Resumo de Avian Flu?are We Ready For It?

Write your abstract here.Avian Flu?Are we ready for it?
Avian flu
is particularly used to describe the influenza viruses that infect bird
species like domestic birds such as chickens & hens. Some of these
viruses do not effect or have very mild symptoms but some are very
fatal and lead to severe epidemics. These viruses are highly pathogenic
avian influenza and it is these viruses that are a major concern for
the medical fraternity around the world, particularly in the Asian
subcontinent as it is the worst hit region by the deadly avian flu.

The cause
of worry is that this avian flu virus has enough compatibility to merge
with the human virus and enter the human body leading to fatal disease
and death. People who are in close contact with birds like those at
farms or markets are the easiest targets leading to wide spread loss of
life as this virus is infectious in nature! The Spanish flu epidemic
which occurred in 1918-1919 was of a similar type leading to the death
of estimated 50 million people worldwide.
How is Avian Flu transmitted?
A bird
infected with this flu sheds this virus in its feaces, saliva and
mucus. Other birds become infected by eating or inhaling the virus. The
virus can infect people who are in close contact with infected birds
like that in bird markets, farm or contact with live poultry. People
cannot catch avian flu from eating cooked chickens.
Symptoms of Avian flu
Avian Flu
causes similar symptoms like that of normal flu in humans like fever,
cough, sore throat, conjunctivitis. In more severe cases, breathing
problems and pneumonia may cause death.

Are there any treatments available for avian flu?
There are
enough of antiviral medications used to treat human flu virus that are
well versed in combating the bird flu virus as well. One of the leading
drugs for bird flu is Tamiflu. This potent antiviral drug contains
minerals and supplements as a protection against the bird flu virus.
Other effective drugs are amantadine, rimantadine, relenza.
There
might be a possibility that the bird flu virus may never become so
lethal that it spreads as a epidemic. But it is wiser to follow history
which has taught us to learn a lesson and implement all possible
efforts to combat such difficult situations which nature poses in front
of us.

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