Q&A: Bird Flu in Humans
March 13, 2006 — -- Following are questions regarding bird flu in humans, along with responses from Drs. William Schaffner and Pascal James Imperato. Schaffner is chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and an infectious-disease consultant for the World Health Organization. Imperato is chair of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and former New York City health commissioner.
Q: Why have so many people died from bird flu in the past few weeks? H5N1 seems now to be exploding in many countries at once -- Sharon, Beckenham, Kent London A:
Please recall that most of the reports have been of infected birds and poultry, not humans. Even though transmission to humans is quite unusual, the more infected birds there are, the greater the chance of an occasional transmission event to a person. -- answered by Schaffner
Q: My doctors tell me bird flu is nothing to worry about, but clearly the experts are concerned. … People look for sound advice from their doctors and I am afraid the wrong message is being sent out. What is being done to help doctors spread the correct message about H5N1 and a possible pandemic? -- T.R., Tennessee A: