Bird Flu Symptoms

Avian influenza is separate from human influenza because the avian form binds to alpha 2-3 sialic acid  receptors while the human form binds to alpha 2-6 sialic acid receptors.As of this time, there is no human form of H5N1. Humans who contract Influenza A virus have a large number of symptoms which includes fever, sore throat, and pneumonia which can be deadly. The strength of the infection is dependent on the immune system of the patient.

If the patient has previously been infected, they will partially be immune to the disease. Despite this, it isn't clear if the human structure of H5N1 would cause the same symptoms. A pathogenic form of avian flu is much more deadly than Influenza A virus, and is capable of wiping out 50% of humans who are exposed to it. Cases have been documented in which humans who were infected suffered from diarrhea before slipping into a coma. In some of these cases, there were no symptoms of respiratory flu. One protein which is found in those infected with H5N1 is  tumor necrosis factor alpha. This protein has been known to destroy tissues in areas of the body which are infected.

Humans who are infected with H5N1 may also experience vomiting, headaches, or other problems. However, it is the damage done to the tissues which ultimately causes patients to die. The levels of cytokines in the body has also been studied, and it is believed that the increased number of some cytokines present in the body is a result of the H5N1 infection. At this time, the biggest impact to society caused by this disease is financial and political. Scientists are seeking to contain the virus before a possible outbreak occurs. It should also be noted that many of the symptoms associated with bird flu are also found with common diseases. This could make the disease harder to detect.

One symptom which is associated with H5N1 is called the cytokine storm. When this occurs, the flu causes an inflammatory shower which seems to be helpful because it stimulates the immune system. Research has shown that H5N1 causes more cytokines to appear in the body than other variations of the flu like H1N1. The first cases of humans who were infected with bird flu corresponded to an epidemic of the same virus which infected poultry in Hong Kong. Attempts were then made to keep the disease from spreading to a larger area by killing the animals which were infected. These efforts were in vain, since the virus has already spread to other parts of the world.

In the United States, billions of dollars have been spent on researching the disease and developing vaccines. Of the billions of dollars that have been spent, hundreds of millions have been lost and thousands of birds have been killed in the process. The profits of the poultry industry have continued to fall, as many people are wary about purchasing a product which could be infected. Many political organizations have also used the bird flu crisis to push for their own agendas.