H5N1 (Bird) flu virus is an influenza A virus subtype that is highly contagious and can be deadly in birds. The virus does not usually infect people, but rare human infections have occurred. Nearly all human cases have resulted from direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces.
Symptoms of the H5N1 flu virus in humans have ranged from typical human influenza-like symptoms to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases and other severe and life-threatening complications. Humans have little or no immunity to the H5N1 flu. Since November 2003, over 450 cases of human infection with highly pathogenic H5N1 flu viruses have been reported by more than a dozen countries in Asia, Africa, the Pacific, Europe and the Near East.
About 6 in 10 reported H5N1 cases globally have died, with the majority of cases occuring among children and adults less than 40 years old. Very few cases of human-to-human transmission have been reported. However, precautions should be taken when visiting areas known to have H5N1 in order to prevent being infected with H5N1 flu virus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) coordinates the global response and monitors the threat of H5N1 flu.
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