Bird Flu Center

As the name suggests, the disease is mainly specific to animals, and bird flu is primarily spread by poultry and wild birds. However, it has been known to infect other species as well.

Biological research suggests that the influenza A subtypes viruses that infect non-avian species (humans, pigs, horses), have some common origin with the avian influenza subtypes. Waterfowl are believed to be the primary hosts for all the bird flu viruses. However such birds prove resistant to the disease and they carry the virus in their body, allowing them to spread it, through feces, into the environment they fly through in their migratory path. Local wild birds and poultry then carry the virus and further contribute to the spreading to other animals. Along with virus-contaminated surfaces, other intermediate hosts that can pass the illness to humans are domesticated animals such as pigs and horses.

The main concern about the bird flu virus is that constant developing of new strains and mutations can allow it to ‘jump’ species. As it is mainly an influenza virus, which is common, in one form or another, to both humans and many animals, the danger of its spread becoming a relatively easy process is very likely.

So far, of the animal reign, only poultry has proven to have a very low tolerance to the virus, while other species show a natural resistance to it. However, caution is recommended for pet owners and rural areas inhabitants, as animal contact with poultry and other favored species by the virus is to be avoided, so as bird flu spread to be contained.