Extract:

Literature review: The Possibility of Human to Human Transfer of Avian Influenza

None of the results are conclusive, but they all seem to suggest that human to human transmission of avian influenza is very likely. Given the history of previous pandemics, scientists believe that it is only a matter of time before the virus undergoes genetic reassortment and acquires the ability to transfer between humans. This last study is the most indicative of this, and is the first study in which a highly possible secondary infection has resulted in severe disease and death. Avian influenza in birds has established itself as an endemic disease in poultry. Every year the number of reported cases is on the increase, with millions of poultry already destroyed amounting to losses in billions. The carriers of this disease, migratory birds, know no boundaries, with cases being reported in Asia, Africa and parts of Europe. The human death toll is also on the rise. So far the disease is being curtailed by destroying infected poultry, and research is on the way to produce vaccines for humans. This is both difficult and expensive since the virus has the ability to mutate quickly. While medical experts the world over are alert to the need for identifying infections in humans, the key in understanding the complexity of human to human transfer lies in our ability to detect infections early and carry out similar studies