Microbiology Avian Influenza

MBIO12013 Microbiology for Health Care

Critical Review

MBIO12013 – Assessment 2 – Critical Analysis

Sally Krenske –s0230429

Due Date: 25 April 2014 Word Count: 1505 Based on Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza is formally known as the bird flu, which as its name suggests, is caused by viruses that infect birds. Avian influenza is an infectious disease which originated in birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. The influenza that health care authorities are most concerned about is the highly pathogenic avian influenza which is the more virulent one. Avian Influenza may be transmitted from livestock, such as farmed poultry, to wild birds and to pet birds, and vice versa. The infection spreads through the birds infected saliva, nasal secretions, faeces or feed. There have been several ‘bird flu’ outbreaks since the first in December 2003, mainly throughout Africa, Asia and Europe killing wild birds and farmed livestock. Fortunately, humans do not become easily infected as the causal agent Type A, H5N1 and Type A H7N9 strains are difficult for humans to catch, which is well-off as it is the most virulent strain, the most deadly. Some highly pathogenic strains have caused severe respiratory disease in humans, in vast majority of cases of human infections; there is contact with infected poultry or contact with contaminated faeces or secretions (Nordqvist 2013). The internet website used to gain the descriptive information on Avian Influenza was the Medical News Today site which had not been updated since 2003, however when compared to the facts found on the World Health Organisations website, the facts were the same. The author of the article has no evidence of doctorates or education proof that what is written is fact. If further research had not been made to ensure the facts on this website were correct, this website would not be a reliable source and could have been mistaken for fiction information on Avian Influence. According to the World...