AVIAN FLU (H5N1) - "Bird Flu"
Avian influenza is caused by a virus that infects birds. Similar to the recurrent annual flu season in humans, avian influenza has infected birds worldwide for many years. In humans, the seasonal flu virus changes slightly every year, thus requiring a yearly flu shot with new vaccine. However, viruses can change more drastically and reported outbreaks over time have been caused by some of these different viral strains.
Media focus is currently on a particularly virulent strain of influenza referred to as H5N1. Based on the characteristics of this new strain, birds may not have had prior exposure to it, can become infected more easily, and be more susceptible to dying. The larger concern is that H5N1 has shown the ability to infect humans who are in close contact with infected birds. Many of these people have died.
This has actually happened before. Three pandemics have occurred over the last century - 1918, 1957, and 1968 - in addition to smaller clusters of cases. It is hard to predict when the next pandemic will take place, but the repercussions of such an event would be devastating to the world. I believe that preparedness is essential to protect our citizens.
Congress recently passed H.R. 2863 in the 109th legislative session, which became Public Law on December 30, 2005. This bill allocates 3.8 billion dollars in emergency appropriations for vaccine development, increased surveillance, international assistance, and preparedness. This is a positive step but I know that our work is not done.
I have addressed this public health concern most recently by hosting a roundtable discussion on the practical matters of responding to a possible avian flu outbreak in Denton County. The Denton County Health Department, Medical Society, Emergency Management, hospital CEOs and infectious disease staff were all present to help ensure that we are locally prepared. I have also composed a letter series intended to explain the science behind avian influenza and address the many legislative matters that surround this issue. You can access these letters under "Related Files" on this page. I have sent emails with major avian flu headlines to interested individuals, including Senate and House Members, and maintain a list of avian flu headlines on this website for my constituents.
We must continue to monitor avian flu outbreaks and infected human cases internationally and enhance our efforts to stop the spread of this disease, especially in birds. This will serve to minimize human exposure to the virus and hopefully prevent H5N1 from achieving effective human to human transmission. Outbreaks are best contained rapidly at the local level. Therefore, states across the nation are holding pandemic summits to better assess their preparedness levels and build on their response capabilities. I am working closely as well with local health providers, the Texas Department of State Health Services, World Health Organization, and United Nations to ensure that we are utilizing every possible resource to reduce the probability of a pandemic and its associated impact.
On September 5, 2006, I held a roundtable discussion in Lewisvillle, Texas with hospital CEOs and staff from area North Texas Hospitals, officials from the Denton County Public Health Department and the Texas Department of State Health Services to discuss local preparedness activities. My office will continue to coordinate with these entities as well as with their federal counterparts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that North Texans are well-prepared for a possible pandemic. Additionally, I continue to work with officials at U.S. Department of Agriculture to prepare domestic poultry producers for introduction of H5N1 into domestic flocks. While I trust that our poultry industry is probably the most well equipped to deal with zoonotic diseases than any in the world, it will take a coordinated effort between state, federal, and local governments to guarantee poultry raisers and the public have truthful and accurate information to deal with a possible H5N1 in our domestic poultry flocks.
For more information, please visit the following links:
www.PandemicFlu.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Avian Flu
World Health Organization – Avian Flu
United Nations – Food and Agricultural Organization: Avian Flu
United Nations – UN System Influenza Coordination (UNSIC)
Food and Drug Administration – Avian Flu
National Institutes of Health – MedlinePlus: Avian Flu
CDC/WHO Avian Flu Transmission
Humanitarian Early Warning Service (Inter-Agency Standing Committee) – this website provides detailed maps that show the progression of avian flu.
Denton County Pandemic Influenza
