Three humans probably have bird flu in French territory

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Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 28 Oct 2005 - 6:00 PDT

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French authorities report that three people who came back from a holiday in Thailand probably have bird flu. The three people had been to an ornithological zoo (bird zoo) in Thailand - they were in contact with the birds.

Samples of their blood have gone to a lab in Paris to see whether they have been infected with the virulent H5N1 bird flu strain.

French Health Minister, Xavier Bertrand, said that the Prime Minister has told members of parliament about the three suspected bird flu cases. They were detected in the island of Reunion. He said initial tests have come back positive for bird flu. Samples have been sent for confirmation to the Pasteur Institute, Paris.

Mr Bertrand stressed that for the moment they are suspected cases, not confirmed ones.

French Agriculture Minister had ordered that farmed poultry which may lie in the path of migratory birds be kept indoors.

People fear that the H5N1 virus could eventually mutate and spread easily among humans.

For the moment bird flu is not an easy illness for humans to catch. It is very difficult to catch it from another human. Even human infection from a bird requires quite a lot of contact with birds. This could all change if the virus mutated.

Experts say that one way in which the virus could mutate would be by entering a person who has normal flu. The H5N1 bird flu virus could then exchange genes with the normal flu virus. With its new genes it would have the ability to spread from human-to-human. This could then be the start of a new flu pandemic.

There are no vaccines to protect humans from bird flu. We have no immunity against a mutated H5N1 virus. The only treatment available is Tamiflu - an antiviral drug that is given to the infected patient. If administered early on enough during the disease it can help the patient to pull through.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today


Copyright: Medical News Today
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