What is Avian Flu
Avian influenza is an infectious and contagious disease that affects domestic and wild birds, often causing serious illness and even death of the animal. The type A influenza viruses responsible for avian influenza can also infect other animals and in some cases humans. Not surprisingly, t
The viruses that cause avian flu are therefore of different types. Their marked pathogenicity lays the foundation for frequent mutations and recombination phenomena; in practice, avian flu viruses have a tendency to mutate and exchange genetic traits to give life to new viral subtypes.
In recent years, avian influenza outbreaks have occurred in Asia, Africa and parts of Europe. The two main risks to human health from the disease are:
- direct infection, when the virus is transmitted from an infected bird to humans
- mutation or recombination of the virus into a highly contagious form for humans, more easily transmitted from person to person.
