Can avian flu be treated in birds?
Treatment for bird flu You may be given an antiviral medicine such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza). Antiviral medicines help reduce the severity of the condition, prevent complications and improve the chances of survival.
What birds are most affected by avian flu?
Avian influenza A viruses have been isolated from more than 100 different species of wild birds. Most of these viruses have been LPAI viruses. The majority of the wild birds from which these viruses have been recovered represent gulls, terns and shorebirds or waterfowl such as ducks, geese and swans.
How does avian flu affect birds?
Birds can be infected with the avian influenza virus through contact with infected saliva, nasal secretions or faeces. Wild birds including waterfowl are often more resistant to avian influenza than domestic birds, and can carry and transmit the virus without showing evidence of disease.
How do you prevent bird flu in birds?
Top Tips for Bird Flu Prevention
- Keep your birds indoors at high-risk times.
- If they can’t go indoors, prevent access by wild birds to their food.
- Cover your run.
- Make sure coops and other housing are kept clean.
- Limit visitors to your flock.
- Disinfect visitors and vehicles.
- Report any suspicions straight away.
What is the death rate of bird flu?
An especially notorious strain is the HPAI influenza virus H5N1, which has a mortality rate of approximately 60% and which has resulted in numerous hospitalizations, deaths, and significant economic loss.
How many died of the Hong Kong flu in the US?
The United States health authorities estimated that about 34,000 to 100,000 people died in the U.S; most excess deaths were in those aged 65 and older.
Are eggs affected by bird flu?
The regulator also said the World Health Organization has stated it is safe to eat poultry meat and eggs and that there is no epidemiological data to suggest the disease can be transmitted to humans through cooked food.
What viruses causes avian bird flu?
The avian influenza virus causes bird flu. Birds can be infected by influenza A viruses and all of its subtypes. Birds are not capable of carrying either type B or C influenza viruses. There are three main subtypes of avian flu, including H5, H7, and H9. The subtypes H5 and H7 are the most deadly, while the H9 subtype is less dangerous.
What is the main danger of avian flu?
The condition is very dangerous if contracted by humans. Symptoms of avian flu are similar to those of other flu viruses and include body aches, sore throat, fever and cough. Antibiotics are used to treat complications from flu viruses, like pneumonia or bronchitis, but there is currently no vaccine for avian flu being used in the human population.
Can bird flu kill you?
People with bird flu may develop life-threatening complications, including: Although bird flu may kill more than half the people it infects, the number of fatalities is still low because so few people have had bird flu. Fewer than 500 bird flu deaths have been reported to the World Health Organization since 1997.
What is the prognosis for bird flu?
The prognosis for avian flu varies greatly. History would indicate that the initial bird flu prognosis is good, but the deadly strains of the avian flu mutate quickly and can often have associated mortality rates as high as 90%.