The Avian Influenza

June 26, 2006

The Avian Influenza

Avian influenza is an infection caused by bird flu viruses. These influenza viruses befall naturally amid birds. Undomesticated birds throughout the world bear the viruses in their intestines, but usually don’t become ill from them (CDC). Nevertheless, avian influenza is extremely contagious amid birds and can cause some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, to become very ill and sometimes decease (CDC). One strain of avian influenza, the H5N1 virus, is communicable in much of Asia and has recently spread to Europe. Avian H5N1 infections have recently caused poultry and other birds to decease in a various number of countries (“Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)”). The first cases of human infection with avian influenza were identified in Hong Kong (“Avian Influenza”). The current avian influenza outbreak is unlike earlier ones. In that, officials have been incapable to contain its spread (“Bird Flu History”).

From the year of 1997, there have been more than 1.5 million bird fatalities as well as more than 200 human fatalities (“Bird Flu History”). Unlike the scare in 1997, this outbreak has spread more speedily to other continents such as Europe and Australia, which causes increased exposure to humans in various locations and raising the probability that the strain will combine with a much feared human influenza virus (“Bird Flu History”).

Based on the information available, the growth of the avian influenza supports punctuated equilibrium. From the year of when the first human case of avian influenza was discovered, ...

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Based on the information available, the growth of the avian influenza supports punctuated equilibrium. From the year of when the first human case of avian influenza was discovered, which was 1997, to the present; there have been a total of 127 human fatalities as a result of the avian influenza (“Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)”). The number of human fatalities has increased from 6 deaths in 1997, to 51 in 2006 (CDC). Nine years, from 1997 to 2006, is not much time compared to how aged the earth is, therefore supporting punctuated equilibrium since the numbers of human fatalities has increased in such a short amount of time. According to statistics recorded in Navapur, India, a major poultry farming region, 30,000 chickens have died in the past two weeks as a result of avian influenza, as opposed to no fatalities during the weeks before (Press, Associated). For the virus to evolve even more rapidly, all it needs is genetic variation, selection, mutations, and time. There have been more than millions of bird fatalities due to avian influenza worldwide, which also supports punctuated equilibrium.

Statistics show that domesticated chickens are most likely to contract the avian influenza due to the numerous amounts of domesticated chickens worldwide. Domesticated chickens, as opposed to wild birds, are more susceptible of contracting avian influenza because domesticated chickens are less likely to produce the required antibodies to fight off the infection. Domesticated chickens are not accustomed to many diseases, therefore decreasing the immunity of the domesticated chickens for the avian influenza. Wild birds normally bear the virus in their intestines, but don’t usually become ill from them because of their immunity to many diseases (CDC). Wild birds are more likely to produce the required antibodies to fight off the infection, therefore making the domesticated birds weaker according to natural selection. This becomes an example of natural selection because of the wild bird’s ability to produce required antibodies, making them stronger than the domesticated chickens.

The avian influenza is a very shocking virus and the world is still yet to discover many key facts to make the virus easy to conquer. Avian influenza supports punctuated equilibrium, due to the increasing number of bird and human fatalities. Avian influenza can also become an example for natural selection due to the number of fatalities with domesticated birds and the amount of fatalities among wild birds. The avian influenza evolves rapidly and could easily evolve into a form that could be passed from human to human.

Works Cited omitted.