Medical Health Encyclopedia

Injury Disease Nutrition Poison Symptoms Surgery Test Special Topic
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Overview Symptoms Treatment Prevention
Avian Influenza
Alternative Names: Bird flu; H5N1 Treatment: Treatment with the antiviral medication oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and perhaps zanamivir (Relenza), may decrease the severity of the disease, if started within 48 hours after symptoms begin. Oseltamivir may also be prescribed for household contacts of people diagnosed with avian flu. Samples of H5N1 from human infections proved resistant to the antiviral medications amantadine and rimantadine. Therefore these medications cannot be used if an H5N1 outbreak occurs. Text Continues Below People with severe infection may need breathing assistance with mechanical ventilation. It is currently recommended that people diagnosed with H5N1 infection be put in isolation. Because different types of avian flu virus may cause different symptoms, treatment may vary. Currently, there is no available vaccine against avian influenza. However, a vaccine against H5N1 is being tested in clinical trials. Doctors recommend that people get an influenza (flu) shot to reduce the chance of an avian flu virus mixing with a human flu virus, which would create a new virus that may easily spread. Expectations (prognosis): Prognosis depends on the severity of infection and the type of avian influenza virus that caused it. The current death rate for patients with confirmed H5N1 infection is more than 50%. The H7N7 avian flu outbreak in the Netherlands resulted in 89 confirmed human cases but only one death. An avian flu virus designates H9N2 infected 3 children in Asia; all three recovered. Complications: Page:  1 | 2 | Next >>