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Home / Diseases & Conditions / Bird flu

Bird flu

Bird flu also known as avian influenza is a disease that’s caused by viruses and affects birds and can be passed on to humans. Bird flu’s H5N1 strain has evolved such that it infects more species than any known strain and is constantly evolving. If a farm-raised bird gets affected it must be immediately culled to stop the virus from spreading.

It’s not particularly dangerous for humans yet.  There are some researchers who believe that if this strain mutates and starts spreading between humans it could cause a large scale pandemic.

Causes

You can get bird flu by coming in close contact with infected poultry. This makes people who work with poultry particularly vulnerable although we should note that not a single human case has been reported from Hesaraghatta yet. Here's how bird flu viruses adapt to humans.

Bird flu can spread from the bird’s skin, excreta and blood. Also eating, uncooked or under-cooked birds infected with the virus could cause bird flu. However, if thoroughly cooked there’s no way the flu virus can survive or transmit to humans.

Read about bird flu kills 350 birds amidst swine flu scare in UP.


Symptoms

Some of the typical symptoms are -

 

  • Fever 
  • Cough 
  • Sore throat
  • Muscle aches

 

More severe symptoms include -

 

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Eye infections
  • This could ultimately lead to pneumonia and respiratory failure.

 

One symptom which is seen in many patients is the infection of the lower respiratory tract. On present evidence, experts believe that difficulty in breathing develops around five days after the first symptoms. Read more about bird flu – symptoms and spread.


Treatment

There is no publicly-available vaccine against H5N1 yet. The most commonly used medicine to treat H5N1 in humans is Oseltamivir (also known as Tamiflu) which is an anti-viral that prevents the spread of flu in the body.

Read about coming soon — a treatment for bird flu!


Precautions

Always wash your hands properly before and after handling meat. It’s also important to make sure that you wash and clean the meat and eggs properly and cook it so that the virus can’t survive. If you’ve flu-like symptoms you should immediately contact a physician because unlike seasonal flu the disease has a much higher fatality rate. Here's how regular flu vaccines can protect against a broad range of viruses, including deadly H7N9.

Basically, most experts feel that there is nothing to worry about for humans yet and basic hygiene levels should be enough to keep the virus away – for now.

Read in detail about precautions you should take to prevent bird flu.


More About Bird flu

  • Bird flu in India: Natural and Ayurvedic tips to keep yourself safe from avian influenza

    Bird flu in India: Natural and Ayurvedic tips to keep yourself safe from avian influenza

    Bird flu is a highly infectious and severe respiratory disease in birds caused by the H5N1 influenza virus, which can occasionally infect humans as well. Read to know how to keep yourself safe.

  • Bird flu confirmed in Delhi, Maharashtra: Is it safe to consume eggs and chicken? Here’s what experts say

    Bird flu confirmed in Delhi, Maharashtra: Is it safe to consume eggs and chicken? Here’s what experts say

    Bird flu in India: Apart from Delhi, eight other states - Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat - had earlier confirmed Avian Influenza as the cause of the recent bird deaths.

  • Avian Influenza: Cooking poultry at or above 70 degrees may kill the bird flu virus

    Avian Influenza: Cooking poultry at or above 70 degrees may kill the bird flu virus

    According to the World Health Organisation, cooking of poultry at or above 70 degree Celsius is a safe measure to kill the bird flu virus.

  • COVID-19 VS Bird Flu: Which one is more deadly in its course?

    COVID-19 VS Bird Flu: Which one is more deadly in its course?

    Currently, India is facing a double whammy with coronavirus and avian flu looming large. Know the difference between the two and if you should be scared.

  • Bird flu outbreak: Is Avian flu more contagious than Covid-19? Warning signs you should look for

    Bird flu outbreak: Is Avian flu more contagious than Covid-19? Warning signs you should look for

    A bird flu alert has been sounded in Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat that are already fighting their biggest battle against the novel coronavirus pandemic.

  • No evidence of bird flu transmission to humans via contaminated poultry consumption

    No evidence of bird flu transmission to humans via contaminated poultry consumption

    Bird flu have been circulating worldwide for centuries with four known major outbreaks recorded in the last century. India notified the first outbreak of avian influenza in 2006.

  • Bird flu outbreak in India: Can humans get avian influenza too?

    Bird flu outbreak in India: Can humans get avian influenza too?

    Bird flu cases have been detected in five states in India, prompting authorities to issue alerts. Here's all you need to know about this viral infection.

  • Now Bird Flu plagues Rajasthan as it battles mutant Covid-19 strain

    Now Bird Flu plagues Rajasthan as it battles mutant Covid-19 strain

    Rajasthan is in the throes of a Hitchcockian nightmare with dead birds falling from sky. The reason on Thursday was confirmed as cases of Avian Flu.

  • Bird flu fear rises in Bihar amid culling of poultry birds

    Bird flu fear rises in Bihar amid culling of poultry birds

    Officials of Bihar's animal and fisheries resource department has confirmed that the fear of bird flu is rising in the state amid culling of poultry birds.

  • 91,000 chickens culled amid bird flu outbreak at a Japan farm

    91,000 chickens culled amid bird flu outbreak at a Japan farm

    Recently even in India, as many as 900 fowls were culled after the avian influenza virus was detected.

  • Bird flu: 900 fowls culled in Bengaluru after the avian influenza virus was detected

    Bird flu: 900 fowls culled in Bengaluru after the avian influenza virus was detected

    The Animal Husbandry Department had on Tuesday declared an area of 1km radius from where the bird was found dead as the "infected zone" and an area of 10km radius as the "surveillance" zone.

  • Flu prompts handshake ban in churches

    Flu prompts handshake ban in churches

    The H3N2 virus, which is also referred to as "Australian flu" or "Aussie flu", has spread across the UK and Ireland.

  • Bird flu or Avian Flu: 5 important facts you must know about

    Bird flu or Avian Flu: 5 important facts you must know about

    Did you know India was declared free from bird flu in 2017?

  • Your birth year can predict how likely you are to get seriously ill or die in outbreak of animal-origin influenza virus

    Your birth year can predict how likely you are to get seriously ill or die in outbreak of animal-origin influenza virus

    According to a recent study, our birth year predicts how likely we are to get seriously ill or die in an outbreak of an animal-origin influenza virus.

  • Following flu outbreak, Goa bans poultry from Karnataka

    Following flu outbreak, Goa bans poultry from Karnataka

    The administration in Goa's South Goa district on Saturday banned the entry of poultry from Karnataka, following a reported outbreak of bird flu in the neighbouring state's Bidar district.

  • Is a major bird flu scare looming above us?

    Is a major bird flu scare looming above us?

    After swine flu should we be worried about bird flu.

  • WHO--Chicken will soon become resistant to avian flu

    WHO--Chicken will soon become resistant to avian flu

    Genetic engineering can make chicken's resistant to the flu virus.

  • Bird flu can be transferred from person-to-person

    Bird flu can be transferred from person-to-person

    Next time there's a bird flu outbreak in the country, we will need to be more alert!

  • Developed -- bird flu vaccine that is 100% effective on chickens

    Developed -- bird flu vaccine that is 100% effective on chickens

  • Developed: Vaccines to protect chickens from two new strains of avian influenza

    Developed: Vaccines to protect chickens from two new strains of avian influenza

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