The bird flu virus is one of the most deadliest in the world and has taken many lives over the last century and a half. This virus is better known as avian influenza and is derived from an influenza virus from birds. When there is an outbreak of the avian flu virus, vast numbers of poultry including chickens and ducks have to be slaughtered to prevent the virus from spreading beyond the poultry and into the realm of humans.



Preventing this Disease

There are many ways of preventing this particular disease from occurring in chickens and other poultry farms. Firstly the virus is usually spread by native birds who usually have an immunity to the bird flu virus. Most poultry stock are not bred with this immunity and therefore when they come in contact with native birds, they may pick up the virus and spread it throughout the whole flock. This is probably the most common reason how the virus is spread.

To prevent this from occurring, farm owners must do everything in their power to prevent outside contact from other birds with their livestock. This is one of the reasons why chicken farmers choose to keep their chickens caged because they are afraid that their flock may become infected with if not the bird flu virus, but another deadly disease that could destroy their whole flock of poultry.

How does bird flu

The bird flu virus is a strain of influenza that appears to affect only avian species or birds. So why is it that there have been so many humans deaths associated with bird flu? The answer is that infact it isn't the actual bird flu virus that infects humans, but a mutation of the virus. What actually happens is the virus mutates into the human strain of influenza that is super deadly. This of course doesn't always happen but when it does, it can be catastrophic.

Throughout history there have been several cases of bird flu outbreaks that have been known to have killed hundreds of thousands of people. The latest cases are coming out of South East Asia, where there were several deaths due to the bird flu virus. Many experts believe that the most scary thing about bird flu is not that it is so deadly, but that it has the potential to spread so fast and maybe to a point where it could become uncontrollable. Whatever the case, people must do everything they can to prevent it from occurring in the first place.