Almavorism breeds dis-ease...
? Where does avian flu come from?
First discovered among European birds in the early 1900s, avian flu affects many bird species and comes in dozens of different varieties. Five are now known to cause disease in humans. All are the result of infection by viruses - tiny packets of genetic material so small that one million of them could sit on the end of a human hair.
? What is so worrying about avian flu?
The current concern focuses on a type known as H5N1, first discovered in terns in 1961. It is astonishingly lethal in chickens, and also extremely contagious: just one gram of faecal material can infect 40 million other birds. In 1997 H5N1 proved capable of infecting humans in close proximity to chickens, and has proved fatal in around half of all cases, a striking high fatality rate.
? Can it be caught by eating chicken?
Cooked chicken is understood to be entirely safe. All the human cases so far have been traced to close contact either with infected chickens directly, or with matter that has come into contact with them. Health officials advise travellers to Asia to avoid poultry markets and farms.
The understatement award? "Health officials advise travellers to Asia to avoid poultry markets and farms." Thanks for the advice, guys~^^ Runner-up is, "...principal symptom is death." Yes, now that's a tell-tale symptom if I ever saw one! |
