What kind of flu is caused by birds?
Influenza (Flu) Avian influenza—known informally as avian flu or bird flu is a variety of influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds. The type with the greatest risk is highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
How is bird flu similar to swine flu?
Avian influenza. Bird flu is similar to swine flu, dog flu, horse flu and human flu as an illness caused by strains of influenza viruses that have adapted to a specific host. Out of the three types of influenza viruses ( A, B, and C ), influenza A virus is a zoonotic infection with a natural reservoir almost entirely in birds.
How did the avian flu get to humans?
Most human cases of the avian flu are a result of either handling dead infected birds or from contact with infected fluids.
Is the bird flu the same as the 1918 flu?
Like the 1918 virus, the milder pandemic flu bugs of 1957 and 1968 also had bird flu genes. But they picked up the ability to spread in humans by swapping genes with a human flu virus. That could still happen to the H5N1 bird flu.
Why is bird flu so dangerous?
Bird Flu can be dangerous to humans because we don’t recognise the spike protiens (HA & NA) on the surface so don’t have antibodies to it. Bird flu’s replicate really well in birds (especially wild water birds) and don’t tend to cause noticeable illness in them.
What states are affected by bird flu?
state, Influenza. Further cases of avian influenza have been reported in the US, as the disease increases its spread. The states of Montana and South Dakota are the latest to be effected by bird flu, which has also been present in Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Minnesota, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
How can humans catch bird flu?
Humans can catch bird flu directly through close contact with live infected birds and those who work with infected chickens are most at risk. The virus is excreted, and people may inhale these germs as dust when the droppings dry out. The virus cannot be passed from human to human.
How does Bird Flu effect humans?
When a person contracts bird flu, symptoms mimic human influenza complaints, including cough, muscle aches, fever, and sore throat, but the infection might worsen and cause pneumonia, breathing difficulties, and even death. In documented cases of human infection with H5N1, half of those infected have died.