Jump to: navigation, search Bird flu may refer to: Biology and disease Avian influenza - another name for bird flu !"# - the current type of bird flu virus that is the $orst pandemic threat %nfluenza A virus - the species of virus that causes all bird flu and one of the species that causes flu in humans and other animals& Avian influenza From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Flu %nfluenza 'irus Avian influenza Flu season (esearch 'accine )reatment *enome pro+ect !"# strain For the H5N1 subtype of Avian influenza see H5N1. Avian influenza, sometimes Avian flu, and commonly Bird flu refers to ,influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds&, -#.-/.-0.-1.-!.-2.-3. ,Bird flu, is a phrase similar to ,4$ine flu,, ,5og flu,, ,orse flu,, or ,uman flu, in that it refers to an illness caused by any of many different strains of influenza viruses that have adapted to a specific host& All kno$n viruses that cause influenza in birds belong to the species: Influenza A virus& All subtypes 6but not all strains of all subtypes7 of %nfluenza A virus are adapted to birds, $hich is $hy for many purposes avian flu virus is the %nfluenza A virus 6note that the ,A, does not stand for ,avian,7& Adaptation is non-e8clusive& Being adapted to$ards a particular species does not preclude adaptations, or partial adaptations, to$ards infecting different species& %n this $ay strains of influenza viruses are adapted to multiple species, though may be preferential to$ards a particular host& For e8ample, viruses responsible for influenza pandemics are adapted to both humans and birds& (ecent influenza research into the genes of the 4panish Flu virus sho$s it to have genes adapted to both birds and humans9 $ith more of its genes from birds than less deadly later pandemic strains& Contents -hide. # *enetics / %nfluenza pandemic 0 !"# 1 4ee also ! (eferences 2 :8ternal links [edit] Genetics *enetic factors in distinguishing bet$een ,human flu viruses, and ,avian flu viruses, include: PB2: 6("A polymerase7: Amino acid 6or residue7 position 2/3 in the ;B/ protein encoded by the ;B/ ("A gene& <ntil !"#, all kno$n avian influenza viruses had a *lu at position 2/3, $hile all human influenza viruses had a lysine& HA: 6hemagglutinin7: Avian influenza A bind alpha /-0 sialic acid receptors $hile human influenza A bind alpha /-2 sialic acid receptors& 4$ine influenza viruses have the ability to bind both types of sialic acid receptors& emagglutinin is the ma+or antigen of the virus against $hich neutralizing antibodies are produced and influenza virus epidemics are associated $ith changes in its antigenic structure& [edit] Influenza pandemic For more details on this topic, see Influenza pandemic. ;andemic flu viruses have some avian flu virus genes and usually some human flu virus genes& Both the /"/ and 0"/ pandemic strains contained genes from avian influenza viruses& )he ne$ subtypes arose in pigs coinfected $ith avian and human viruses and $ere soon transferred to humans& 4$ine $ere considered the original ,intermediate host, for influenza, because they supported reassortment of divergent subtypes& o$ever, other hosts appear capable of similar coinfection 6e&g&, many poultry species7, and direct transmission of avian viruses to humans is possible& -=. )he 4panish flu virus strain may have been transmitted directly from birds to humans& ->. %n spite of their pandemic connection, avian influenza viruses are noninfectious for most species& When they are infectious they are usually asymptomatic, so the carrier does not have any disease from it& )hus $hile infected $ith an avian flu virus, the animal doesn?t have a ,flu,& )ypically, $hen illness 6called ,flu,7 from an avian flu virus does occur, it is the result of an avian flu virus strain adapted to one species spreading to another species 6usually from one bird species to another bird species7& 4o far as is kno$n, the most common result of this is an illness so minor as to be not $orth noticing 6and thus little studied7& But $ith the domestication of chickens and turkeys, humans have created species subtypes 6domesticated poultry7 that can catch an avian flu virus adapted to $aterfo$l and have it rapidly mutate into a form that kills in days over >@A of an entire flock and spread to other flocks and kill >@A of them and can only be stopped by killing every domestic bird in the area& <ntil !"# infected humans in the #>>@s, this $as the only reason avian flu $as considered important& 4ince then, avian flu viruses have been intensively studied9 resulting in changes in $hat is believed about flu pandemics, changes in poultry farming, changes in flu vaccination research, and changes in flu pandemic planning& !"# has evolved into a flu virus strain that infects more species than any previously kno$n flu virus strain, is deadlier than any previously kno$n flu virus strain, and continues to evolve becoming both more $idespread and more deadly causing (obert Webster, a leading e8pert on avian flu, to publish an article titled ,)he $orld is teetering on the edge of a pandemic that could kill a large fraction of the human population, in American Scientist& e called for adeBuate resources to fight $hat he sees as a ma+or $orld threat to possibly billions of lives& -#@. 4ince the article $as $ritten, the $orld community has spent billions of dollars fighting this threat $ith limited success& [edit] H5N1 H5N1 %nfluenza A virus subtype !"# *enetic structure %nfection uman mortality *lobal spread in /@@1, /@@!, /@@2, /@@3 4ocial impact ;andemic For more details on this topic, see H5N1 and ransmission and infection of H5N1. )he highly pathogenic %nfluenza A virus subtype !"# virus is an emerging avian influenza virus that has been causing global concern as a potential pandemic threat& %t is often referred to simply as ,bird flu, or ,avian influenza, even though it is only one subtype of avian influenza causing virus& !"# has killed millions of poultry in a gro$ing number of countries throughout Asia, :urope and Africa& ealth e8perts are concerned that the co-e8istence of human flu viruses and avian flu viruses 6especially !"#7 $ill provide an opportunity for genetic material to be e8changed bet$een species-specific viruses, possibly creating a ne$ virulent influenza strain that is easily transmissible and lethal to humans& -##. 4ince the first !"# outbreak occurred in #>>3, there has been an increasing number of ;A% !"# bird-to-human transmissions leading to clinically severe and fatal human infections& o$ever, because there is a significant species barrier that e8ists bet$een birds and humans, the virus does not easily cross over to humans, though some cases of infection are being researched to discern $hether human to human transmission is occurring& -=. Core research is necessary to understand the pathogenesis and epidemiology of the !"# virus in humans& :8posure routes and other disease transmission characteristics such as genetic and immunological factors, that may increase the likelihood of infection, are not clearly understood& -#/. Although millions of birds have become infected $ith the virus since its discovery, /@2 humans have died from the !"# in t$elve countries according to WD data as of "ovember /@@3& 6'ie$ the most current WD 5ata regarding Eumulative "umber of uman Eases&7 )he Avian Flu claimed at least /@@ humans in %ndonesia, Faos, 'ietnam, (omania, Ehina, )urkey and (ussia& :pidemiologists are afraid that the ne8t time such a virus mutates, it could pass from human to human& %f this form of transmission occurs, another pandemic could result& )hus disease-control centers around the $orld are making avian flu a top priority& Influenzavirus A From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Orthomyxoviridae :lectron micrograph of %nfluenza A viruses Virus lassifiation *roup: *roup ' 66-7ss("A7 Family: Orthomyxoviridae !enera Influenzavirus A Influenzavirus ! Influenzavirus " Isavirus ho#otovirus Flu %nfluenza 'irus Avian influenza Flu season (esearch 'accine )reatment *enome pro+ect !"# strain H5N1 Influenza A virus subtype !"# *enetic structure %nfection uman mortality *lobal spread in /@@1, /@@!, /@@2, /@@3 4ocial impact ;andemic Influenzavirus A is a genus of the Drthomy8oviridae family of viruses& %nfluenzavirus A includes only one species: Influenza A virus $hich causes influenza in birds and some mammals& 4trains of all subtypes of influenza A virus have been isolated from $ild birds, although disease is uncommon& 4ome isolates of influenza A virus cause severe disease both in domestic poultry and, rarely, in humans& -#. Dccasionally viruses are transmitted from $ild aBuatic birds to domestic poultry and this may cause an outbreak or give rise to human influenza pandemics& -/.
-0. Contents -hide. # 'ariants and subtypes / Annual flu 0 *enetics 1 %n nonhumans ! uman influenza virus o !&# :volution 2 4ee also 3 Further reading = 4ources and notes [edit] Variants and subtypes 'ariants are identified and named according to the isolate that they are like and thus are presumed to share lineage 6e8ample Fu+ian flu virus like79 according to their typical host 6e8ample uman flu virus79 according to their subtype 6e8ample 0"/79 and according to their deadliness 6e8ample F;7& 4o a flu from a virus similar to the isolate AGFu+ianG1##G/@@/60"/7 is called Fu+ian flu, human flu, and 0"/ flu& 'ariants are sometimes named according to the species 6host7 the strain is endemic in or adapted to& )he main variants named using this convention are: Bird flu uman Flu 4$ine Flu orse Flu 5og Flu Avian variants have also sometimes been named according to their deadliness in poultry, especially chickens: Fo$ ;athogenic Avian %nfluenza 6F;A%7 ighly ;athogenic Avian %nfluenza 6;A%7, also called: deadly flu or death flu )he %nfluenza A virus subtypes are labeled according to an number 6for hemagglutinin7 and an " number 6for neuraminidase7& :ach subtype virus has mutated into a variety of strains $ith differing pathogenic profiles9 some pathogenic to one species but not others, some pathogenic to multiple species& Cost kno$n strains are e8tinct strains& For e8ample, the annual flu subtype 0"/ no longer contains the strain that caused the ong Hong Flu& %nfluenza A viruses are negative sense, single-stranded, segmented ("A viruses& ,)here are #2 different A antigens 6# to #27 and nine different "A antigens 6"# to ">7 for influenza A& <ntil recently, #! A types had been recognized, but a ne$ type 6#27 $as isolated from black-headed gulls caught in 4$eden and the "etherlands in #>>> and reported in the literature in /@@!&, -1. [edit] Annual flu $ain article% Flu season )he annual flu 6also called ,seasonal flu, or ,human flu,7 in the <&4& ,results in appro8imately 02,@@@ deaths and more than /@@,@@@ hospitalizations each year& %n addition to this human toll, influenza is annually responsible for a total cost of over I#@ billion in the <&4&, -!. & )he annually updated trivalent influenza vaccine consists of hemagglutinin 6A7 surface glycoprotein components from influenza 0"/, #"#, and B influenza viruses& -2. )he dominant strain in January /@@2 is 0"/& Ceasured resistance to the standard antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine in 0"/ has increased from #A in #>>1 to #/A in /@@0 to >#A in /@@!& ,-E.ontemporary human 0"/ influenza viruses are no$ endemic in pigs in southern Ehina and can reassort $ith avian !"# viruses in this intermediate host&, -3. [edit] Genetics See also% H5N1 #enetic structure ,)he physical structure of all influenza A viruses is similar& )he virions or virus particles are enveloped and can be either spherical or filamentous in form& %n clinical isolates that have undergone limited passages in eggs or tissue culture, there are more filamentous than spherical particles, $hereas passaged laboratory strains consist mainly of spherical virions&, -=. )he %nfluenza A virus genome is contained on eight single 6non-paired7 ("A strands that code for eleven proteins 6A, "A, ";, C#, C/, "4#, ":;, ;A, ;B#, ;B#-F/, ;B/7& )he segmented nature of the genome allo$s for the e8change of entire genes bet$een different viral strains during cellular cohabitation& )he eight ("A segments are: A encodes hemagglutinin 6about !@@ molecules of hemagglutinin are needed to make one virion7 ,)he e8tent of infection into host organism is determined by A& %nfluenza viruses bud from the apical surface of polarized epithelial cells 6e&g& bronchial epithelial cells7 into lumen of lungs and are therefore usually pneumotropic& )he reason is that A is cleaved by tryptase clara $hich is restricted to lungs& o$ever As of ! and 3 pantropic avian viruses subtypes can be cleaved by furin and subtilisin-type enzymes, allo$ing the virus to gro$ in other organs than lungs&, ->.
"A encodes neuraminidase 6about #@@ molecules of neuraminidase are needed to make one virion7& "; encodes nucleoprotein& C encodes t$o matri8 proteins 6the C# and the C/7 by using different reading frames from the same ("A segment 6about 0@@@ matri8 protein molecules are needed to make one virion7& "4 encodes t$o distinct non-structural proteins 6"4# and ":;7 by using different reading frames from the same ("A segment& ;A encodes an ("A polymerase& ;B# encodes an ("A polymerase and ;B#-F/ protein 6induces apoptosis7 by using different reading frames from the same ("A segment& ;B/ encodes an ("A polymerase& )he genome segments have common terminal seBuences, and the ends of the ("A strands are partially complementary, allo$ing them to bond to each other by hydrogen bonds& After transcription from negative-sense to positive-sense ("A the J("A strands get the cellular !? cap added by cap snatching, $hich involves the viral protein "4# binding to the cellular pre-m("As& )he cap is then cleaved from the cellular pre-m("A using a second viral protein, ;B/& )he short oligo cap is then added to the influenza J("A strands, allo$ing its processing as messenger ("A by ribosomes& )he J("A strands also serve for synthesis of -("A strands for ne$ virions& )he ("A synthesis and its assembly $ith the nucleoprotein takes place in the cell nucleus, the synthesis of proteins takes place in the cytoplasm& )he assembled virion cores leave the nucleus and migrate to$ards the cell membrane, $ith patches of viral transmembrane proteins 6hemagglutinin, neuraminidase and C/ proteins7 and an underlying layer of the C# protein, and bud through these patches, releasing finished enveloped viruses into the e8tracellular fluid