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The topic that will be discussed in the following article is being widely discussed in various venues most especially on the internet. Yet despite the popularity of the topic we feel that there is still a need for more sources that provide objective information. So here it is, read on.
How Do Humans Become Infected With Bird Flu
Sarah Jenkins
Interesting, isn't it? In the rest of this article, you'll discover even more insider stuff about the topic - and it is simple and easy to follow. The infection process with bird flu is not particularly complicated. As with other strains of influenza, the virus itself is passed from host to host, although bird flu is not transmitted from human contact like other strains of the flu. However, people should still be knowledgeable of how bird flu is contracted to avoid it as much as possible.
Currently, the primary way humans become infected with the disease is through contact with infected animals or their feces. The virus is transmitted through bodily excretions, such as saliva, nasal secretions, and feces or through contact with contaminated surfaces. In many of the regions where outbreaks have occurred, people, poultry and pigs live in very close contact, therefore, increasing the likelihood of transmitting the disease.
Especially in agricultural arenas, virus transmission occurs more frequently to humans. The reason for this is the necessity of handling fowl for feeding, medical care, and slaughter. People will often handle birds and not properly sanitize their hands and clothing afterward. Also, because fowl are usually kept in small areas for farming purposes, the disease spreads easily and feces accumulates quickly, also increasing human contact with potentially dangerous excretions. The virus lives on contaminated surfaces for several days, which also increases infection probability.
Another way of infection is by ingesting infected poultry that was not cooked properly. It is always suggested to fully cook any meat you are preparing for yourself or your family to eliminate bacteria and harmful viruses. When cooking poultry, you should cook the meat to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius to ensure its safety. Especially in the cases of infection in children, ingesting contaminated food is believed to be the primary cause because children handling fowl is considerably less common in the areas where outbreaks have occurred. This is of particular concern as children have a higher mortality rate than adults. As with most infectious diseases, it has more of a negative effect of the weak: the very young and very old.
With time, people fear the virus will mutate to a form transmittable from human to human. If this occurs, infection will occur as with the regular flu strain. The virus will spread through saliva and mucus contact through sneezing, coughing, or breathing in close vicinity of others. With mutation, the virus will spread with much more ease through human populations, possibly causes massive illness and death.
About the author:
Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Cohn's Disease. For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now. | The end of this article is not necessarily the end of the topic as far as this website is concerned. There are other insightful articles on the topic that are available in our resources. Feel free to browse through the many articles we have on this topic and so many others.
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