Health-Nursing
Avian Influenza
Avian Influenza is a disease that humans are becoming exposed to through contact, either directly or indirectly with infected poultry or fowl. This paper intends to explore the history of the flu as well as what is being done to combat this infectious and deadly disease.
Avian Influenza, also known as Avian flu or "bird flu" is "an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus" according to the World Health Organization. Identified over 100 years ago in Italy it has now spread throughout the entire globe. The immune systems of some bird species are more resistant to this disease than other although it is believed that all species are susceptible to becoming infected with the disease. The flue ranges "from mild illness to a highly contagious and rapidly fatal disease results in severe epidemics."
Facts of the Disease:
The fatal version of the disease is known to be a "highly pathogenic avian influenza."
Characteristics of this disease have been listed by the World Health Organization as being that of:
Sudden onset, severe illness, and rapid death with a near 100% mortality rate"
There are fifteen subtypes of this disease which infect birds with all of the "outbreaks" of the "highly pathogenic form" attributed to the virus influenza A of "subtypes H5 and H7." According to the World Health Organization the "live bird market as well as direct and indirect contact of domestic birds with migratory waterfowl is also connected to the epidemics." Research reveals that "viruses of low pathogenicity can...mutate into highly pathogenic viruses." The fact that influenza A viruses (this includes the subtypes) can "reassort genetic material, known as antigenic shift and merge" according to the WHO. The World Health Organization's Web site is located at http://www.who.int/csr/don/2004_01_15/en/.
History of Avian Influenza:
The first outbreak of the flu in humans occurred in 1997 in...
In the event of such an epidemic, it is reasonable to assume that public health departments will be pressed to find ways to maintain their services even when employees are ill, normal supply chains are disrupted, and the nation's infrastructure is inoperative; furthermore, the traditional roles of environmental health professionals can also be expected to change in dramatic ways during a period of pandemic influenza (Fabian, 2006). As U.S. Secretary
However, one cannot develop the vaccine before the outbreak occurs. From development to commercial production of the vaccine would take approximately three months after a pandemic has been declared (WHO, 2008). The vaccine developed must be matched exactly to the disease, or it will prove ineffective. The development of a vaccine that is not effective is a waste of money, resources, and will do nothing to help stop the
, 1378). Much like other influenza a viruses, the virion of the H5N1 virus is enveloped and is either spherical or filamentous as to its formation and in clinical isolates, the virus has been shown to be more filamentous, while in some laboratory strains, it appears more spherical (Beigel, et al., 1379). As to the genome of the H5N1 virus, this is composed of eight single non-paired RNA strands, containing a
Symptoms of the bird flu in humans vary depending on the exact subtype which that individual has been infected with. Most people contract the avian influenza from coming into contact with infected birds, "During an outbreak of avian influenza among poultry, there is a possible risk who have contact with infected birds or surfaces that have been contaminated with secretions or excretions from infected birds," (CDC 2007). The etiological
The risk to humans is generally low, however during any outbreak of Avian Flu among poultry, there is always a possible risk to humans who have contact with the infected birds and surfaces contaminated with excretions from the infected fowl (Avian1). The current outbreak of H5N1 among poultry in Asia and Europe is an example of a bird flu outbreak that has caused human infections and death (Avian1). In rare
Future: For many centuries, the influenza virus has been a threat to the health of humans as strains of this virus continue to spread quickly worldwide, especially during the flu season i.e. from late fall through winter. It's estimated that between 5% to 20% of America's population contact the flu and exhibit symptoms like headaches, digestive and breathing difficulties, muscle aches, and high fever. As a result, an estimated 36,000
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