Avian flu caused immense public concern in 2009 when outbreaks in Asia, Africa and Europe prompted researchers to double their efforts to find a vaccine. The virus originates in birds, and is responsible for high levels of contagion and death within poultry populations. It is less contagious in humans, but the virus could potentially mutate into a form that spreads quickly and dangerously through human populations, according to the CDC.
Fever
"The New York Times" Health Guide notes that avian flu typically causes symptom similar to other forms of human influenza, such as fever. Those with avian flu could experience a temperature above 100.4 degrees F, coupled with headache, fatigue, nasal congestion, muscle ache and sore throat. Symptoms of avian flu typically become apparent within one to five days following exposure to the virus.
Eye Infection
Some patients who contract avian flu will exhibit symptoms affecting their eyes. According to the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy, or CIDRAP, conjunctivitis has been reported in cases of avian flu contracted by poultry workers in the U.K., the Netherlands and Canada. Conjunctivitis, or pink eye, occurs when the membrane that lines the eyelid and eye becomes inflamed, giving the whites of the eye a red or pink color. Healthcare workers are advised to wear eye protection when within 3 feet of an avian flu patient.
Pneumonia
Avian flu can also cause more serious complications such as pneumonia. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that all avian flu patients exhibit signs of pneumonia, though some are less severe than others. Pneumonia symptoms include shaking chills and chest pain on the affected side, accompanied by phlegm-producing cough. CIDRAP notes that severe pneumonia associated with avian flu can progress into acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Symptoms involving the lungs often occur in patients with avian flu. These respiratory disturbances can become severe, resulting in symptoms that hamper a patient's ability to breathe, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. This is referred to as acute respiratory distress syndrome, and in some cases it can be fatal. A 1997 outbreak resulted in death for 33 percent of reported cases, and in subsequent outbreaks morality rates greater than 60 percent have been reported.
References
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Influenza
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Pneumonia
- CIDRAP: Avian Influenza (Bird Flu): Implications for Human Disease
- Mayo Clinic: Bird Flu
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Key Facts About Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus
- Body & Health Canada: Avian Influenza
