Bird flu: epidemic or hysteria?

Varga, Janos

The various forms of influenza (the term 'influenza di freddo', meaning influence of the cold, refers to the close relationship between the disease and common cold) are illnesses which normally produce symptoms like high fever, despondency and respiratory problems. They are caused by influenza viruses and spread quickly to become acute infectious diseases affecting both humans and animals all over the world. Based on the antigenity of the proteins surrounding the RNS, influenza viruses have three types (A, B and C). In general influenza type A produces clinical symptoms only in humans, pigs, horses, less frequently in ferrets, and in minks, seals, whales, as well as in various kinds of domesticated and wild birds. Bird flu has been identified worldwide. Among those affected may be wild birds, birds in zoos, in homes, and birds raised on farms. According to FAO statistics, 2748 cases of the H5N1 epidemic were found in birds between 2003 and 2006. The destructive variant of bird flu, code-named H5N1, has already infected humans in the countries of Southeast Asia and in Turkey. Bird flu has no known cure at present.

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