What is it?
Bird flu, avian influenza and H5N1 are names that all refer to the same virus. This is a virus in which the genetic material is RNA, not DNA like us. This is important because unlike in DNA, RNA has no proofreading capabilities during replication, which means that errors and mutations are more frequent. The genetic material is surrounded by a protein coat whose characteristics give it access to a host's cells. Once inside, the virus takes the cell hostage and forces it to make copies of itself using the viral genetic material. Thus, the virus survives while the host's cells are unable to function normally, which can cause illness.
How did it emerge?
Bird flu always starts with ducks. The virus lives in ducks normally and does not make them sick because it can reproduce itself and be transmitted from duck to duck harmlessly though the water that ducks swim in, defecate in and drink. When ducks are removed from ponds and brought to live poultry markets, the virus is challenged. How can it survive now, with no water? A mutation made the virus move from the digestive tract of ducks to the respiratory tract of nearby chickens. Normally, it is not good for a virus to make the host sick, because then travel will be restricted and the host may even die before transmitting the virus. But in crowded conditions like farms and poultry markets, the virus can jump from bird to bird quickly and easily no matter how sick the host becomes. This is how the bird flu virus becomes really dangerous. Through some trick of nature, the respiratory tract of chickens looks very similar to that of humans to the virus, which is how people have become infected, and been killed by bird flu.
What can we do?
The only way to stop dangerous bird flu is to end crowded confined conditions in farms and markets. I repeat, the ONLY way to stop dangerous bird flu is to end crowded confined conditions in farms and markets. Early detection of the emerging virus and culling (killing) of birds can stop outbreaks, but the virus will resurface as long as favorable conditions exist. Antiviral drugs like Tamiflu can stop you from getting sick, but these drugs are in short supply and will not be effective should mutations in the virus occur.
There is no free meal. Cheap chicken may end up costing millions of lives. Large industrial farms put human health at risk for money. As long as they are able to make money, these unethical practices will continue. Purchases speak louder than protests. Choose now to eliminate chicken from your diet and the cruel dirty farming practices that supply it will follow. Otherwise, pandemic flu will take away our choice along with our health and possibly our lives.
Resources
Davis, Mike. The Monster at our Door:The Global Threat of Avian Flu. The New Press, 2005.
Gregor, Michael. Bird Flu: A Virus of Our own Hatching. Lantern Books, 2006. birdflubook.com
United Poultry Concerns What you need to know about bird flu
