Avian influenza is flu infection in birds. The disease is of concern to humans, who have no immunity against it. The virus that causes this infection in birds can mutate to infect humans. Such mutation could start a deadly worldwide epidemic. Human influenza virus usually refers to those subtypes that spread widely among humans. There are only three known A subtypes of influenza viruses H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 currently circulating among humans. Influenza A viruses are constantly changing, and they might adapt over time to infect and spread among humans.

In initial stages, the bird flu or avian influenza manifests symptoms very similar to the common flu. Symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from typical flu-like symptoms fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases such as acute respiratory distress, and other severe and life threatening complications. Read the rest of this entry →