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State of Alaska > Avian/Pandemic Flu |
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What is Avian Flu? Avian Influenza: There are many avian influenza or “bird flu” viruses and they occur naturally and commonly among domestic poultry and some wild birds, especially waterfowl and shorebirds. Avian flu viruses mainly infect birds. In low pathogenic strains, disease is mild or absent. In high pathogenic strains, mortality in commercial poultry flocks can be up to 100 percent. Only in rare instances are these viruses passed to other animals and people — usually through bodily fluids from infected birds. For information on the Asian H5N1 strain of Avian Flu, click here. How are Seasonal and Pandemic Flu different? Seasonal Flu: A contagious respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses, seasonal flu is transmitted by when infected people sneeze or cough. People become ill within one to five days from when they are infected. Each year, about 36,000 Americans die as a result on seasonal flu. |
For public health questions, human health concerns or planning for pandemic flu, call 1-888-9Panflu |
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