Indonesian Cock Fighter Owner: The first Bird Flu Victim

NAT GEO : SUPER FLU (MICROKILLERS WEEK)

Has anybody watched this?

I watched the SUPER FLU episode and it was very informative.

Did you know that BIRD FLU in Humans spreads Not only because of eating infected Bird FLESH but due to 3 reasons

1. From birds to Pigs(mammals) where it mutates to the mammalian strain that infects humans(H5N1 virus)
2. Half Cooked food below 60 degree Celsius for less than 10 minutes.
3. Direct contact of humans to the virus strain from avian blood.

Example 3 became apparent when the first human victim of Bird Flu (H5N1 virus) got infected through Cock Fights in South East Asia (estimated in Indonesia) who was one of the cock masters (owners). The Cocks get agitated while fighting and collect blood clot inside their throat. To make them breath freely, while fighting, their owners put their mouths on Cock's beak and suck the blooded saliva (yuck!) out of their throats. This made the first victim get infected with the flu.

Remedies
1. Poultries should keep mammals (like pigs or goats) sufficently away from birds (hens or ducks) So they do not come in Direct contact and hence chances of viral mutations are less .
2. Cook the bird meat food over 60 degree Celsius and more than 10 minutes to destroy any bacteria that may be developed in the food since slaughtered. Also uses of spices and preservatives may destroy many of the microorganisms from the food. Beware of half cooked chicken food items though.

So the greatest threat will be direct contact with infected avian blood such as in Cock fights or butchers, with their mouths uncovered or carelessly protected, when working in the chicken butchery shops.

But don't feel relieved yet. H5N1 has killed 75% of the people whome it have infeceted. So the mortality rate of the disease is high.