Bird Flu, influenza among the birds today has destroyed a substantial number of poultry businesses worldwide and today threatens to become another pandemic for the world. Even though not more than 100 cases of Bird Flu infections and deaths relating to the influenza has been recorded in humans, there is a great possibility of the disease getting out of hand and effecting the world. Bird Flue or Influenza is spread in the birds just like normal influenza is, via contamination. The virus is either transmitted when another bird comes in contact with the secretions or excretions of the infected bird. Even the people who have been infected with the Bird Flu virus have been people who have been in close contact with the infected poultry. Symptoms of avian influenza in humans have ranged from typical influenza-like symptoms (Fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases. The symptoms of avian influenza may depend on which specific virus subtype and strain caused the infection. And keeping the possibility of the above in mind, today the most effective medicine that is available in the market is Tamiflu (Oseltamivir). Today Tamiflu is in great demand and most of the governments are stocking up with the medicine fearing a pandemic.Tamiflu acts as a protein inhibitor. The protein allows the virus to break through the host cell. The flu virus enters the host cells with the help of the protein and multiplies. This enables it to leave the cell and infect other cells. The replication results in the death of the host cell. In this way Tamiflu acting as a Neuraminidase inhibitor attaches itself to the virus. This prohibits the flu virus from leaving the infected cell due to the presence of the inhibitor. Eventually this prevents the flu from spreading, thus destroying the virus at its source itself. |
