Avian Flu Scare

2005-2006

Scientific Information

Avian influenza, or “bird flu,” normally spreads only from bird to bird

It spreads quickly in domesticated birds and is usually fatal

The virus can mutate to spread from birds to humans, a strain called H5N1

The fear in 2005 was that this strain would mutate again to spread from human to human

Diagram of H5N1

Other Facts

The virus can be present in wild birds for a long time without making them sick

Virus cannot be transmitted through the handling of properly cooked birds and eggs

In Vietnam

Over the course of 2 years in Vietnam, the H5N1 strain of flu killed 140 million birds

It also infected 117 people, fatal to more than half of them

Most of the people who were infected had been in close contact with an infected bird for an extended period of time

Did not spread from person to person

In Romania

In late 2005, there was an outbreak of avian flu (bird to bird) in Romania

Medical teams began rounding up domestic birds and killing them in order to prevent the spread of the flu

They also sprayed disinfectant

In Asia

The H5N1 strain of the flu (bird to human) had been spreading in Asia since 1997

H5N1 broke out in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkey

The disease began spreading through migrating birds

Global Fear

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that if the virus mutated to spread from human to human, it could cause a global pandemic and kill 2 to 7 million people

In addition to the H5N1 strain, other strains of bird flu were mutating and researchers feared human to human infection was inevitable

US Fear and Preparation

US feared that the deadly flu would spread to America

The US Senate approved a plan to spend $4 billion in preparation for a pandemic

Vaccination

A vaccine was developed to be produced on a large scale

It was tested on 450 volunteers with promising results

The US paid a French company, Sanofi Pasteur, to get 20 million vaccines

Antiviral Drugs An antiviral drug, Tamiflu, seemed to be a

good defense for after people contracted the flu

As it was only tested on animals, no one could be certain of the results

The US had planned to have 12.3 million doses ready, but they needed 20 million doses

However, to reach demand, the Swiss company Roche, may have needed until 2008 to make enough of the drug

Preparation in Homes

The US government began recommending that people have extra supplies at home in case of a pandemic

This included extra food and water as well as medications

Outcome

Thankfully, the virus did not mutate to spread from human to human

The bird flu did not come to the US In America, there is currently a ban on

the importation of birds and bird products (ex: eggs) from countries affected by H5N1

Future Threat?

The US CDC (Center for Disease Control) is currently working with the WHO to develop another vaccine

Although the virus does not usually spread from person to person, scientists and researchers are still concerned that the virus could mutate to do so

Importance

The fear of this disease swept the nation and caused months of worrying

Although the flu did not cause a pandemic, it was the first time in modern day history that a virus caused so much concern in America

The End