Bird or avian flu has killed more than 68 people in several countries in Asia, according to the reports of the world Organization of health (who) and the new. Although health officials say panic is not justified at this stage, the evidence is ample to create serious concerns.
If the potentially fatal H5N1 strain of the disease made the jump from the bird to human to human transmission has yet to be determined, said Daniel Epstein, information with who officer based in Washington, D.C. Regional Office. WHICH is the specialized agency of the United Nations health and between front organizations in dealing with infectious disease.
"I think that we are at the stage of always assess the threat," Epstein said. On the who of the scale, the ranks of situation of avian influenza in a # 3, with less problematic threats coming in no. 1 and the most serious in the n ° 6.
This rating of no. 3 is based on no or limited to human transmission of the disease, Epstein said, adding responsible of health around the world are studying if the human transmission occur. People living on the same farms in some regions of the world have fallen with the disease, but it is uncertain if they picked up the disease each other or poultry on these same farms, Epstein said.
If the surfaces of evidence that the "unpredictable" avian flu virus began to move through transmission to man, the gravity of the situation will be a no. 4 ranking, he said.
There are other reports as to whether if the human transmission has occurred in conflict. However, these reports stress only limited transmission.
In General, the disease attacks birds or, less frequently, pigs, however, it continuously mutate and spread by migrating birds, in the end human attacker, making more of a potential outside Asia.For example threat, the disease was recently reported as appearing in the first Arab world.
In addition, a subtype of H5N1 mounted in North America, in the Canadian West Coast poultry farm. Even if the virus found in a commercial duck he was deemed to be a "weak North American strain pathogenic," according to the Canadian Press, this find prompted the slaughter of 60 000 birds as a precaution against the spread of the disease. The United States also took trade action against Canadian province of British Columbia Colombia accordingly, although it is much more great and expensive birds slaughter have went ahead in other jurisdictions to prevent the spread of the virus in the past.
"This confirmation means that we seek to a virus that can cause only mild illness (in birds), where appropriate," said Cornelius Kiley, veterinary and worker of the Canadian Agency of Food Inspection, of the situation of the Colombia of British Columbia.
Geography in expansion associated with H5N1 is one of the reasons for which many fear a pandemic - a spread in the world of disease - is possible.
But the lack of available information on the migration routes of birds and the flu that hit the bird populations is, among other things, making it difficult for the public health experts to fight disease.
"We would be far in advance of the game right now if we knew more on natural history real and wild-type viruses really are in these populations of waterfowl and birds in General", David Stallknecht, a specialist of the avian flu, the College of the University of Georgia of veterinary medicine in Athens, told the Canadian Press. "
"The lack of funding and lack of recognition for what are these wild-type virus, I think that puts us behind," says."
The maintenance of good health through nutrition, vitamins and exercise to ward off the coast of avian flu was recommended by health officials. Even obtain a regular - available free of certain groups of public health in North America - flu shot has been suggested as a way to help prevent the flu.
For people who eat chicken or other chickens, a minimum of 70 C or 158 F it cooking will kill any virus contains, on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border officials have said that the health.
In addition, laboratory studies indicate this as prescription medicines, including Oseltamivir (trade name: Tamiflu) and Relenza, which were licensed to the United States and in Europe in 1999, could stave off the disease. Despite this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) based in Atlanta warns that flu viruses could become resistant to these drugs. Further studies are necessary to prove the effectiveness of the drugs, according to the Organization's Web site.
As to who, is not push or the other drug to fight against avian influenza, Epstein said.
"(Drugs) will facilitate the (bird flu) Symptoms", he said, but they are not a cure for the disease.
However, another that officials have recommended that some countries store Tamiflu in particular, as it prevents the virus to spread from one group to another.
"(Tamiflu) is a broad spectrum," Dr. Frederick Hayden, a clinical virologist at the University of Virginia, said in the Canadian Edition of Digest magazine of the Reader. Ulf can have nine different proteins NA and Tamiflu "has been shown effective against all." "It reduces the duration of the disease and the risk of complications and hospitalization," said Hayden.
The disadvantages of Tamiflu are its high relative cost and short supply, Dr. Bruce Gellin, Director of the National Vaccine Program Office of the U.S., said in the magazine. But since 2003, rock - a Swiss company and the only world manufacturer of the drug - intensified production of Tamiflu, boost its output of the medication eightfold over the past two years. In addition, manufacturing facilities based in the United States to produce the drug are in the work, according to the magazine.
WHO recommends not to fight the virus masks covering nose and mouth, at this time to prevent the spread of the disease, said Epstein.
These masks were used in Toronto, the Canada, in 2003, to combat the spread of severe acute respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus in the city. SARS also appeared in several other cities around the world.
WHO is collaborating with public health agencies worldwide on avian influenza, Epstein said, to ensure that such things as communications plans - to keep the public informed in the event of a major epidemic - are in place.
Eric Schmiedl is a freelance journalist and a contributor to http://www.avian-flu-symptoms.com
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