Bird Flu Spreads To Afghanistan, Myanmar And Cameroon

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Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Veterinary
Article Date: 13 Mar 2006 - 14:00 PDT

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Afghanistan, Myanmar and Cameroon have reported bird flu within their borders, evidence of an acceleration of the virus' spread this year.

H5N1 strain has been confirmed for Cameroon. An H5 bird flu virus strain has been detected in Afghanistan and Myanmar (used to be called Burma).

Although the cause of this spread is not yet known, bird migration and the bird trade are probably the main culprits, say experts.

The speed of the bird flu spread has started to accelerate. So far this year 26 new countries have reported H5N1 bird flu virus strain within their borders.

Three infected birds were found in Afghanistan - one in Kabul (the capital) and two in Nangarhar (eastern part of the country). 112 chickens died of bird flu in a farm in Myanmar.

Although initial tests from Afghanistan and Myanmar indicate H5 strain only - experts are fairly sure further tests will show H5N1 infection.

It is crucial that all countries cooperate with each other in the fight against bird flu and the looming human flu pandemic that may follow. North Korea, where the media is completely controlled by the state, has not given any indications of bird flu within its borders. Even though its neighbours have reported bird flu. If the virus is spreading in North Korea, and the rest of the world, plus its own people, don't know about it, the chances of a mutation happening there are greater. If more humans catch bird flu, the greater the chance is that the virus will mutate.

The bird flu virus can mutate by infecting a human who already has the normal human flu. It can then exchange genetic information from the human flu virus and pick up its ability to spread rapidly and easily among humans. As soon as the bird flu virus learns how to do this, we could be facing a serious, global flu pandemic.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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