Archive for the ‘Information’ Category
Avian influenza or mostly known as Bird flu, is a virus that affect birds and in worst scenario, can be spread to human being. It scares the whole world last 2003 when it spread through Europe and Asia. And until today, the idea of bird flu spreading again is still a nightmare for many of us. However, there are safety measures you can do to avoid having this type of flu, most especially if you are traveling in some regions of the world where bird flu outbreaks have occurred.
General Guidelines:
• Stay away from domesticated birds if you are in places that have encounter bird flu outbreaks. Avoid rural areas, farms and markets. Staying away also means not eating birds and chickens.
• Always wash your hands, using hot water and soap, or use a hand sanitizer as an alternative. Make sure it’s at least 60% alcohol.
• Before you travel, it is advisable that you get a flu shot. This will not protect against bird flu in particular, but will help reduce the risk of simultaneous infections by different flu viruses.
• Avoid eating raw eggs or undercooked eggs. Ensure that what you eat, particularly chicken are well-cooked.
They congregate in droves, and their iridescent gray-and-white plumage is unmistakeable. Pigeons are a city’s best-known birds, and people either love them or hate them. Tourist spots such as the Piazza San Marco in Venice and Trafalgar Square in London are often found teeming with them, and it is every tourist’s secret fantasy to run headlong into a flock and send them flying. Feeding pigeons also has become something of a locale pastime, thus spawning the song “Feed The Birds (Tuppence a Bag)” from the Disney musical motion picture Mary Poppins. People who love them wistfully stare at them as a vision of freedom above a bustling grimy city; people who hate them call them “rats with feathers” and scowl at them for stealing brioches from their plates as they sup outdoors. However, are pigeons really a potential threat to people with the advent of bird flu?
Thankfully, scientists have confirmed there is nothing to worry about around these birds. As a matter of fact, they are one of the most resistant to the H1N1 virus, which makes their presence in Asia and other continents something to sigh in relief about.
photo credit: papalars via photopin cc
Bird flu is still known to be one of the deadliest virus up to the present. Well, this type of virus occur naturally among migrating birds, however, human can also be infected most especially those people who are working in a poultry or contaminated surfaces. Last 2003, Asia is the most affected continent when the Bird flu virus stroked. This 2012 and 2013, just when everybody though bird flu is already gone, it seems that it is spreading again in Vietnam, Thailand and other Asian countries. And according to Huffingtonpost, Asia is still struggling to control the virus.
As this virus is fear to grow in the coming days, it is important that everyone is aware of its symptoms. If you are a foreigner especially vacationing in Asian countries, you might also want to learn Thai, Chinese, Filipino or other Asian language just to communicate well in some emergency situation. Anyway. here are the symptoms of bird flu reported in humans:
Sudden attack of cough and colds in where you do not really aware know how and why you got it;
Throat sore, then in times becomes pneumonia;
Feeling moderate or severe malaise and fatigue;
Muscle pain;
Conjunctivitis;
Difficulty in breathing;
Frequent sneezing with lot of mucous coming out.
The symptoms actually vary depending on the damage of the virus to your body. So, if you find yourself one of these symptoms, don’t waste time and consult a doctor immediately. The early you detect it, the faster you can be treated and relieved. Don’t be threatened, there are ways to cure it. Just be extra cautious of these symptoms.
Bird Flu does not limit its victims to chickens ducks, and humans. There have been cases where cats and dogs have also tested positive of the dreaded virus.
I areas of Asia, Africa, and Europe, cats and dogs that have been exposed to large amounts of birds affected by Bird Flu have also been tested positive. Cats which killed and ate affected chickens were instantly infected, and dogs which stayed in their presence and ate chicken scraps were affected to. It is unclear if these animals in turn will be able to infect humans, but there is no known cure for Bird Flu in pets.
Thankfully, taking preventative measures against this disease need not be drastic nor costly. Keep your money and your peace of mind safe by following these safety tips.
Always wash your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial hand soap and water. Feed your pet regularly with its regular food; if you are feeding them meat, make sure it is well-cooked to avoid bacterial contamination. If you live in an are that is populated with birds, keep your pets from playing with these birds, and much more so killing and eating them.
The recent news on a son-to-father bird flu infection should not cause alarm. Studies done on the samples taken from father and son shows that the virus has not yet mutated into a highly contagious strain. The people with whom the father and son came into contact with were also not infected, an indication that the virus must have been passed on due to very intimate contact. This is good news as people are fearing a pandemic. But despite this development, authorities and researchers are still on the watch for further spread, and are continuously searching for a vaccine to fight the deadly disease.
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