GROUND AVIAN FLU FEARS

摘要

Many fear contracting the HsNi virus from eating tainted poultry, but a few simple steps offer protection. The year 2007 marks 10 years since the H5N1 avian influenza virus (often called bird flu) was first reported, and it is getting more difficult to contain with every passing year. The virus has killed 202 people, and more than 50 million chickens infected with the virus or suspected of being infected have been killed or culled in more than 50 countries. The infection is caused by influenza virustype A, which normally infects birds and is highly contagious. The first case of human infection with highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was reported in Hong Kong in 1997. In 2003, the most devastating and widespread outbreak of H5N1 to date emergedin Asia before spreading to Europe, Africa, and North America. The most obvious victim of bird flu is the multibillion-dollar poultry industry. Estimates of global losses due to outbreaks amount to hundreds of billions of dollars.