How could a person tell if they have the bird flu? I mean what's the difference between the bird flu and the normal cold people get.
Answer
All symptoms of the influenza virus including the bird flu are the same. Of these symptoms, fevers can reach 40C. The patient usually feels fatigue, headache, pain of muscles and bones and sneezing. Including redness of the eyes, sometimes a sore throat as well and rhinitis. Usually the high fevers and redness of the eyes are characteristic of any influenza virus.
Name
Cherich
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Is there a way to prevent a person from catching this virus?
Answer
No contact with migrating birds or infected birds is the most important factor.
However, there has been no human to human transfer of the virus. Until now there has been no adaptation genetically in the avian flu virus to make it capable of transfering from human to human.
Name
Nancy
-
Profession
Question
Can someone be infected with avian influenza without knowing and get cured? They say thousands have been infected but have cured on their own.
Answer
Yes. It depends on the immune response of the patient and on their immune system. Good nutrition stimulates the efficiency of the immune system. Smokers are more easily infected than non-smokers.
50% of the patients that have been infected recovered from the virus completely.
Name
lily
-
Profession
Question
Thank you for being here doctor. I would like to ask, are there definite measures being takent to prevent a pandemic, is it under control if people behave more cautiously?
Answer
Each Ministy of Health is doing its best to control and monitor migrating birds and prevent the entering of any infected birds into the country.
They also have a stock of Tamiflu for prophylaxis and treatment. Until now there is no vaccine for avian influenza in the world.
The latest strain of bird flu found in Turkey is currently being analyzed in Britain to discover any change genetically. There has not yet been an antigenic shift that makes it possible for transfering from human to human.
Name
Salwa
-
Profession
Question
They say that the infections are due to ignorance on the part of the victims. How so? What can we do to protect ourselves?
Answer
Yes, that is true. Once a person thinks birds are infected by observing any changes in their behavior or health (such as edemic head and legs, nervousness etc..) they should inform their ministries of health.
Here in Egypt there are three institutes you can contact, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health.
Farmers or bird keepers should always use gloves and wear masks, especially while cleaning. Washing the hands and face is always crucial.
Name
Abood
-
Profession
Question
I was wondering wether it is easy for an avian virus to become a hybrid with a human influenza virus.
Isn't that too easy? Can different strains of viruses exchange genetic material to that extent?
Answer
It can happen at any time. Yet, it has not happened as of yet. Humans can make it more difficult for this to happen by taking care and being more cautious while handling birds and so on.
Every time there is a new human case of infection, the chances for the virus to change genetically is easier.
We would like to make clear that most of the human cases have been in rural areas. So this advice is of particular importance to farmers and their families. That's why it is essential for them to report any strange health or behavioral symptoms.
Name
Mariam
- Egypt
Profession
Question
Is it true that people could catch the bird flu from the air
Answer
It is best to wear a mask while cleaning the birds. If you see one of our previous answers, there is more on protective measures.
You should put the gloves and the masks in a plastic bag, close it and then burn it if you think the bird is infected.
Name
haytham
-
Profession
Question
Don't you think this is just a bad example of media frenzy and the media are just making too much of a big deal about it? Less than a hunderd have died since 2003...
Answer
Actually the media is doing a good job of informing people of this disease.
However, all bird strains of H & N types when they are contracted in humans is a source of concern. But as long as it is from birds to humans, it is still in the realm of control, only human to human transmission will cause a lot of concern.
It cannot be predicted when or if a pandemic can occur.
A lot of the responsibility is on the humans, and so it is feared that it surfaces in developing countries where there is more ignorance and less awareness of the protective procedures. So, as we said before it is more prevalent in rural communities.
That is why the media is important in creating awareness and not instilling fear unnecessarily. It should convey solutions to deal with this problem which will prove very valuable.
Name
Jessy
- Algeria
Profession
Question
Is it possible that people get the virus through eggs?
Answer
Yes. The virus can be found in the eggs of the infected bird. But it is important to note that cooking at 70C for 20 minutes will kill the virus, or 60C for half and hour will also kill the virus. After cooking, it is safe to eat the eggs.
So, eggs should not be half cooked, or soft inside, this is for other viruses to such as salmonella as well. Also, food products which use raw eggs such as mayonaise should not be imported from countries where there are cases of infection.
Name
lily
-
Profession
Question
Are pigs a subject of worry?
Answer
One important point is that pigs are very dangerous vessels of disease. They are reservoirs which can be infected easily. Because pigs can "reassort" viruses, this means the dangers will be much higher because pigs are mammals which will make it easier for us to contract the virus from them than from birds.
If this same strain of virus is reassorted in pigs and begins infecting humans, it will be easier to go to human to human transmission because they are mammals. That is why I believe it is very important for us to monitor and control pigs and pig farms for fear of easy and swift spread of a dangerous strain of the disease. We should not be focusing only on birds and humans.
Also, because chickens have a weak immune system, they show signs first, however ducks are 'silent' carriers because they do not show the symptoms easily; they are able to secrete large quantities of highly pathogenic virus without showing clinical signs. So ducks and migrating birds should be monitored very carefully as well.
Name
Erin
-
Profession
Question
Why has there been so many deaths in Turkey lately?? They say that the virus in Turkey is a nasty strain, isn't it H5N1 also?
Answer
It is the same strain as the others however, there can be a change in its genetic material (antigenic drift) which differs in the sequences of its amino acids. So it might be nastier than the other strains, but it is still H5N1.
The fear is that because it infects humans it takes the genetic material of the human which makes it easier for a "antigenic shift" to occur making the possibility of human to human transfer nearer.
