Avian influenza A (bird flu) viruses may be transmitted from infected birds to other animals, and potentially to humans, in two main ways: Directly from infected birds or from avian influenza A virus-contaminated environments. Through an intermediate host, such as another animal.
Do all influenza viruses come from birds?
Birds are known to carry every single one of the 144 varieties of influenza virus, as defined by the shape of their surface proteins (ranging from the H1N1 strain to H16N9). For this reason, most scientists believe that all forms of the virus originated in birds and every flu is on some level a kind of bird flu.
What virus comes from birds?
Overview. Bird flu is caused by a type of influenza virus that rarely infects humans. More than a dozen types of bird flu have been identified, including the two strains that have most recently infected humans — H5N1 and H7N9. When bird flu does strike humans, it can be deadly.
Can you get a virus from a bird?
Although avian (bird) influenza (flu) A viruses usually do not infect people, there have been some rare cases of human infection with these viruses. Illness in humans from bird flu virus infections have ranged in severity from no symptoms or mild illness to severe disease that resulted in death.
Where does the influenza virus come from?
Answer: Influenza is a virus that's spread from person to person. It originates, actually, among birds and other animals such as pigs, and new viral strains of influenza come to this country and to Europe from Southeast Asia. That's the global pattern.
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