WHAT ARE THE BASIC FACTS ABOUT BIRD FLU AND A POSSIBLE PANDEMIC?
Currently, the term bird flu refers primarily to avian influenza A strain H5N1. However, wild birds are actually reservoirs for all known influenza subtypes. So any influenza A strain has the capacity to be a bird flu. Birds tend to carry a large viral burden in their intestines and shed the virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces for up to several weeks. The H5N1 strain was first recognized in Hong Kong in 1997. Over 1.5 million birds were purposely killed or culled in an effort to stop the outbreak. Unfortunately, H5N1 has spread widely through migratory birds and into domestic poultry. Situational updates on the spread of avian influenza can be accessed via http://www.pandemicflu.gov/. The bird flu starts out like the ordinary flu, which usually starts suddenly with fever, muscle aches, headache and cough. People with the flu feel ill, often spending several days in bed, but usually recover in three to seven days. With the bird flu many people develop a severe pneumonia w
