Avian Bird Flu Symptoms

Avian bird flu symptoms

There are many an Asian countries that was affected by the avian flu. We often call the it as bird flu. This flu virus has totally affected a number of poultry stocks. In many of these countries, a small number of people have contracted the virus from the chickens. Many scientists are concerned at seeing the whole scenario. This is because it is feared that the avian flu virus could merge with a human flu virus. The result of this merging, as thought by the scientist, might result in a new, highly infectious and speedily fatal flu virus. Such a new virus would be transmitted swiftly from person to person with potentially devastating results. To keep this outbreak under control, many of the Asian countries are culling their poultry stocks to protect further spread of the virus.

What is avian flu?

Avian flu basically is used to describe the influenza viruses that infect birds. These birds may be wild birds like ducks and domestic birds like that of chickens. In reality these birds appear to have a natural reservoir of flu viruses like the 15 sub-types of influenza A virus. These viruses are also known to circulate within bird populations. There are many forms of avian flu virus that cause mild symptoms in the birds some cause no symptoms at all. However there are some of the viruses that produce a highly contagious and swiftly fatal disease that leads to serious epidemics. These virulent viruses are often known as highly pathogenic avian influenza. These viruses also cause a particular concern. One such avian flu has recently infected many a chickens in Asia.

Symptoms and prevention

To avoid the virus being transmitted to humans and thus merge into a human flu many Asian governments have started to cull the affected poultry stocks. Though it is not sure that whether by removing all these poultry stocks this spread of the flu will go away or not, they are trying at least to stop the spread of the flu to other countries’ chicken populations. It is hoped that the virus that is contained in this flu would be removed from the circulation through these projects. There are many a symptoms of the bird flu. If a person is affected they will suffer a fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, and conjunctivitis. There are some severe cases that cause breathing problems and pneumonia, and can be fatal.