title: Avian Flu - A Bird's Eye View.
abstract: Influenza A (H5N1) virus infects a variety of animals, birds and humans. Present ongoing epidemic of this deadly virus in poultry livestock and humans has had major economic and health repercussions. It causes a wide spectrum of clinical features in human beings ranging from mild respiratory tract infection to a fatal pneumonia leading to multi organ system failure. Diagnosis is mainly clinical, aided by lab features like lymphopaenia and non-specific chest X-ray findings. Diagnostic tests are being evolved for rapid and specific diagnosis. Management is mainly symptomatic. Newer and effective antivirals, i.e. amantadine, zanamivir etc are also being tried.
authors.affiliation: Commandant, Military Hospital Dehradun.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune-40.
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Graded Specialist (Med) MH Mathura.
authors.forename: Suman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune-40.
authors.forename: Rajan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune-40.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ananthakrishnan
keywords: Avian influenza; Influenza A; Severe acute respitatory syndrome