avian influenza (redirected from Birdflu)

avian influenza

n.

A potentially fatal infection in birds caused by any of various subtypes of the influenza type A virus, especially the H5N1 virus, which is highly contagious among birds and can be transmitted to humans who have been in direct contact with infected birds.

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avian influenza

[ā′vē·ən]

a highly contagious viral disease of birds caused by an influenza A virus; it occurs in both mild and severe forms. The severe form is highly pathogenic and can result in a mortality rate for birds that can reach 90-100% within 48 hours. It may be transmitted to humans through contact with bird droppings or surfaces contaminated by them or through intermediate hosts such as pigs. Person-to-person transmission appears to be rare. Symptoms of avian influenza in humans range from typical influenza-like symptoms to eye infections, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, and other severe and life-threatening complications. The only means of control when avian influenza has been observed in a flock of domestic fowl is destruction of infected birds and disinfection of the farm. Also called avian flu, bird flu.

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avian

pertaining to or emanating from members of the class Aves. See also bird.

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avian air sacs

see air sacs.

avian broodiness

the desire to sit on eggs and hatch them is very strong in birds after they have laid a few eggs at the beginning of a new egg laying season. The procedure is a disaster for the commercial egg producer because egg laying ceases. Temporary measures are available to discourage hens from going broody but the long-term practice has been to select against it so that modern egg laying strains of birds do not show broodiness.

avian diseases

diseases affecting birds. For individual diseases see under etiological or pathoanatomic keyword, e.g. avian arizonosis, myeloblastosis (2).

avian hepatitis B-like virus

see avihepadnavirus.

avian incubation periods

quail hatch in 16-18 days, chickens in 21, ducks in 28 days (Muscovies are an exception—33-35 days) and turkeys in 28 days. In some wild species hatching is synchronized by communication between the eggs.

infectious avian nephrosis

see infectious avian nephrosis.

avian influenza

a highly contagious disease caused by influenza A virus, affecting fowl, turkeys, pheasants and some wild birds, but rarely waterbirds or pigeons. Clinically there is a short course and very heavy mortality; birds that survive have a nasal discharge, white necrotic spots on the comb and wattles, and edema of the head and neck. Called also fowl plague. Some strains, notably H5N1 and H7N7, have emerged as the cause of fatal, but relatively rare, human infections.

avian leukosis

see avian leukosis.

avian lymphoid leukosis

see lymphoid leukosis.

avian malaria

a disease affecting most species of birds and caused by Plasmodium spp. (P. gallinaceum in fowl, P. juxtanucleare in fowl and turkeys, P. durae and P. griffithsi in turkeys). The disease is characterized by anemia which may be fatal. Transmission is by mosquitoes. See also plasmodium.

avian molt

see molting.

avian nesting

a strong biological urge to prepare a nest and lay eggs in it occurs in only some domestic birds. The building of a nest is stimulated by the previous laying of an egg.

avian oogenesis

the process from the time that the oocyte leaves the ovary until is produced with the typical avian flourish as a finished egg takes 25-26 hours. The yolk is added to the oocyte in the ovary and over a period of 60-70 days before the ovum is released. The oocyte is enveloped with albumen in the albumen-secreting section or magnum of the oviduct. The two shell membranes are added to the egg as it passes through the isthmus of the oviduct. The shell is added during a stay of about 15-20 hours in the shell gland, the last stop before the vagina. See also egg (4).

avian pox

see fowlpox.

avian reticuloendotheliosis virus

pathogenic avian retroviruses that are antigenically and genetically unrelated to avian leukosis/sarcoma retroviruses.

avian tuberculosis

see Mycobacterium aviumtuberculosis.

avian type C retroviruses

includes avian leukosis viruses and avian sarcoma viruses.

avian vibrionic hepatitis

see avian vibrionic hepatitis.

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Patient discussion about Birdflu.

Q. If the bird flu were to reach North America, how many people would it kill? How do you protect yourself & others? What can we do to protect ourselves against the Avian Flu which has officially begun to infect humans? How many will die?

A. It infected few people working with chickens, it can
T move around, so I wouldn’t worry too much. the chances of that happening is the same as a meteor hitting earth and destroying it, same as a nuclear war in the middle east that will wipe out half of humanity, same as all big disasters that can happen.
Unless it’s your job to worry about it (world health organization) – just try to live peaceful life.