Currently, I am studying Influenza, for school. I have learnt that common human flu is consisted of five types of proteins: H1, H2 and H3, in combination with N1 or N2. That means there are 6 types of common human flu.
Usually, people who say they have the flu, only have flu-symptoms. The real flu can be lethal.
Usually, Avian-Flu (bird flu), isn't contagious for humans. HOWEVER, the components of human flu, and avian flu CAN be mixed, for example in a pig. Let's call this the "transport vessel" This has happened before, and the outcome was an avian/human flu known as H5 (avian flu)/N1 (human flu). This will make humans suseptible for this kind of flu. If this flu could be transmitted between humans, we would have a big problem. And since there is no prevention/vaccination for that, simply because we haven't seen this type of flu before, the chances are great that there will be a massive outbreak of this flu, namely an epidemy, or worse, a pandemy. Many humans will die, simply because there's no cure. Fortunately, this flu was almost harmless, killing only 6 people, because it wasn't transmittable between humans.
BUT, and this is the tricky part, there are known cases of humans acting as "transport vessels", where the human flu is mixed with avian flu. And this means that there is a chance that this new form of flu (let's call it H6/N2, fictional name, not yet seen in real life), can be transmitted from one human to the other.
Currently, the birdflu has been found in Greece as well. Researchers are now testing of this avian-flu is the H5/N1 type, or another.
So yeah, this Bird-Flu ISN'T like Sars. It can be worse. MUCH worse. Think Plague. A little less dangerous, fortunately, but still a large threat.
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- You're a dick, Mojo.
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Last edited by Mojo; 10-17-2005 at 10:01 AM..
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