The Effects of the Bird Flu

Avian or bird flu doesn't usually cross over into humans. Thus, humans don't have any natural immunity to the disease. No evidence suggests that the virus is mutating to transmit to humans in an easier fashion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, humans can contract the disease in certain circumstances. Those concerned with epidemiology want to know the effects of the bird flu.

Symptoms

• Bird flu symptoms may include those that accompany a typical infection with influenza: cough, fever, muscle aches and sore throat. More intense symptoms may include pneumonia, eye infections and acute respiratory distress. Most disturbingly, upwards of 60 percent of all cases of bird flu end in fatalities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most fatalities occur in children and adults under the age of 40.

Geographic Reach

• Medical personnel have confirmed over 500 cases of avian flu between the years 2003 and 2010. The cases appeared in more than a dozen different countries: mostly in Africa, Asia, the Near East and Europe. Vietnam, Indonesia and Egypt reported the highest number of bird flu cases as of 2010; the United States has yet to report a single case of bird flu.

Economy

• The bird flu affects more than just the physical health of individuals and communities. It also affects the international economy. The disease killed over 140 million birds at a total cost of over $10 billion, according to the World Bank. The bird flu would have an even greater economic impact if it began to be transmitted over the open air from person to person more commonly than in 2010. Many people would need to take time off of work, causing work stoppages and productivity slowdowns. The cost of deploying vaccines over large areas would create further economic impact.