The Common Thread Between AIDS, Mad Cow Disease, SARS, Tami Flu, and Avian Influenza

Virus attacks are not new to most of us. Many who are now concerned about avian influenza have lived with threats of similar diseases for years. We have always found ways to manage risks from pathogens, and bird flu is unlikely to be different. A virus may cause a variety of symptoms. Some humans and animals may harbor these germs without any visible sign of illness, while others become seriously sick and even die. Fever, cough, pain and muscular weakness are early signs of bird flu virus. These symptoms may occur in both birds and humans, and bird flu may be fatal to both. It spreads between avian species and from birds to humans through saliva, nasal discharge, and bird feces. No virus can exist for any length of time without living tissue to feed upon.  Any discharge of body fluids from an infected animal or a person can  be a source of infection.

How virus infections spread

It is not common for an avian virus to jump to a human, though this has happened regularly during the last 2 years. Transmission of an avian virus from one person to another is even rarer, but cannot be ruled out altogether. International travel imposes the risk of virus transmission between nations and communities. Countries where people live with birds pose a threat of an avian influenza pandemic. The World Health Organization or WHO has been engaged in a massive effort during the past three years to contain the spread of avian influenza within affected pockets of Asia. The disease has not appeared in the United States as yet, but since visits by Americans to affected areas and visits by people from affected parts of Asia to the United States cannot be stopped, there remains a sizeable danger of avian influenza reaching our shores. It is likely that there are carriers in our midst already.