Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.

Bird flu, or avian flu, is currently of great concern worldwide. Governments are greatly concerned of a pandemic of bird flu that could kill millions.

Tamiflu is the main drug for the treatment of bird flu. Tamiflu can lessen the effects of bird flu, speed up recovery. Tamiflu can also minimize the effects of bird flu to the point that a patient may survive the virus when, without Tamiflu, the attack would have been fatal. Tamiflu is the only drug that is this effective against the bird flu virus.

These drugs must be taken within two days after the appearance of symptoms, something that may prove logistically difficult on a worldwide scale, even if there were enough to go around. Because they’re in short supply, it’s not entirely clear how flu drugs would be allocated if there were a widespread epidemic.

Avian refers to birds and flu is the common name for influenza. Avian flu is influenza that infects birds, including wild birds such as ducks and domestic birds such as chickens. Avian flu is caused by influenza virus type A. There are 15 subtypes influenza A, two of which affect birds. These are called the H5 and the H7 subtypes.1

These viruses are known as “highly pathogenic (disease-causing) avian influenza” (HPAI). They produce a severe disease in birds and are rapidly fatal, leading to bird flu epidemics.

Currently, wearing a mask is not recommended for routine use (e.g., in public) for preventing influenza exposure. In the United States, disposable surgical and procedure masks have been widely used in health-care settings to prevent exposure to respiratory infections, but the masks have not been used commonly in community settings, such as schools, businesses, and public gatherings.

A new treatment for human infections of bird flu claimed to be more effective than Tamiflu has been developed by Chinese scientists.

Like the drug made by Switzerland-based Roche, the new medicine is a neuraminidase inhibitor which inhibits an enzyme called neuraminidase and prevents the virus from leaving the cell and spreading to others.

People who develop flu-like symptoms (e.g., cough, fever, muscle aches) within ten days of traveling to an area of the world where there is a known outbreak of bird flu should contact their health care provider immediately. When traveling in these areas, avoid live poultry markets. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. People who handle birds that may be infected should wear protective clothing and breathing masks.

Giving aspirin to children and teenagers who have influenza can cause a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome. Children or teenagers with the flu should get plenty of rest, drink lots of liquids, and take medicines that contain no aspirin to relieve symptoms.

Bird flu treatment is directed at reducing the severity not preventing it. Bird flu treatment therefore is the domain of natural health.

Herbs, Homeopathics and Acupressure have been used for centuries to aid your ability to fight infection and prevent them. What they do is arm your body to fight better and protect itself from attack.

http://www.google.com

lu could be the greatest threat to modern civilization and the world is poorly prepared for a bird flu pandemic. The rapid spread of the bird flu virus raises the question: what can we do to protect ourselves if a bird flu pandemic strikes?

A potential bird flu pandemic can’t be taken lightly.

By taking samples from lungs of exhumed victims researchers at the USA Centers For Disease Control confirmed the 1918 Spanish flu was also a bird flu. Alarming news because the Spanish flu pandemic was a global catastrophe infecting approximately one quarter of the United States and one fifth of the world.

From 20 million to 50 million people died from this 1918 Spanish “bird” flu and most of the victims were aged from 20 to 40 years . This pattern is unusual because influenza normally kills the sick, elderly and young children.

At the height of the Spanish bird flu funerals were limited to 15 minutes, there was a chronic shortage of coffins and gravediggers and stores were forbidden to hold sales.

It seems that a mutated bird flu like the 1918 Spanish “bird flu” is particularly dangerous because human populations haven’t had the chance to develop a resistance to a virus that is normally limited to birds.

Worse still, effects of a bird flu outbreak are not just limited to disease and death. The outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong demonstrated in stark terms that commerce can be shut down in an area suffering cases of a deadly infectious disease.

If a wide scale bird flu pandemic were to break out in the western world we could see cities gripped with fear as Hong Kong was for that short period with SARS in 2003. Empty shops, empty streets and commerce grinding to a halt.

Dr Michael Osterholm, epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota called a potential bird flu pandemic “The single greatest risk to our world today.”

David Nabaro from UN health predicted from 5 to 150 million people could die worldwide if the bird flu virus mutates to a human to human virus.

Britain’s chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson said it wasn’t a question of IF a virus pandemic like the bird flu would hit human populations but WHEN.

Sir Liam also pointed out a vaccine for a human to human bird flu virus can’t be produced until the virus mutates and a bird flu vaccine may not be effective even after one can be produced.

The Asian flu pandemic of 1957 demonstrated how difficult it is to vaccinate against a rapidly mutating widespread influenza virus. Despite prior warning and despite a vaccine being developed quite rapidly the 1957 Asian flu spread to the United States where it killed 70,000 people.

Health authorities have difficulty producing and administering vaccines quickly enough to fight a virus. Also the rapidly mutating nature of influenza viruses means many vaccines provide very limited protection.

Anti-viral drugs are a more recent development in the fight against respiratory viruses like the bird flu and governments in the western world have begun stockpiling the anti-viral drug tamiflu as part of a bird flu protection plan. But in a bird flu pandemic tamiflu may not be as effective as authorities would hope.

In an unsettling development for health authorities tamilflu resistant strains of the bird flu are appearing. Recently a vietnamese girl was diagnosed with a tamiflu resistant strain of bird flu and in China the bird flu strain H5N1 is showing around 70% resistance to adamatane drugs like tamiflu.

Other anti-viral drugs like Relenza may be more effective if a bird flu pandemic strikes but until the bird flu mutates to a human to human virus we can’t be certain which drug – if any – will provide a pharmaceutical first line of bird flu defense.

On the lighter side of bird flu prevention sales of sauerkraut in 54 Twin Cities stores in the USA spiked 840% after an inconclusive and tiny study by Korean researchers found the bacteria in fermented greens might speed the recovery of chickens infected with the bird flu.

People more interested in a little more serious bird flu protection than fermented cabbage might heed the one consistent recommendation from health authorities across the world to reduce your chance of catching the bird flu virus.

Over 90% of respiratory viruses like the bird flu enter your body through contact between the mucous membranes of your eyes and nose and your fingernails. They hitchhike their way into your body after being picked up on your hands.

In a World Health Organization news conference WHO Global Influenza Program leader Klaus Stohr said frequent hand washing was the best way to avoid a viral infection including the bird flu.

Every government health authority in the western world recommends hand washing as a basic precaution to prevent respiratory viruses like the bird flu, SARS, influenza and the common cold.

But washing your hands effectively is not quite as simple as it may seem on the surface. Technique is important as is the soap you use.

Antibacterial soaps are NOT recommended for regular hand washing even for health professionals.

http://www.google.com

Influenza is an infection caused avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. As bird flu is a viral disease it cannot be cured by antibiotics for that, a proper medication as per specifications of bird flu is highly recommended.

Typical clinical features of Influenza include high fever from mild to severe, respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, headache and fatigue. The only medical solution for influenza is to consult a doctor and follow the advice with the prescribed medication.

Tamiflu is one of the most successful medications while looking after a solution to bird flu today.Tamiflu which is also know as Oseltamivir Phosphate because of its active ingredient is the sure shot medication for the treatment of bird flu. Tamiflu is an FDA approved anti flu medication which is very safe to the people belonging to all the age groups. It can be prescribed to a child of one year to a grown up of 60 years as it a quality drug and fully safe.

Tamiflu is available in an oral dosage form of 75 mg tablet each. Tamiflu does not only suppress the symptoms of bird flu but it actually removes the bird flu virus completely from the patient’s

body which is its most important advantage. Due to its high effectiveness, Tamiflu has acclaimed as number one medication for influenza treatment.Tamiflu works by preventing viruses from its host cell.

Patients suffering from influenza can buy tamiflu online or they can visit any local pharmacy. If you chose to buy tamiflu online, it proves to be very cost effective and time saving and relives you from the headache of walking down to local pharmacy personally. But now, Tamiflu can reach you just with a single mouse click. You need to fill online consultation form from online pharmacy of your choice which is reviewed by registered doctor. Once your medical details are approved by doctor, you can buy tamiflu online without visiting the doctor personally.

The recommended treatment dosage of tamiflu is 75mg capsule once daily for five days and the prevention dosage is 75mg capsule every alternate day or 30mg oral suspension once in a day. Only recommended dosage as prescribed by the doctor should be taken so as to avoid further health loss. Discuss with your doctor if you find that you want to take extra medication or notice any kind of unusual side effects.

http://www.google.com

Avian influenza affects chickens and the poultry industry, recombined with the human influenza viruses form a totally new influenza virus to which people do not have protection that spreads in the population and that causes serious illness and death in humans. Bird Flu is an infectious disease of birds that can also affect people. It can present mild or severe forms of illness. The only subtype that can cause severe illness to people is Influenza A /H5N1 virus, initially it affects chickens, ducks and other birds by the process of mutation they can become highly pathogenic. If the bird flu virus recombines with a human flu virus and mutate it may become possible the transmission from human to human as happened in Asia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia Thailand, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Eygpt, China, and Iraq where people died. Bird flu affected Australia in 1997 but, was eradicated.

Water birds are supposed to carry the avian influenza type A virus inside their intestines and to distribute it in the environment through bird faeces.

Infection determines many symptoms in wild and domesticated birds from mild illnesses to highly contagious and severe epidemics. Among them a decline in activity and in egg production, ****** swelling and bluish-violet colored combs and wattles, diarrhea, hemorrhages, paralysis, sudden deaths. Signes and symptoms of bird flu in humans are similar to other influenza viruses: sore throat and cough, fever, muscle weakness and/or pain with complications such as: severe viral pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome, multi- organ failure, eye infections, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain and heart. Health experts have made research into tests and vaccines, and rigorous quarantine practices. Spanish flu was the worst influenza pandemic and occurred in 1918–19. There have been adopted governmental federal plans Australian Action Plan for Pandemic Influenza, to prevent an outbreak among poultry farms. Treatments of bird flu are antiviral drugs, Relenza and Tamiflu, but some of these drugs are expensive and supplies are limited. To prevent recombination of avian with the human influenza virus: is recommended a vaccine used against circulating strains in humans to those exposed to bird flu. A vaccine against bird flu is in development.

Suggestions for people travelling to affected countries:

Wash eggs thoroughly before breaking and wash your hands thoroughly after handling eggs. Don’t go to farms or market places. Wash hands, utensils thoroughly after handling raw poultry. Cook poultry at high temperatures.

You may get help from: a doctor, Avian Influenza Hotline, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Communicable Diseases Section.

Remember: Although bird flu is spread between birds it affects humans through bird faeces and discharges.

If you seem to get flu symptoms see immediately a doctor and explain him how exposed you have been to avian influenza.

For more information about bird flu or even about bird flu treatment please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/bird-flu-treatment.htm

http://www.google.com

Many health experts worldwide believe that the H5N1 strains of bird flu could mutate into a further form, one which can easily infect and pass from human to human resulting in a pandemic unparallel by anything seen historically.

One bird flu expert in China, Zhong Nanshan, said, “When avian flu is around and human flu appears, this will raise the chances of avian flu turning into a human flu. We have to be very alert and careful in March.”

He further said, “People who were killed by bird flu last year and this year were too poor to seek treatment. If you happen to have high fever and pneumonia, you must seek treatment fast.” He is the director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases in the southern province of China named as Guangdong, which has its base close to what can only be described as ground zero for the bird flu strain of the virus.

The H5NI strain of the influenza virus, commonly referred to as Avian flu or bird flu, has claimed three human lives in China so far this year. The death of these people has been linked directly to the viral infection by leading experts and would have been contracted either from close contact or by ingesting infected birds. The World Health Organization ruled out any human transmission of infection among these cases. Its spokesman said, “Mutations occur in influenza viruses. Separately from that, the (bird flu) virus continues to be deadly. But there is no new jump in deadliness.”

However, there were some contrasting views from China, where Zhong said, “The bird flu virus has shown signs of mutation. If infected people don’t get treatment in a timely manner, they can die easily.”

Impact of bird flu in the Hong Kong

Hong Kong lies in the south of China and is at the peak of a seasonal flu infection. The flu infection broke out among children in many schools. The authorities reported the death of a 3 year old girl due to human H3N2 flu. They have ordered the schools to conduct fever check ups among children.

One 7 year old boy was also reported to have died. It forced the government to shut the school ahead of the Easter holidays. The causes of death are being probed but the authorities said that boy was admitted to hospital with flu symptoms.

Ever since its first outbreak in 2003, H5N1 virus has infected 372 people worldwide out of which 235 has died.

http://www.google.com