| Avian Flu: H5N1 | | | | health care professionals. |
| Public health officials across the globe are concerned | | | | So for the public, what precautions are there? What |
| about the avian influenza or H5N1. Although there are | | | | safety system is in place for people in the U.S. who |
| many strains of avian flu, or bird flu, only one has been | | | | may be at risk for avian flu? On September 15, 2005 |
| lethal in humans, H5N1. Outbreaks in Asia since 2003 | | | | President Bush announced an international partnership |
| have killed more than 60 people and heightened | | | | to fight avian flu. Public health leaders agree that an |
| worldwide awareness of the virus. Originally, doctors | | | | influenza pandemic is inevitable and possibly eminent. |
| and scientists thought only those who worked closely | | | | History shows that influenza pandemics occur an |
| with infected fowl could contract the disease, but there | | | | average of 3-4 times per century. From that |
| have now been a handful of cases where human to | | | | perspective, the avian influenza pandemic may very |
| human contact has transmitted avian flu. Officials fear | | | | well be the first of this century. More terrifying are the |
| the outbreak of avian flu not only because of its lethal | | | | predictions. The World Health Organization estimates |
| nature, but because there is a shortage of treatment | | | | that an avian flu pandemic will kill between 2 and 7.4 |
| available to those infected. Scientists expect the virus | | | | million people worldwide. They add it could kill as many |
| to mutate and cause widespread human infection | | | | as 150 million. With these incredible estimates, world |
| before there is a chance to create a vaccine, mass | | | | health leaders are taking very seriously the task of |
| produce and distribute it to the world's population. | | | | preparing and preventing an outbreak of avian flu. This |
| The Center for Disease Control has issued guidelines | | | | preparation includes the U.S. storing antiviral drugs and |
| for health care workers when treating people infected | | | | even a vaccine that is still in clinical trial. Many officials |
| with avian flu. Those standards are meant to prevent | | | | worry that Asia, where an avian flu outbreak is most |
| the spread of this disease even to those treating the | | | | likely to occur, is not getting the help it needs from |
| infected. The guidelines show how serious an outbreak | | | | wealthy countries to eradicate the disease before a |
| of avian flu could be for our nation. | | | | pandemic starts. |
| First, it's important to understand the symptoms of | | | | In the meantime, world leaders plan to meet again in |
| avian flu. The disease presents with severe respiratory | | | | November with hopes that high profile political |
| problems. Health care workers are encouraged to get | | | | participants will draw global attention to the problem of |
| the human form of the influenza vaccine (flu shot) if | | | | H5N1 before it becomes a pandemic. In the meantime, |
| they are exposed to avian flu. Also, precautions such | | | | some leaders are recommending against travel to |
| as hand hygiene, using disposable medical equipment, | | | | Asian countries affect by the virus, including: Cambodia, |
| even wearing goggles within 3 feet of someone | | | | Laos, China, Japan, Vietnamn, South Korea, and |
| suspected of avian influenza are recommended for | | | | Thailand. |