| Although wild birds carry the viruses, they are usually | | | | influenza in humans, a swab of the nose or throat |
| unaffected by symptoms of bird flu. It is | | | | must be taken within the first few days after |
| domesticated birds (chickens, ducks and turkeys) in | | | | suspected symptoms of bird flu are noticed or two |
| which avian flu symptoms cause sickness and | | | | separate blood tests must be taken to confirm the |
| sometimes death. The symptoms of bird flu in | | | | presence of H5N1. One of a number of flu viruses |
| domesticated poultry may be mild causing ruffled | | | | that exist among birds. Only H5N1 flu virus is believed |
| feathers and low egg production or severe causing | | | | to cause the severe avian flu symptoms that have |
| disease that affects multiple organs and death in | | | | led to death in more than 50% of the confirmed |
| 90-100% of flocks in as little as 48 hours. It is | | | | cases.While highly contagious among birds, avian flu |
| believed that the degree of difference in avian flu | | | | symptoms are not easily transmitted by human to |
| symptoms is related to the strain of the flu virus | | | | human contact. The only confirmed cases of avian flu |
| infecting the birds.Avian flu symptoms do not usually | | | | caused by contact with an infected person have |
| occur in humans, however 239 confirmed cases have | | | | been among family members who remained in close |
| been reported in humans since 2003, according to | | | | contact with the person suffering from the |
| statistics compiled by the World Health Organization | | | | symptoms of the bird flu. This is unlike seasonal flu |
| (WHO). 140 deaths worldwide have been attributed | | | | and SARS which are highly contagious viruses among |
| to symptoms of the bird flu.Human cases of avian flu | | | | humans. The concern over a pandemic (worldwide |
| symptoms have been reported in many countries in | | | | spread) arises from the fact that viruses mutate. So, |
| Asia and the Middle East, but most have occurred in | | | | if the current avian bird flu virus were to mutate into |
| small villages and outlying areas of Indonesia and | | | | one that was highly contagious then a worldwide |
| Vietnam. Most confirmed cases of avian flu | | | | outbreak of avian flu symptoms could occur.If you |
| symptoms in humans resulted from contact with | | | | do not have contact with birds that are infected with |
| infected domesticated birds or contact with surfaces | | | | the avian flu virus and you do not take care of |
| contaminated by the feces and fluids from infected | | | | people who have contracted the avian flu virus, then |
| birds. The symptoms of bird flu in humans are typical | | | | you will not develop symptoms of bird flu from the |
| flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough | | | | virus as it currently exists. If the virus should mutate |
| and muscle aches. But, in some confirmed human | | | | to a more contagious form, you can still protect |
| cases the symptoms of bird flu have included eye | | | | yourself from severe avian flu symptoms in the |
| infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases, | | | | same way that you would protect yourself from |
| acute respiratory distress and other severe and | | | | seasonal flu. While no one is sure why what appears |
| life-threatening complications. The Center for Disease | | | | to be the same virus would cause mild or moderate |
| Control (CDC) believes that the wide range of avian | | | | symptoms of bird flu in some people and death in |
| flu symptoms in humans may depend on which strain | | | | others, it is known that a healthy human immune |
| of avian bird flu virus the person was infected | | | | system can fight off most any flu bug in 7-10 days. |
| with.Avian flu symptoms alone are not sufficient to | | | | To learn more about products that can help you |
| confirm the diagnosis of avian influenza in humans or | | | | keep a healthy immune system, visit Hamilton has |
| birds, because the symptoms of bird flu are so similar | | | | more than twenty years experience as a health care |
| to typical flu symptoms and other viral infections. In | | | | professional and currently writes information articles |
| order to make a confirmed diagnosis of avian | | | | for the Immune System Booster Guide. |