Avian influenza, or bird flu, is caused by influenza A viruses that infect birds. The H5N1 subtype has infected humans in rare cases. Symptoms in birds include coughing, sneezing, and diarrhea, while humans experience fever, fatigue, and pneumonia. The virus can survive outside hosts for long periods and spreads through contact with infected bird droppings. Prevention focuses on limiting contact between domestic and wild birds. There is no vaccine for birds, but the antiviral drug Tamiflu may help treat humans. Your odds of catching bird flu are estimated at 1 in 100 million.

1. Bird Flue
Avian Influenza

2. • Avian influenza, more commonly known as
bird flu is a contagious viral infection which
can affect all species of birds. This
infectious disease is caused by type A
strain of the influenza virus. There are
about fifteen subtypes of influenza viruses.
Influenza A (H5N1) is a subtype of the
Type A influenza virus

5. The 1918 flu pandemic killed more people than WWI

6. • The virus was first isolated from birds
(terns) in South Africa in 1961
• Avian influenza A (H5N1) was first
recognised in 1997 in Hong Kong
• During this outbreak, 18 people were
affected, with six deaths and the outbreak
was halted in Hong Kong by slaughter of
the chickens.

7. • In 2003, H7N7 avian influenza affected poultry
flocks in the Netherlands, leading to one human
death amongst 83 affected people. The outbreak
was halted by culling affected flocks.
• H5N1 has recently re-emerged in many Asian
countries in slightly altered form. The disease
have been confirmed among poultry in
Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia,
Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand and
Vietnam.

9. Symptoms
• Symptoms include
coughing, sneezing, ruffled
feathers, swelling of the
skin under the eyes,
blisters on the combs,
swollen heads, nervous
signs like depression, and
diarrhea. Decreased food
consumption and drops in
egg production are among
some of the earliest and
most predictable signs of
disease. In some cases,
birds die rapidly without
clinical signs of disease.

10. Human
• Subtypes of the influenza A virus known
as (H5N1) and (H9N2) have been known
to infect humans. The symptoms of avian
influenza in humans are akin to those of
human influenza, fever, fatigue, malaise,
myalgia, sore throat, cough and in severe
cases pneumonia. Conjunctivitis is seen in
some patients.

11. Spreading
• Certain water birds act as hosts of avian
influenza virus by carrying the virus in their
intestinal tract and shedding it in their
feces.
• Infected birds shed virus in saliva, nasal
secretions and feces.

12. • The avian influenza virus can remain
viable for long periods of time at moderate
temperatures, and can survive indefinitely
in frozen material. As a result, the disease
can be spread through improper disposal
of infected carcasses, manure, or poultry
by-products.

13. • Transmission of Avian influenza A from
birds to humans is a rare event; but it may
spread to humans, when they come into
contact with the droppings of infected birds

18. Prevention
• Infected birds shed virus in the first two
weeks of infection
• No contact with newly affected and
suspectable birds
• Preventing direct contact with free-flying
birds and protecting domestic poultry from
contact with the feces of wild birds is an
important way to prevent avian influenza.

19. • Apart from being highly
contagious, avian influenza
viruses are readily transmitted
from farm to farm by
mechanical means, such as by
contaminated equipment,
vehicles, feed, cages, or
clothing
•Highly pathogenic viruses can survive for long
periods in the environment, especially when
temperatures are low. In the absence of prompt
control measures backed by good surveillance, the
epidemic can last for years

20. • Any object located
on an infected
poultry farm must
be considered
contaminated and
should be
completely
cleaned and
disinfected before
it is moved from
that premises.

21. • Influenza viruses are very sensitive to most detergents
and disinfectants.
• They are readily inactivated by heating and drying.
However, flu viruses are well-protected from inactivation
by organic material and infectious virus can be
recovered from manure for up to 105 days.
• Complete removal of all organic material is part of any
effective disinfection procedure.
• All buildings should be cleaned and disinfected after an
infected flock is removed.
• The poultry litter should be composted before being used
as manure to cultivated lands.

22. • Organic material should be removed
followed by complete cleaning and
disinfection of all surfaces. Contaminated
litter and manure is problematic and
should be composted to ensure that it
does not spread infectious virus.

23. Treatment
• There is no effective treatment for avian
influenza. Good husbandry, proper nutrition and
broad spectrum antibiotics may
reduce secondary infections
• Diagnosis of avian influenza may be made on
the basis of symptoms and events leading to the
disease. However, since the symptoms and
course of avian influenza are similar to other
diseases, laboratory diagnosis is essential.

24. • Recently discovered anti-viral drug, Tamiflue is
considered as the only possible defense against
an outbreak of human to human avian flue.
• A chemical compound called shikimic acid is the
basic material for making Tamiflue drug.
• The acid is extracted from a spice named star
anise, which is harvested in China, North
Vietnam and neighbouring countries.
• The drug has proved effective against the lethal
H5N1 strain of the bird flu. The drug will not
prevent the Avian flue but it can reduce the
severity of the disease.

26. Lottery win more likely than bird flu
Your chances of winning the lottery are about 1 in 14 million.
Your chances of catching bird flu are more like 1 in 100
million,