Facts about the Avian Flu

The avian flu is a threat that many of us have become familiar with as of lately, with the news warning us that a pandemic may be looming. A pandemic is a type of worldwide sickness that occurs when a virus that hasn't previously affected humans mutates and becomes transmissible from person to person. The avian flu is a type of flu that originated in birds, but is now presenting a very serious threat to mankind. In this article, we'll let you know some things about the avian flu that you may not be familiar with as of yet.

-- The threat of the avian flu is very serious considering the fact that normal flu strains are small respiratory illnesses that tend to go away quickly. The avian flu, on the other hand, attacks the body fiercely and quickly, with viral pneumonia occurring in many cases. Due to the way that H5N1 behaves once it is in the human body, the mortality rate from the illness has been recorded at roughly fifty percent of all known cases resulting in death. Also, where the normal flu is usually only life threatening to those who are very young or those who are very old, this strain of flu has caused death to occur in previously healthy adults.

-- There are three steps in a global influenza pandemic. The first is for a virus to come about that the human body isn't resistant to, which has already occurred with the discovery of the H5N1 strain. The second step in a pandemic is for the virus to be able to attack humans, which has also already occurred, with over 100 documented cases of the avian flu being recorded by medical practitioners. The third step necessary for a pandemic to occur is the virus mutating so that it can be easily transmissible amongst humans. This step hasn't occurred yet, but every time a human gets infected with the H5N1 virus, there is a chance that the virus will mutate.

-- The birds that are transmitting the avian flu spread it through many different ways. The saliva of infected birds has the virus present within it, as well as the nasal secretions and the birds' feces. Poultry farmers need to take special care to ensure that the virus does not infect their flock, as the illness can spread quickly. Ducks are actually 'carriers' of the virus, who are not affected by it but continue to spread the virus through their feces.

-- When it comes to eating poultry, there has not been any indication that you may contract bird flu through it. The avian flu virus is known to die at a temperature of 165 degrees, so to be safe, ensure that your chicken is cooked all the way through to a healthy internal temperature. You should also ensure that your cutting boards are properly sterilized after cutting chicken so that you do not cross-contaminate other foods that you may be cutting. Bleach and water is useful when it comes to sterilizing cutting boards.