Risk of being infected with Bird Flu has had more to do with whether or not you come into contact with infected domesticated birds, however new cases found in cats, is giving concern that there is a greater risk to humans. The American Medical Association puts the chances of the average human contracting Bird Flu very low, but it can change at any point in time.

The Avian influenza virus refers to influenza A viruses found mostly in birds but recent studies have shown, that infections with these viruses can also occur in humans. The risk from avian influenza is usually low because the viruses normally do not usually affect humans. There have been more confirmed cases of human infection from several subtypes of avian influenza infection since the late 1990's. Many of the cases have been in people who have direct contact with infected poultry such as domesticated chicken, ducks, and turkeys or they have had contact with surfaces contaminated with faeces from infected birds. The spread of Bird Flu viruses from one person to another has been reported and does happen although transmission has not been seen to continue beyond one person but scientists and the medical community is concerned with the possibility that it could happen within a very short period of time. The main concern is if the virus is mutated and if it mutates far enough it could cause a pandemic, spreading throughout the world.

Avian Flu is passed through saliva, nasal secretions, and faeces of the birds that have contracted it with domesticated birds that could be infected through contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry. This virus is also passed through things as simple as the dirt is cages where infected birds have been in contact

There are two main forms of disease caused by Bird Flu the “low pathogenic” form may go undetected and usually causes only mild symptoms like ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production and the highly pathogenic form which spreads more rapidly through flocks of poultry. The second form of Bird Flu affects multiple internal organs and causes death at a rate of 90-100 percent and death can follow with the second form of the virus within 48 hours. How then does this affect humans?

Human influenza virus’ usually refers to those subtypes that spread widely among humans and there are only three known A subtypes of influenza viruses and they are H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2. 

When there is an instance of avian influenza around poultry, there is a possible risk to people who have contact with infected birds or surfaces that have been contaminated by infected birds. It has been shown that many of the people who have reported sick since the 1990's have had direct contact with domesticated birds of some type but there have been recent cases when cats have contracted the illness giving concern to the world medical community.

The symptoms associated with Bird Flu in humans include fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches as well as eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases. Cases have been reported where the Bird Flu virus has caused acute respiratory distress and life-threatening complications. There is hope that some of the prescription medicines approved in the United States for human influenza viruses such as Tamiflu, will be effective in treating Bird flu infection in humans, which is currently in short supply.