Medicine Net explained that:
Avian influenza cannot be diagnosed by symptoms alone, so a laboratory test is required. Avian influenza is usually diagnosed by collecting a swab from the nose or throat during the first few days of illness. This swab is then sent to a laboratory, where they will either look for avian influenza virus using a molecular test, or they will try to grow the virus. Growing avian influenza viruses should only be done in laboratories with high levels of protection. If it is late in the illness, it may be difficult to find an avian influenza virus directly using these methods. If this is the case, it may still be possible to diagnose avian influenza by looking for evidence of the body’s response to the virus. This is not always an option because it requires two blood specimens (one taken during the first few days of illness and another taken some weeks later), and it can take several weeks to verify the results.
Bird flu is creating a wide spread pandemic in the South East Asian countries. More so, the possibility of it being spread to other parts of the world cannot be neglected. The virus responsible for more than hundreds of deaths has been detected as the H5N1 virus, a subtype of Influenza-A virus. This has been the most deadly bird flu virus till date, since the bird flu generally doesn’t attack human beings.
The reports of the symptoms of the avian flu have been submitted to WHO (World Health Organization) and CDC (Center Disease Control). They are similar to SARS but not completely similar. And the interesting fact is that the symptoms sometimes vary from person to person and its totally different in birds. The onset of the virus attack is mostly ignored. So You need to be extra cautious with it. For it never alarms before an outbreak. It’s possible to reach any corner of the world since the migratory birds are main carriers of the pathogen.
Before the virus infests the humans, there is the possibility of it raging the poultry. If you observe any of the following symptoms among the poultry folks, there might be the possibility of the H5N1 virus being in action.
If the attack of the virus is less pathogenic then there will be no visible signs and the attack is not fatal enough. The high pathogenic attack has clear symptoms and is quite destructive:
1. Depression in some of the birds.
2. Cessation in laying eggs.
3. Loss of appetite and nervousness.
4. The combs and wattles turn blue in color due to altercation of blood circulation.
5. Coughing and frequent nasal discharge and diarrhea.
6. Sudden death of a number of them without any signs may also be the symptom of bird flu.
The reports based on the observations of the human beings attacked by bird flu have established that the human symptoms are somewhat similar to normal human flu but the impact is more rigorous. The symptoms of bird flu reported in humans are:
1) Sudden attack of suspicious coughing. Generally, we can trace why we catch a cold and cough when the reasons are like exposure to too much cold or taking lot of ice cream and alike. But, here it won’t have such particular reason.
2) Mild fever prolonging for hours.
3) Having soreness of throat.
4) Gradual shift to pneumonia.
5) Feeling moderate or severe malaise and fatigue.
6) Muscle pain.
7) Sometimes, conjunctivitis may also occur.
Respiratory problems like difficulty in breathing.
9) Very frequent sneezing with lot of mucous coming out.
If you find some of these symptoms in you, don’t waste time and visit a doctor, the sooner you start with the treatment, the faster you relieve! Don’t break down if you have positive results. It’s easy to treat. Thats why, be extra cautious of these symptoms.
Confronting the possibility of a potentially devastating human bird flu pandemic, the United Nations system – from Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to the UN health and agricultural agencies – today laid out a blueprint for immediate preventive and mitigating action.
“We may not know about the future course of H5N1, we do know this: once human-to-human transmission has been established, we would have only a matter of weeks to lock down the spread before it spins out of control. That is why the international community must take action now.” Mr. Annan told the Time Global Health Summit, a three-day event in New York held to discuss key health issues.
In light of these concerns, and likely rationing of available flu vaccines, it is advisable that people also look at other areas which complement good health. In the United States, the average American diet is high in sodium, fat, sugar, and preservatives and low in nutrition. These are typically not the ingredients associated with the support of a healthy immune system. It is the beneficial components of food which feed the cells of the body and support the normal function which allows each cell the potential to restore, protect and defend itself from the effects of injury and disease. A poorly nourished body is less able to carry out these activities as the basic building blocks for cell function are in limited supply.
People should therefore seek to improve their dietary intake of beneficial sources of nutrition and limit their intake of the more commonly eaten foods which are known to be more harmful to the body than their unprocessed counterparts. Will the support of a healthy immune system ensure a perfect defense against invading flu virus particles? Certainly not. However, a healthy immune system may mean the difference between someone who contracts the flu and recovers quickly and someone who suffers greatly.
The most important factor in the improvement of any person’s diet is to improve the quality and variety of food eaten. While dietary supplements may provide some excellent health benefits they are intended to supplement, not substitute, the benefits of a good diet.
Avian influenza, more commonly referred to as bird flu, is a virus that typically affects birds including ducks, chickens and turkeys. Though the virus is not common in humans, there are reported cases of it that have occurred since 1997. This generally happens when a human has been exposed to poultry that has been infected.
Prevention is typically done by killing entire flocks of birds that may have been exposed to the disease. If a bird is exposed, it will likely spread throughout the rest of the flock. Unfortunately, the best way to prevent this is to kill them. It is also not recommended to keep such animals in uncontrolled domestic situations. Leave the raising of these animals to the people who are well equipped to do so and who have the equipment to test for and control the environment. It is not recommended that these birds be used as pets.
Proper sanitation is also important. Keeping clean and washing your hands often especially if exposed to birds, is essential in keeping healthy. If you work around these animals, use respirators to block the spreading of the germs. Wash your hands often with antibacterial soap and avoid contact with others until you have done so. If you start having flu like symptoms get treatment from a physician as soon as possible.
If an epidemic breaks out, you should be prepared to isolate yourself as much as possible. You will need food and water stores and things to occupy yourself with in case you have to stay home for long periods of time. Make sure you have basic supplies that are needed every day such as toothpaste, toilet paper and other supplies. Ensure you have plenty of food items since you want to limit your time with other people at stores to the minimum. Preparation and prevention are keys to ensuring this disease does not reach large proportions.
Creating a good bird flu vaccine is proving to be a lot harder than researchers thought it was going to be due to how much this bird flu changes. It is always changing and developing in more ways and this makes it hard to make one bird flu vaccine that will work all of the time. The scientist working on the bird flu vaccine are monitoring the bird flu very well to watch for any significant changes that will affect the usability of the bird flu vaccine. All of the data that they collect can be used to make the bird flu vaccine more and more effective.