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What is Bird Flu?

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What is Bird Flu?
How Pandemics Start
Pandemic Spread
Pandemics in History
Bird Flu Symptoms
Differences-Cold & Flu 
Lower Respiratory Complications
Protect Yourself against Bird Flu
Your Immune System
Boost your Immune System
Fight the Flu

Important Links
World Health Organisation
Aust Gov Dpt Health
NZ Ministry of Health
CDC - USA gov
Public Health Agency - Canada
European Commission - Influenza
Dept Health - South Africa
Dept Health - England
Dept Health - Ireland
Scottish Executive Health Dept
Wales Pandemic Flu Current Action
Hong Kong Gov - Avian Influenza
Bird Flu Singapore Gov
Dept Health - Germany
Dept of Health - Philippines
EPID - Sri Lanka

Know of an important link about Bird Flu? Please let me know so that it can be added. Thank you!

Bird Flu aka Avian Influenza aka Avian Virus
What is Bird Flu?

Bird Flu, or Avian Influenza is a flu type virus that has been around for the last 100 years. According to Wikipedia it was first identified in Italy. While the disease is found world wide, until recent times, the virus only affected birds, but the virus has been passed on to humans from infected birds. The people who have been affected by the virus are mostly those who have handled the infected birds. The mortality rate is around 50% for humans infected with the virus.

The current fear which is sweeping across the globe stems from the knowledge that should a person infected with the Bird Flu subsequently develop the influenza virus that we commonly find amongst humans, then the virus will mutate. Once the virus mutates, then it is highly probable that the virus will be able to be spread in airborne manner - much the same as the SARS virus. One particular strain of the Bird Flu, the H5N1 strain is the one that scientists are most concerned with at the present time, and the one that they believe will be the most likely source of a worldwide Bird Flu pandemic.