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RALEIGH, N.C. (May 9, 2006) — As avian influenza rings alarm bells about worldwide pandemic, economic catastrophe and massive loss of life, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission would like to remind North Carolina’s citizens that cool heads and facts are preferable to panic and hype. As its name implies, avian influenza, or “bird flu,” is a bird disease. It is caused by a virus that is fairly common in wild bird species across the world but, until recently, had not produced mass sickness in either birds or humans. A new subtype of the H5N1 virus has proven especially pathogenic, capable of wiping out entire flocks of wild and domestic birds. And in some circumstances, it can sicken humans. No human-to-human transmission of avian influenza is known to have occurred. Of the 207 known human cases worldwide —115 of which were fatal — all are believed to be the result of contact with infected poultry, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nor has avian influenza proved to be a health risk in this part of the world. Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and other eastern Asian nations have produced by far the most cases in both humans and birds. The highly pathogenic H5N1 virus recently turned up in some European migratory birds. But to date, it has not been detected in North American birds or humans, despite vigorous monitoring. Since 2004 the state Wildlife Resources Commission has tested almost 2,000 wild waterfowl near the North Carolina coast for the virus. The Commission routinely samples waterfowl for infectious diseases, including the less-pathogenic form of H5N1. Because of fears that migratory birds may contract the disease on another part of the world and spread it here, the Commission added highly pathogenic H5N1 to its waterfowl testing regimen. This year, the Commission is joining other federal and state wildlife agencies to form an interagency task force that aims to test between 75,000 and 100,000 wild birds for the disease nationwide. The world has, thus far, not seen a sweeping pandemic of avian influenza. All known human cases to date have been isolated incidents. But a human-to-human transmissible form of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus remains a possibility. If a pandemic occurs, state and federal agencies already have plans in place to combat its spread. For more information about
avian influenza, including steps hunters can take to protect themselves,
log onto the
Wildlife Commission’s Web
site (see "What North Carolina Hunters Should
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