Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Russia detects first case of H5N8 avian flu in humans

Russia said Saturday that its scientists had detected the world's first case of transmission of the H5N8 strain of avian flu from birds to humans and had alerted the World Health Organization.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Bird flu strain may have jumped from cat to human

(HealthDay)—A veterinarian appears to have been infected with a strain of avian flu known as H7N2 that spread among more than 100 cats housed at New York City animal shelters. If confirmed, this would be the first known ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

First H3N8 bird flu death recorded in China

A woman has died from H3N8 bird flu in China, the World Health Organization reported Tuesday—the first known human fatality from the avian influenza strain.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Avian flu safety advice

Although avian flu currently presents a very low risk to public health, given the recent increase in cases it is useful to be aware of some simple safety tips related to this disease. You can find out more below:

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

The flu is coming: Are we ready for the next pandemic?

Even though many people dismiss and misunderstand it—calling everything from a cold to a stomach bug "the flu"— influenza actually claims 12,000 to 56,000 lives in the U.S. every year. And that's in a normal flu season.

Medical research

Researchers describe elusive replication machinery of flu viruses

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have made a major advance in understanding how flu viruses replicate within infected cells. The researchers used cutting-edge molecular biology and electron-microscopy techniques ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Veterinarians offer tips for preventing bird flu in backyard chickens

With a potential increase in avian influenza this fall when wild waterfowl migrate south from their northern breeding grounds, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine reminds chicken owners to be extra vigilant to help ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

New bird flu strain seen adapting to mammals, humans

A genetic analysis of the avian flu virus responsible for at least nine human deaths in China portrays a virus evolving to adapt to human cells, raising concern about its potential to spark a new global flu pandemic.

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Avian influenza

Avian influenza, sometimes avian flu, and commonly bird flu, refers to "influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds." Of greatest concern is highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

"Bird flu" is a phrase similar to "swine flu," "dog flu," "horse flu," or "human flu" in that it refers to an illness caused by any of many different strains of influenza viruses that have adapted to a specific host. All known viruses that cause influenza in birds belong to the species influenza A virus. All subtypes (but not all strains of all subtypes) of influenza A virus are adapted to birds, which is why for many purposes avian flu virus is the influenza A virus (note that the "A" does not stand for "avian").

Adaptation is non-exclusive. Being adapted towards a particular species does not preclude adaptations, or partial adaptations, towards infecting different species. In this way strains of influenza viruses are adapted to multiple species, though may be preferential towards a particular host. For example, viruses responsible for influenza pandemics are adapted to both humans and birds. Recent influenza research into the genes of the Spanish flu virus shows it to have genes adapted to both birds and humans; with more of its genes from birds than less deadly later pandemic strains.

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA