Avian flu threat is real
Bird flu spreading quicker than expected
Diana Lesperance
Issue date: 10/20/05 Section: Features
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Not since Alfred Hitchcock attempted to frighten the world with his movie about angry, pecking birds, has there been so much anxiety and apprehension over the little, winged creature. But while "The Birds" may have been a portrayal of someone's imagination, this time the fear may be real.
Worries of a worldwide pandemic brought about by avian strain H5N1 have led to international meetings and cooperation amongst nations. President Bush has directed community leaders, military leaders, and health officials to develop a plan to deal with an outbreak of influenza that some say could kill a billion people worldwide.
While the scenario may seem extreme, and Lakeland College Biology Professor Lynn Lauer thinks the press "may be overreacting," she also believes "the threat is real."
The "Bird Flu," as it is known, began infecting birds and humans in Southeast Asia. So far, over 100 million birds have died as a result of the disease, and 119 humans have been infected. Of these, 65 people have died.
While it's not rare for birds to infect other birds with influenza, it is rare for a virus to mutate and jump species. The World Health Organization (WHO) says "influenza pandemics are caused by new influenza viruses that have adapted to humans."
It is the ability to mutate which has led some in the scientific and health community to fear that the world may be on the brink of another pandemic.
Lauer explains the virus has shown an ability to mutate (pointing out that it's moved from chickens to turkeys) and "there isn't much genetic material in a virus, so small changes can happen quickly."
There were three pandemics in the last century; the most devastating one occurred in 1918, killing nearly 50 million people. Interestingly, recent studies published in the journal "Science" have claimed that it may have been caused by a form of bird flu. Scientists were able to find a sample of the 1918 flu virus in an Alaskan woman buried in the permafrost. They say their investigation shows that the woman was infected with a strain of bird flu.
Worries of a worldwide pandemic brought about by avian strain H5N1 have led to international meetings and cooperation amongst nations. President Bush has directed community leaders, military leaders, and health officials to develop a plan to deal with an outbreak of influenza that some say could kill a billion people worldwide.
While the scenario may seem extreme, and Lakeland College Biology Professor Lynn Lauer thinks the press "may be overreacting," she also believes "the threat is real."
The "Bird Flu," as it is known, began infecting birds and humans in Southeast Asia. So far, over 100 million birds have died as a result of the disease, and 119 humans have been infected. Of these, 65 people have died.
While it's not rare for birds to infect other birds with influenza, it is rare for a virus to mutate and jump species. The World Health Organization (WHO) says "influenza pandemics are caused by new influenza viruses that have adapted to humans."
It is the ability to mutate which has led some in the scientific and health community to fear that the world may be on the brink of another pandemic.
Lauer explains the virus has shown an ability to mutate (pointing out that it's moved from chickens to turkeys) and "there isn't much genetic material in a virus, so small changes can happen quickly."
There were three pandemics in the last century; the most devastating one occurred in 1918, killing nearly 50 million people. Interestingly, recent studies published in the journal "Science" have claimed that it may have been caused by a form of bird flu. Scientists were able to find a sample of the 1918 flu virus in an Alaskan woman buried in the permafrost. They say their investigation shows that the woman was infected with a strain of bird flu.