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What is the Bird Flu?

The Bird Flu is making noise around the world. This is a deadly virus that is moving from country to country in Asia, Europe, and Africa. But, what is it and where in the world did it come from? Having the knowledge about the Bird Flu can help you to better understand and prepare for it. The Bird Flu is actually the H5N1 virus. It is a subtype of the Influenza A virus. It is also well known as the Avian Influenza or Avian Flu. It all means the same thing.

The Bird Flu is a virus. A virus is one of the most difficult of all illnesses in the world to treat because it is continuously mutating. By the time you take medications or antivirals to fight it off, it may have changed enough to become immune to the medications. The cold is a virus as well. This is the problem with the common cold. While it may be something many of us face, it is impossible to cure it because of how fast it mutates.

What Makes Bird Flu So Bad?

The common flu also known as the Annual Flu and the common cold are things that most of us will deal with on a regular basis. But, serious flu strains, as they are called when the virus has mutated and is different from others, can also be deadly. The Bird Flu happens to be one of those deadly cases of flu. It is believed to be strong enough and fast enough moving in the body to cause a person to become sick quickly and then worsen until it becomes fatal.

That does not mean that you need to be overly worried about the Avian Flu just yet. The Bird Flu currently only has been able to be transmitted from bird to bird and bird to human. This means that those that have birds or come into contact with birds of large amounts on a regular basis are the most vulnerable. An isolated case of human to human transmission is reported to have occurred in Indonesia where several members of a family died while caring for family members believed to have the Avian Flu. This does not mean that you are at immediate risk of catching the Bird Flu. Currently, most of the cases of Avian Influenza have been found in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

What worries many is the possibility that the Bird Flu could mutate enough to become a virus that spreads from human to human. If it does this, there is a great possibility of a worldwide pandemic. It is possible that up to 150 million people world wide can die from the Bird Flu if it reaches this level. The Avian Flu has yet to unfold into a more widespread and more serious virus. There is no way to know if this will happen or when it will happen. Continued vigilance and awareness of the Bird Flu and its mutation will help you plan and prepare for a pandemic.

It is important that the probability of a Bird Flu pandemic be considered in business continuity planning and family emergency preparedness.