What is Bird Flu (Avian Influenza ) ? It is a kind of influenza, which is has very dangerous affect in human being. According WHO (www.who.int), Jan 2007 the rate of fatality/ mortality due to this virus is 60 %. In some countries, the number is even higher than that number. In Indonesia (first rank) the number can reach 77 % (from 79 suspected case, there are 61 case death). Vietnam (second rank) with 42 death. The rate of mortality due to this virus is more than the rate of mortality of SARS which was only 10 %.

The Bird Flu is caused by the virus called H5N1, which is actually is Bird Flu (Avian Influenza) not human influenza. The virus will then infect the bird and then accidentally can infect people who have direct interaction with the bird.

In some research in Thailand, they informed that the virus can be also spread (infected) among member of a family. But this statement was still debatable, is it possible the bird flue spread among the people.

How can be the bird flu pandemic can be happened ?

1. Capability of the virus H5N1 to infect human being. Initially the virus only infect bird but then virus have mutation to the virus that can infect human.

2. There is no immune in human body for this virus H5N1. People don’t have antibody which is can neutralize the virus where finally the virus will infect freely in the cells of human body and destruct it. That’s why the infection of this virus can be end up with the fatal effect of the infected person.

3. pathogen of the virus H5N1 is very high. According WHO, globally there are 267 cases H5N1 in human and 161 from it is dead (about 60%).

According the expert of influenza, the pandemic of influenza may happened every 11-42 years. The first and worst pandemic of influenza is in 1918-1919 which was well known as “ Spanish flu” (H1N1), the victim were about 40 -50 million people death, which were spread from Europe, India, Iran until United states.

The next pandemic was in 1957-1958 which was known as “Asia Flu” H2N2, the victim were about 1 million people death.

In 1968-1969, there was another pandemic of influenza, which was called “Hongkong Flue” H3N2, which kill 700,000 people.

Is the virus H5N1, the next flu pandemic ? it seems until now the virus still cannot infect through human

How the virus can be spread out ? The virus can be easily grow up and spread in the cold weather and damp. In hot weather, the virus will be dead.

The expert already found Oseltamivir, the component of Tamiflu which is effective for Influenza including H5N1.

What is the practical ways to prevent this bird flu :

1. Always was our hand with soap, alcohol or disinfectant after direct interaction with the bird.

2. wash and dry the egg before cook or kept in the refrigerator. Always avoid put eggs in the fracture condition inside the refrigerator. It recommended to put in the wrapped condition.

3. Cook the bird meat well done.

4. always have healthy and clean life style to avoid the possibility infected by the bird flu.

5. Aware with the sudden death of the bird surround you.

6. regularly give the vaccine to the bird.

7. the virus can be released from the feces of the sick bird. Normally the feces from a sick bird will be liquid.

8. Animal that infected by the bird flu normally have several signs : liquid feces, upper eyelid swelling