 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Health Materials A-Z
|
 |
Avian Flu (or "Bird Flu")
A Message from Peter Dietrich, M.D., M.P.H., Medical Director of University Health Services There has been a lot of media attention about avian flu (commonly
referred to as "bird flu") and the potential for an influenza
(flu) pandemic. At this time, there is an outbreak of avian flu referred
to as H5N1 that has been confirmed among poultry and other birds,
however, there have not been any human cases of H5N1 in the United
States. The current outbreak of avian flu is not a flu pandemic and
there is no occurrence of pandemic flu affecting humans anywhere in
the world. However, experts predict such an occurrence at some point
in the future. UC Berkeley is preparing for this potential, as are
many other college campuses, and, indeed, the nation. To help keep
our campus community informed, University Health Services has created
this webpage to provide answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs),
resources, and campus contact information. Avian Flu (or "Bird Flu") FAQ's
What is the difference between Seasonal Flu, Avian Flu, and Pandemic Flu? Seasonal Flu is what we usually think of as "the flu." It is a respiratory illness caused by many different influenza (flu) viruses and can be spread easily from person-to-person. Seasonal flu typically occurs between November and April with symptoms including fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches. Avian Flu (or "Bird Flu") is a term used for a set of flu viruses that cause disease mainly in birds. Avian flu occurs naturally in wild birds but usually does not make them sick. However, avian flu can spread to domestic poultry (such as chickens and turkeys) and makes them very ill, often killing them. Rarely do people and animals can get infected with these viruses. The risk to most people is low, because these viruses do not usually infect humans. Pandemic Flu is a world-wide outbreak of flu in humans that occurs when a new form of flu virus infects humans and is easily spread from person-to-person. Because a pandemic flu virus is unique, people have no immunity (or resistance) to it. Three prior flu pandemics occurred in the 20th century, in 1918 ("Spanish
Flu"), 1957 ("Asian Flu"), and 1968 ("Hong Kong
Flu"). Currently, there is no pandemic flu involving humans occurring anywhere in the world but experts predict that one will occur at some point in the future and we want to be prepared. How do people get seasonal and avian flus? Seasonal flu ("the flu") is spread from person-to-person through respiratory droplets (coughing and sneezing). People can also get the flu by touching surfaces (such as door knobs) with flu viruses on them and then touching the mouth or nose. Avian flu viruses can be found in the saliva, nasal fluids, and feces
of infected birds. Currently, the majority of people infected with
avian flu have gotten it as the result of direct or close contact
with infected poultry or surfaces, such as cages where the infected
birds lived. Can I get avian flu from eating chicken and
other poultry? It is safe to eat properly handled and cooked chicken and other poultry
(turkey, ducks, etc.) products. Even if poultry and eggs were to be
contaminated with the avian virus, proper cooking would kill it. You
should follow these guidelines when cooking poultry:
What are the common symptoms of seasonal
flu? The common symptoms of seasonal flu are fever, headache, fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and body aches. Are the symptoms of avian flu in humans different from seasonal flu? The symptoms of avian flu in humans may be similar to those for the
common seasonal flu but usually progress more aggressively and may
also include:
What can I do to prevent seasonal flu? For seasonal flu prevention tips, please see Fighting the Flu. What can I do to prevent avian flu?
At this time, the risk to most people from avian flu is low. If you are planning to visit areas affected by avian flu, please see the information for travelers. The following are some recommendations for preventing avian flu:
Is there a vaccine (flu shot) available for
avian flu? There is not a flu vaccine (also know as a flu shot) against the
current avian flu (H5N1) commercially available at this time. However, vaccines are produced each year for seasonal flu ("the
flu") that may prevent the flu or lessen symptoms. University
Health Services (UHS) schedules "flu shot clinics" during
the fall. For more information please see, Flu
Shot Update. Is there a cure for avian flu? There is no cure for avian or seasonal flus. Because flus are caused by viruses, antibiotic treatment (which works against bacteria) is ineffective. For more information on treating seasonal flu, please see Fighting
the Flu. There are currently four medications (called "antivirals") for flu viruses: symmetrel, flumadine, tamiflu, and relenza. Antivirals may be effective for reducing the severity and duration of the flu. They can also be used to try and prevent the flu if someone has come in contact with flu viruses. However, the current avian flu virus (H5N1) is resistant to two of the available antiviral medications, symmetrel and flumadine. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends against using either of these antivirals for avian or seasonal flu. There is concern about the potential for flu viruses to become resistant to additional antiviral medications. The use of antivirals when they are not needed increases the chance that flu viruses will become resistant. Antivirals should not be taken without instructions from a doctor or other healthcare provider. The most current information about antivirals and drug resistance
is available on the CDC's
website. Should I stockpile antiviral
medications? No, people should not stockpile (collect) antiviral
medications. The use of antivirals when they are not needed increases the chance that flu viruses will become resistant. Antivirals should not be taken without instructions from a doctor or other healthcare provider. What should I do if I am traveling to
an area affected by avian flu? Visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Travelers' Health website at http://www.cdc.gov/travel to find out about any disease risks and CDC health recommendations for the areas you plan to visit. Make an appointment at University Health Services' Travel Clinic for a personalized travel package (fees apply). The Current Status of Avian Flu What is the current status of avian flu? There is a current outbreak of a type of avian flu referred to as H5N1 that has been confirmed among poultry and other birds. At this time, there have not been any people with H5N1 (cases) in the United States. There have been a small number of human cases of H5N1 in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Most of these cases resulted from direct or close contact with infected poultry. Spread of avian flu from person-to-person has been very limited. At this time, the concern is that should the avian flu virus (H5N1) change in such a way that it will be able to spread easily from person-to-person, a pandemic could develop. Currently, the avian flu H5N1 virus does not spread easily from person-to-person
and there is no pandemic flu any where in the world. What is the best way to stay up-to-date about avian flu and the potential for a flu pandemic? The most current information on avian flu and the potential for a flu pandemic can be found on the following websites: Center for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) What is UC Berkeley doing about avian flu and planning for the potential of a pandemic? UC Berkeley has a Pandemic Flu Preparedness Task Force, established by Chancellor Birgeneau, with members representing academic and administrative areas of the University to address the potential threat of avian and pandemic flus. The Task Force is collaborating with local, state, and national health officials to establish best practices before and during a pandemic. Campus health staff and infectious disease experts are working closely with local and state health authorities to monitor the world-wide avian flu situation and potential for a flu pandemic. University Health Services is educating faculty, staff, and students with up-to-date printed and web-based materials (such as those available through this webpage). For more information, please see UC Berkeley Pandemic Flu Preparedness.
Resources for Individuals and Families
Disclaimer: The information provided here is not intended to diagnose, treat or provide a second opinion on any health problem or disease. It is meant to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between an individual and his/her clinician. Last revised: April, 2007 Back to Online Health Materials A-Z
|
|
||||
 |
|||||||
Contact Info
Join Our Team
About UHS
Gifts
Privacy Practices
Disclaimer
Online Tour
Meet the Staff
©2003 UC Regents
2222 Bancroft Way, University of California, Berkeley, 94720-4300
|
|||||||
