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or "bird flu", is a contagious disease of animals caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs. While all bird species are thought to be susceptible to infection, domestic poultry flocks are especially vulnerable to infections that can rapidly reach epidemic proportions. December 2003, a growing number of Asian countries have reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in chickens and ducks. Infections in several species of wild birds and in pigs have also been reported.

Stock Investing Course (AXcess News) Moscow - Russian authorities have begun to slaughter poultry in nearly 20 villages in the Siberian province of Novosibirsk, where a deadly strain of bird-flu virus has just been confirmed. Government health officials say there is no cause for alarm, and that all precautionary measures are being taken.

A possible mutation of the bird flu virus may cause it to start infecting humans. Click on the image to see how it may happen. Public health officials are alarmed by the unprecedented outbreaks in poultry for several reasons. First, most but not all of the major outbreaks recently reported in Asia have been caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain. There is mounting evidence that this strain has a unique capacity to jump the species barrier and cause severe disease, with high mortality, in humans.

Stock Market Game The agriculture ministry says the avian flu outbreak appears relatively contained to a Siberian region. The bad news is that preliminary tests of the samples taken from affected birds show the flu virus strain is of the deadly H5N1 type that can be transmitted to humans.

So far, bird flu has infected 231 people around the world, and killed 134. Human casualties remain largely confined to Asia and to people who have had close and prolonged contact with infected birds, such as poultry farm workers. Worries about bird flu have also led to the destruction of tens of millions of poultry, mostly in Asian nations, as officials struggle to contain the virus. ---- North Carolina Beaches Issue Jellyfish Alert

Stock Investing Game An outbreak of this flu earlier killed more than 60 people in Southeast Asia.

Normally the avian bird flu viruses do not affect humans but since 1997 (when the first case of avian bird flu among humans appeared in Hong Kong), this kind of flu has infected and killed several humans in the South East Asian countries. While WHO does not recommend avoiding travels to these countries, it does advice staying away from live animal markets and poultry farms. This is because the droppings of infected birds generally carry large quantities of the virus.

Journal Prime Rate Street Wall The Russian government has imposed a ban on the transportation of birds, bird products, and feed for domestic birds out of the affected areas, which include neighboring Omsk and Altai provinces. It has also formed a special commission made up of officials from the interior ministry, the emergency ministry, the veterinary inspectorate, and the sanitary control service.

This is the first case of a flock of German farm poultry contracting bird flu, the wire service reports, although several cases of the virus were found in wild birds in Germany this year. Health officials remain alert to the possibility that the avian flu virus could mutate and cause it to be transmitted from human to human. Although the World Health Organization puts the number of human deaths from avian flu at 190, none of them is ascribed to contagion between humans, the AP reports.

Stock Market News Special units in Novosibirsk Tuesday began killing some 65,000 chickens, geese, ducks, and turkeys from family farms in the quarantine zone.

Stock Investing Basics Victor Maleev is a department head at the Russian Health Ministry's Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology. He tells VOA migratory birds that stop in a lake area in Novosibirsk may be responsible for the outbreak, which has already killed more than 2,000 local birds.

Stock Investing Software Mr. Maleev says to date, there have been no known cases of human-to-human transmission of bird flu. But he warns people to practice good hygiene when dealing with poultry either on the farm or preparing it in the kitchen. Mr. Maleev says people should wash their hands before and after preparing chicken, turkey or duck meat and make sure the meat is well cooked. For poultry-workers, who may come into contact with infected birds, he advises wearing protective clothing, such as gloves and a face mask. And, he says they should follow disinfection procedures after work.

Stock Market Trading Birds infected with the virus turn blue before they die. In humans, the virus causes a stomach ache and may lead to respiratory collapse.

Stock Investing For Dummy In a related development, Kazakh media are reporting a suspected case of bird flu contracted by a poultry farm worker in a region close to the border with Novosibirsk. The government has not confirmed the reports. Experts say it could take several days before test results are known.

Stock Market Crash The arrival of bird flu virus deals a blow to the Russian poultry industry, which is already facing stiff competition from U.S. and European imports.

Stock Investing Tip Source: Voice of America

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