Is the high pathogenic Asian H5N1 strain of avian flu a risk to humans?
To date, the high pathogenic Asian H5N1 strain of the avian flu virus has resulted in the deaths of millions of domestic birds. Despite the millions of people who have had close contact with domestic fowl during the past nine years in Asia, more than 320 people have been infected worldwide. This is an extremely low rate of infection. However, human health officials are concerned with the 61 percent mortality rate of people that have been infected. This is much higher than what normally occurs with more typical flu infections. There is no evidence that the high pathogenic Asian H5N1 strain of avian flu is present in North America or that wild birds easily transmit this H5N1 strain of avian flu to humans. In almost every case in which the route of transmission has been detected, direct contact between people and domestic fowl has been the probable cause. Only one incident of transmission from wild birds to humans has been recorded. In the spring of 2006 in Azerbaijan, several villagers c
