How serious is the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1?
The outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza that began in south-east Asia in mid-2003, and have spread to portions ofEurope and Africa, are the largest and most severe on record. WhileJapan, the Republic of Korea, and Malaysia have controlled their outbreaks and are now considered free of the disease, elsewhere in Asia the virus has become endemic in several of the initially affected countries. For specific information concerning countries affected by the H5N1 virus, visit the World Health Organization’s website at http://www.who.int/en/. Almost all of the human cases have been linked to direct contact with infected poultry.
Related Questions
- If a bird is suspected or confirmed to have highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection, is the staff that handled the bird at risk?
- Is there any risk of becoming infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus by feeding backyard birds or cleaning a bird feeder?
- What testing is available for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection, and how reliable is it?
