Understanding Bird Flu: Symptoms, Transmission, and Prevention

Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is a viral infection that primarily affects birds. The most common strain of bird flu is H5N1, which can cause severe illness and death in birds. While bird flu is mainly a threat to birds, in rare cases, it can also infect humans.

Symptoms of Bird Flu in Humans

If a person becomes infected with bird flu, they may experience a range of symptoms, including:

• Flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches

• Gastrointestinal problems like nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting

• Breathing difficulties, including shortness of breath, respiratory distress, and pneumonia

• Changes in brain function or behavior, and in severe cases, seizures

How Bird Flu Spreads to Humans

Humans can catch bird flu through close contact with infected birds or their droppings. This can happen when cleaning or plucking infected birds, inhaling aerosolized materials in live bird markets, or even swimming or bathing in water contaminated with the droppings of infected birds. It's important to note that people cannot catch bird flu from eating properly cooked poultry or eggs.

Types of Bird Flu

There are two main categories of bird flu:

1. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI): This type causes severe illness and high mortality rates in chickens.

2. Low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI): This type causes less serious illness and lower mortality rates in chickens.

Both types can spread quickly through bird flocks and potentially cause serious illness in humans. The most common strains that infect humans are H5, H7, and H9.

Prevention and Treatment

Several new drugs are in trial. Antivirals are most effcetive if given within 48 hours of first symptoms. While there is a vaccine available to prevent human infection with the H5N1 strain of bird flu, it is not commercially available to the general public. The best way to protect yourself from bird flu is to avoid close contact with birds, especially sick or dead ones, and to practice good hygiene, such as washing your hands frequently.

If you suspect that you have been exposed to bird flu and are experiencing symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. Antiviral drugs such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu), peramivir (Rapivab), or zanamivir (Relenza) may help treat bird flu in people if given soon after symptoms appear.

Additional Resources

• CDC - Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

• WHO - Influenza (Avian and other zoonotic)

• Mayo Clinic - Bird flu

The Bottom Line

While human infections are rare, avian influenza can be severe once contracted, making early recognition and treatment within the first 48 hours critical. Avoid direct contact with birds and practice proper food safety when handling poultry products. If you've had bird exposure and develop respiratory symptoms, Doctronic can help assess your risk and guide next steps quickly.