genetic reassortment.) with H5N1, swapping genes and mutating into a form which can pass easily among humans. A combination of these two subtypes of the species known as the avian flu virus in a country like China is a worst case scenerio.

Influenza Pandemics

2006-02-17T04:46:00.000-08:00

An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of influenza and occurs when a new influenza virus emerges, spreads, and causes disease worldwide. Past influenza pandemics have led to high levels of illness, death, social disruption and economic loss.

There were 3 pandemics in the 20th century. All of them spread worldwide within 1 year of being detected. They are:

1918-19, "Spanish flu," [A (H1N1)], caused the highest number of known flu deaths: more than 500,000 people died in the United States, and 20 million to 50 million people may have died worldwide. Many people died within the first few days after infection and others died of complications soon after. Nearly half of those who died were young, healthy adults.

1957-58, "Asian flu," [A (H2N2)], caused about 70,000 deaths in the United States. First identified in China in late February 1957, the Asian flu spread to the United States by June 1957.

1968-69, "Hong Kong flu," [A (H3N2)], caused approximately 34,000 deaths in the United States. This virus was first detected in Hong Kong in early 1968 and spread to the United States later that year. Type A (H3N2) viruses still circulate today.

Once a new pandemic influenza virus emerges and spreads, it typically becomes established among people and circulates for many years.

Potential for an Influenza Pandemic

2006-02-17T04:42:00.000-08:00

Potential for an Influenza Pandemic

All influenza viruses can change. It is possible that an avian influenza virus could change so that it could infect humans and could spread easily from person to person. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. If an avian virus were able to infect people and gain the ability to spread easily from person to person, an “influenza pandemic” could begin.

Symptoms of Avian Influenza in Humans

2006-02-16T04:40:00.000-08:00

Symptoms of Avian Influenza in Humans

The reported symptoms of avian influenza in humans have ranged from typical influenza-like symptoms (e.g., fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, viral pneumonia, and other severe and life-threatening complications.

Characteristics of Avian Influenza in Birds

2006-02-16T04:39:00.000-08:00

Characteristics of Avian Influenza in Birds

Certain water birds act as hosts of influenza viruses by carrying the virus in their intestines and shedding it. Infected birds shed virus in saliva, nasal secretions and feces. Avian influenza viruses spread among susceptible birds when they have contact with contaminated nasal, respiratory and fecal material from infected birds; however, fecal-to-oral transmission is the most common mode of spread.

Most influenza viruses cause no symptoms, or only mild ones in wild birds; however, the range of symptoms in birds varies greatly depending on the strain of virus and the type of bird.

Infection with certain avian influenza A viruses (for example, some H5 and H7 strains) can cause widespread disease and death among some species of wild and especially domesticated birds such as chickens and turkeys.

Learn more about the bird flu

2006-02-16T04:33:00.000-08:00

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Type A influenza viruses can infect several animal species, including birds, pigs, horses, seals and whales.

Influenza viruses that infect birds are called “avian influenza viruses.” Birds are an especially important species because all known subtypes of influenza

A viruses circulate among wild birds, which are considered the natural hosts for influenza A viruses. Avian influenza viruses do not usually directly infect humans or circulate among humans.

Influenza A viruses can be divided into subtypes on the basis of their surface proteins — hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). There are 15 known H subtypes. While all subtypes can be found in birds, only 3 subtypes of HA (H1, H2 and H3) and two subtypes of NA (N1 and N2) are known to have circulated widely in humans.

Avian influenza usually does not make wild birds sick, but can make domesticated birds very sick and kill them. Avian influenza A viruses do not usually infect humans; however, several instances of human infections and outbreaks have been reported since 1997.

When such infections occur, public health authorities monitor the situation closely because of concerns about the potential for more widespread infection in the human population.