COMPUTERS

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COMPUTERS SHOE LEATHERCase File Avian
Influenza
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Avian InfluenzaInfluenza A (H5N1) is an
influenza A virus subtype that occurs mainly in
birds and is highly contagious among birds.
Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 among poultry
and wild birds are ongoing in a number of
countries. H5N1 does not usually infect people,
however, a small number of human cases of H5N1
infection have been reported in association with
these outbreaks. Most of these cases have
occurred from direct or close contact with
infected poultry or contaminated surfaces. And
while the H5N1 virus does not now infect people
easily, infection in humans is very serious when
it occurs so far, about half of people reported
infected have died. Rare cases of human-to-human
spread of H5N1 virus may have occurred, but there
is no evidence of transmission beyond one person.
Nonetheless, because all influenza viruses have
the ability to change, scientists are concerned
that H5N1 virus one day could be able to infect
humans and spread easily from one person to
another. Because these viruses do not commonly
infect humans, there is little or no immune
protection against them in the human population
and an influenza pandemic (worldwide outbreak of
disease) could begin. Experts from around the
world are watching the H5N1 situation very
closely and are preparing for the possibility
that the virus may begin to spread more easily
from person to person. http//www.cdc.gov/flu/avia
n/outbreaks/current.htm
Chinese chicken
migratory birds in India
Avian Influenza
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Current as of June 2006. For further progression
at later dates, visit
http//www.msnbc. msn.com/id/ 12375868
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So, how do scientists and doctors track the flus
progression? They start the old fashioned way
On the lookout for avian flu, researchers collect
a sample from a migratory goose in Alaska. (Photo
courtesy of Heather Hudson, University of Alaska
Fairbanks)
Scientists in Alaska are on the lookout for the
first signs of avian flu. Alaska's unique
locationat the intersection of Asian and North
American flywaysmakes the state an ideal site
for studying the virus in migratory
birds.Researchers at the University of Alaska
have collected 4,500 samples from ducks, geese,
and shorebirds in collaboration with federal and
state agencies. So far only 30 samples have
tested positive for various flu viruses, but none
for avian flu of Asian origin. The work is funded
in part by NCRR's IDeA Networks of Biomedical
Research Excellence. Virus surveillance in
migratory birds will help scientists model how
new viruses emerge and mutate. This, in turn, can
help public health officials plan and implement
public measures for future outbreaks. http//www.
ncrr.nih.gov/newspub/Spring06rpt/reports3.asp
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And then they use technology to organize their
results. For example

• They use Web sites to communicate with each other
  and the public...
• CDC Avian Influenza http//www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/
• PandemicFlu.gov US government official
  sitehttp//www.pandemicflu.gov/
• WHO Avian Influenzahttp//www.who.int/csr/disease
  /avian_influenza/en/
• ... and to compile statistics.
• National Center for Health Statisticshttp//www.c
  dc.gov/nchs/
• WHO World Health Statisticshttp//www.who.int/who
  sis/en/

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As you can see, there are many professionals who
will contribute to the track of Avian Influenza
around the world DoctorsNursesWildlife
SpecialistsScientistsStatisticiansLarge Agency
members (CDC, WHO, etc.)WritersWeb designers
Learn more about these careers at
the following links
http//science.education.nih.gov/LifeWorks.nsf/fea
ture/index.htm http//www.collegeboard.com/csearch
/majors_careers/profiles/index.html
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• Learn more about Avian Influenza at the
  following links
• Avian influenza topic track / compiled by
  Gongchao Yang. Jackson, MS Rowland Medical
  Library, University of Mississippi Medical
  Center, c2004.
• WHO Avian Influenza fact sheethttp//www.who.int/
  mediacentre/factsheets/avian_influenza/en/
• CDC Avian Influenza Infection in
  Humanshttp//www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/avian
  -flu-humans.htm
• NIH/NLM MedlinePlus Bird Flu pagehttp//www.nlm.n
  ih.gov/medlineplus/birdflu.html
• BBC News BIRD FLU In Depthhttp//news.bbc.co.uk/
  1/hi/in_depth/world/2005/bird_flu/default.stm
• MSNBC Bird Fluhttp//www.msnbc.msn.com/id/406711
  6/

Avian Influenza