Bird flue is a virus that causes harm in birds and sometimes in people. Here's everything you need to know about bird flue.

Who gets bird flue?

Bird flue generally affects birds. It can hit other animals such as pigs, but it usually affects poultry and migratory birds. These animals are most affected because they live in large groups and in close quarters. Bird flue is spread through feces and other secretions, such as saliva. Animals, such as poultry and ducks, contract bird flue because they are subjected to each other's secretions.

Humans can get wording flue, but it's not incredibly common, especially not in developed countries. Humans can contract bird flue if they are around the animals that carry bird flue.

What does bird flue do?

Bird flue is a virus that attaches itself to a host, like a bird. When it gets into birds, it can be very destructive and frequently causes death. When it gets into humans, it first causes flu-like symptoms such as a runny nose, fever, achy body and cough. It can cause death, though less people die of bird flue than do of car accidents, lightening strikes or airplane crashes.

Are we at risk of a bird flue pandemic?

The last time we were really at risk of a bird flue pandemic was in 1997. In 1997 there was a bird flue outbreak in China. Since then, there have been other known outbreaks, but nothing of the magnitude of a pandemic.

A pandemic means that several people in several areas are affected by the sickness. Though the 1997 bird flue outbreak crossed China's borders, it did not traumatize large groups of people. In fact, the Chinese government and other governments were fairly quick at nipping the problem in the bud.

The American government immediately stopped all poultry imports from China to prevent American citizens from being exposed to the bird flue. State and local governments also participated in education campaigns designed to inform Americans about how to protect themselves from the bird flue.

Though there wasn't a massive pandemic after the 1997 outbreak, that doesn't mean we're completely safe from an outbreak. In fact, in 2005-2006 there was another little mini-bird flue outbreak and there could be another one.

The problem with bird flue is that it changes form all the time. The bird flue pandemic that affected the world in the early 21st century is different than the strand of bird flue that we saw in 1997. Trying to combat a virus that constantly changes is like shooting at a moving target. It will take time, precaution and research to prevent future bird flue pandemics.