أنفلونزا الطيور

Abstract EN

The aim of the present article is to review the history of this disease, pathogenesis, signs and symptoms, transmission to the human and new ways in protection.

Literature reviews was carried out of published articles through net research.

When the history of birds flu was reviewed, it appear that it affected human beings in earlier times especially in 1918, 1957 and 1968, Killing every time millions of humans, animals and birds.

It appeared once again in 1997.

The main cause of this disease is influenza virus type A and its subtypes.

It is transmitted to humans either directly from bird (like subtype H5N1) or from contaminated environments with virus.

Symptoms of avian influenza in humans ranged from typical human influenza-like symptoms (e.g., fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases (e.g., acute respiratory distress), and other severe and life-threatening complications.

The symptoms of avian influenza may depend on which virus caused the infection.

Many countries in the world are infected and the numbers still increase.

The danger of this disease lies in that it has the capability of antigenic drift and shift with time.

In addition, there are no effective vaccines and drugs especially in developing countries making the disease worse.

For this reason there are many standardized instructions to those working in health care and cooking food and those traveling to epidemic area.

We need to know more information about epidemiology, subtypes of Avian Influenza and how it is transmitted between birds and humans to find the best way to eradicate this disease