At this time, medical experts do not know how
a pandemic flu would spread from person to person. No one knows
whether the incubation (contagious) period of pandemic strains of
the influenza virus will be similar to those of seasonal influenza.
Because of this, everyone must pay attention to specific recommendations
from the Montgomery County government. If a pandemic should occur,
County health officials will tell the public—through the media,
on its website, and in other ways—how to protect themselves
and the community.
Current Research There is a flu pandemic among the wild bird population
in Asia, Africa, and some parts of Europe. Avian (or bird) flu is
caused by a virus that occurs naturally among wild birds. This virus,
known as the H5N1 flu virus, is deadly to domestic fowl and can
be transmitted from birds to humans. Research is still evolving
with respect to how and why people become infected. For example,
more needs to be learned about why some humans exposed to the virus
become ill, while others do not.
At this time, health officials believe the virus
does not yet have the ability for sustained human-to-human transmission.
The human cases that have occurred were in people living in close
contact with poultry.
Several studies currently underway in the United
States and abroad are looking into potential vaccines. Other studies
are looking into drugs to treat the symptoms of a pandemic flu.
Currently, there are anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza
that may or may not be effective against a pandemic flu. Antibiotics,
which are effective only against bacteria, do not work against the
viruses that cause influenza, although they could be useful in case
of secondary bacterial infections that often occur with flu.
Source: “Pandemic Influenza: The State
of the Science,” Trust for America’s Health/Infectious
Diseases Society of America (IDSA), October 2006.
Seniors
