Microorganism and Epidemiology of Bird Flu - Research Paper Example

Bird Flu Introduction Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is a virus that is found primarily in birds, though it can be transferred to human beings. The main hosts of the bird flu are birds, as well as humans if they have caught the disease. The influenza is carried in the intestines of the bird, yet it does not often kill the bird that it is carrying it. Humans can catch the virus by being in direct contact with a bird with the virus or by touching a surface on which the bird has made contact. Although there was a lot of hype in regards to catching the flu by eating poultry, it was proven that bird flu is not a food-borne disease, or a disease that can be caught by eating the infected species. Bird flu in humans is similar to the average influenza, so detecting it and diagnosing it can be, at times, difficult. Symptoms can be a bit more harsh than a typical flu and can sometimes lead to death in those with a weaker immune system. Like the average flu, bird flu can be passed from person to person; unfortunately, while the same medications used in the human influenza can be used to treat bird flu, the virus tends to become immune to the effects of the human influenza vaccine, making it helpless against treating the virus. There are also other varying viruses that come from the bird flu microorganism, so symptoms and the threats on life can differ between which type of virus the person has. Microorganism and epidemiology of bird flu Bird flu is a virus that is passed from system to system, whether it is by bird or human. Like all microorganisms, bird flu can be carried by means of hands, therefore being capable of being passed on by merely touching another person that has the disease. Bird flu shares many symptoms and traits to a normal flu, so it is spread in the same way. People need to be careful how they handle food, and make sure that they wash their hands after making contact with something that has had previous contact with other hands. This microorganism is a bacteria, so while it may not be seen, it can most definitely be present in an area. This microorganism is transmitted to humans through indirect and direct contact. While it cannot be caught while eating poultry that has been infected by the disease (Mohamed Saif, 2005), it can still be caught by touching surfaces that the poultry has been on or by making physical contact with a bird that has it. Indirectly, bird flu can be caught in the same way as other diseases that are passed on by humans. The microorganism is found in birds and can be passed down to humans; its original environment is within the intestines of the bird. It is actually very common that a bird is carrying bird flu, yet they seldom die from it. The microorganism is not typically associated with humans, regardless of how easy it is for them to catch it. The strength of the virus - from being found in birds to being passed down to humans - is due to the increased contact between humans and birds with the virus (Stones, 2006). Humans have always been subjected to the virus and there have been many unreported cases of bird flu, as it closely resembles typical influenza and is harder to pinpoint. Therefore, it is difficult to also pinpoint when the virus got strong enough to allow humans to be subjected to it. It is clear, though, that increased handling of poultry with the virus is what allowed it to be spread around easier. The microorganism itself has not evolved to become easier to transfer to humans, but since it is not a disease familiar to humans, humans lack the immunities to protect the body against the virus. This is the main reason why vaccines against the virus are difficult to produce, as humans are not used to any aspect of the bird flu microorganism. Humans have just become more susceptible to the virus because of increased handling of poultry and their bodys inability to fight off the disease. As it is difficult for humans to catch most of the varieties of avian influenza, it is, likewise, as difficult to pass it onto others. Unfortunately, with the varieties of the virus that can be caught by humans, it can be just as easily spread to others. Depending on which type of virus it is will depend on how contagious it is. It takes a lot to pass the flu on to another person, yet it can still be done and precaution needs to be taken. Detection and diagnosis Detecting bird flu in a human involves laboratory testing, as going on symptoms alone can be misleading ("Key Facts," 2007). The virus has to be detected during the early days of having the illness; the longer the person has the illness, the harder it becomes to distinguish it from other illnesses or diseases that the human might have been subjected to. To detect the virus, a swab is taken from the mouth or nose of the patient and then sent off to a laboratory. For safety purposes and to avoid further spreading the disease, the virus should only be grown in a laboratory and under necessary precautions. Detecting the virus in birds, that is to say the natural environment, is a bit easier, as the disease is in its environment. Once the virus hits a human, it becomes difficult to pick it out from other diseases that humans are vulnerable to. However, detecting it in the environment, or the bird, makes it slightly easier to find it in humans, as scientists would know what they are looking for, and what the microorganism resembles. Diagnosing a human with bird flu is still a difficult task, especially if the person is far along in the illness. Even when the illness is caught early enough, its resemblance to other diseases causes scientists and doctors alike to be wary about how they treat the person. Prevention and treatment There is no surefire way to prevent catching bird flu. The same precautions taken to avoid human influenza can be taken to decrease the chances of catching bird flu, such as washing hands before and after handling food, after using the restroom, or after making contact with someone who is sick, regardless of what they might be sick with. If a person begins to experience symptoms related to bird flu, they can avoid the progression of the virus if they seek immediate medical attention. Treating bird flu can be as simple as taking the same vaccine used to help treat typical human influenza. Unfortunately, viruses, especially ones as strong as the bird flu, can become immune to the vaccines; this takes scientists back to point one, being that there is no definite way to treat bird flu. In the same sense, the seasonal flu vaccine is unable to prevent or treat bird flu in humans. Furthermore, as is the case in all diseases, the chance of recovery depends on the individual - while healthy, fit people are able to keep the virus at bay, they also have the same chance at getting seriously ill as someone who is not of great health. There is no way of breaking the chain of transmission at the present moment. More study and research is needed to understand why the virus is passed to humans and what the best treatment would be so that proper vaccinations can be created (Leung, 2006). As there are varying forms of this disease, getting to the root of the problem will be made difficult, as many treatments may have to be created to suit each type of virus. Bird flu is one of the most hard-to-understand diseases, as the majority of birds seem to already carry it, therefore making it hard to understand why they catch it to begin with. What needs to then be understood is how humans become susceptible to the disease. Conclusion Bird flu is a virus that is passed from bird to human, though not by means of eating poultry. The symptoms and the methods in which the virus is passed are similar to that of the human influenza, which also makes it harder to detect. There are no definite ways to prevent or treat bird flu, though the most common type of virus can be tended to with the same vaccine used against typical human influenza; unfortunately, even this option can fade, as many viruses have the ability to fight against the vaccine. While research continues to find a cure or a sure prevention method, nothing has been found in recent years of study and research. Works Cited "Key Facts About Avian Influenza and Avian Influenza A Virus." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 7 May 2007. Online. Available http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm. 12 May 2009. Leung, Ping-Chung. Bird Flu. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific Publishing Company, Inc., 2006. Mohamed Saif, Y. "Can a Person Catch Bird Flu from Eating Poultry?" NetWellness: Consumer Health Information. 20 Nov 2005. Online. Available http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/poison/poultry.cfm. 12 May 2009. Stones, Michael. Bird Flu Pandemic. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, Inc., 2006. Read More