How is the Asian Bird Flu different from other influenzas?
The strain of avian influenza currently circulating overseas is different than usual for several reasons. Most notably, the virus, when contracted by man has been deadly. Fortunately though, the virus has not been able to easily infect man. Although several hundred highly publicized cases have occurred overseas, this number is very small in comparison to the overall population. For reference, in the U.S. alone approximately 36,000 people die every year from human flu. So why are the relatively few deaths from avian influenza overseas so highly publicized? It is because the percentage of people who die after contracting the virus is high. Again, the virus has not been able to infect man easily nor is it easily passed between people. The concern is due to the possibility that the virus could mutate to become contagious and thus become an agent for a human pandemic. So, even if the current strain of Asian Bird Flu does find its way to the U.S., it would not a human health concern at this
