What is the difference between bird flu and human flu?
There are many different types of flu viruses. Some of these viruses infect humans, while others infect birds, pigs and other animals. These different types of flu viruses vary in their ability to infect animals and humans. Additionally, they vary in their ability to cause serious illness and death. Bird flu is a non-scientific term that refers to a specific virus (H5N1) that has been present in domestic birds in Asia since 1997. The H5N1 virus has been uniquely difficult to control in Southeast Asian poultry flocks. Despite the depopulation (slaughter) of millions of domestic birds in affected countries, the virus continues to spread to other domestic birds. Another unique aspect of the H5N1 (bird flu) virus is that it has caused wild bird mortality. This is unprecedented, and it is not known whether these infections are from wild bird contact with infected poultry or if it is actually being transmitted by wild birds. Numerous studies are ongoing to help answer this question. It has a
