Step 1. Clarifying unfamiliar term(s) Pandemic : Prevalent over a whole country or the world.

Morbidity : The quality of being morbid, the relative incidence of a particular disease. Mortality : The state of being subject to death., the relative frequency of deaths in a specific population Outbreak : The sudden or violent start of something unwelcome, such as war, disease, etc, a sudden increase Antigenic Drift : The immune system recognizes viruses when antigens on the surfaces of virus particles bind to immune receptors that are specific for these antigens. This is similar to a lock recognizing a key Antigenic Shift : process by which two or more different strains of a virus, or strains of two or more different viruses, combine to form a new subtype having a mixture of the surface antigens of the two or more original strains Vaccination : act of putting a small quantity of disease-producing virus into a person or an animal, so that their body will react against it Step 2. Define the Problem How is the problem called Pandemic problem? An influenza pandemic is an epidemic of an influenza virus that spreads on a worldwide scale and infects a large proportion of the human population

Epidemic and pandemic are similar terms that refer to the spread of infectious diseases among a population. There are two main differences between epidemic and pandemic. The term "pandemic" normally is used to indicate a far higher number of people affected than an epidemic. "Pandemic" also refers to a much larger region being affected. In the most extreme case, the entire global population would be affected by a pandemic. The terms epidemic and pandemic usually refer to the rate of infection, the area that is affected or both. An epidemic is defined as an illness or health-related issue that is showing up in more cases than would normally be expected. In the case of a pandemic, even more of the population is affected than in an epidemic. A pandemic typically is in a widespread area rather than being confined to a particular location or region. Epidemics To envision an epidemic, one could take a hypothetical example of numerous people contracting the same flu-like symptoms in a particular area. More cases then show up throughout the region, but the concentration remains localized in a few cities. Some cases then turn in other regions, but the illness never spreads elsewhere. In the hubs where the illness is seen, the infection rate remains higher than would normally be expected. This is a classic example of an epidemic.

How the virus can stay dormant and stay up for a year? Virus through processes antigenic drift and antigenic shift

Antigenic drift is a mechanism for variation in viruses that involves the accumulation of mutations within the genes that code for antibody-binding sites. This results in a new strain of virus particles which cannot be inhibited as effectively by the antibodies that were originally targeted against previous strains, making it easier for the virus to spread throughout a partially immune population. Antigenic drift occurs in both influenza A and influenza B viruses. The immune system recognizes viruses when antigens on the surfaces of virus particles bind to immune receptors that are specific for these antigens. This is similar to a lock recognizing a key. After an infection, the body produces many more of these virus-specific immune receptors, which prevent re-infection by this particular strain of the virus and produce acquired immunity. Similarly, a vaccine against a virus works by teaching the immune system to recognize the antigens exhibited by this virus. However, viral genomes are constantly mutating The rate of antigenic drift is dependent on two characteristics: the duration of the epidemic, and the strength of host immunity. A longer epidemic allows for selection pressure to continue over an extended period of time and stronger host immune responses increase selection pressure for development of novel antigens Antigenic shift is the process by which two or more different strains of a virus, or strains of two or more different viruses, combine to form a new subtype having a mixture of the surface antigens of the two or more original strains. The term is often applied specifically to influenza, as that is the best-known example, but the process is also known to occur with other viruses, such as visna virus in sheep.[1] Antigenic shift is a specific case of reassortment or viral shift that confers a phenotypic change. So, there is 2 procesess antigenic drift which means natural mutating and antigenic shift which means two strains combined into 1 strain

Government effort to control flu pandemic? Indonesia Government has launched a number of program to cope with bird flu and prevent pandemic , that is distribution oseltamivir(tamiflu), there is no further action for against bird flu but for swine flu Indonesia has halted pig imort What is the first step to prevent extent of flu? Isolation p repare the food as procedure(cook, boiled) vaccination

Preventing avian flu

As the avian flu (bird flu) virus is carried by birds, there is no way to prevent it from spreading. However, monitoring how wild birds migrate should give early warnings of the arrival of infected flocks.

This means that species of birds that are known to carry the infection could be targeted and collected on arrival to stop the virus spreading to other birds.
Flu jab

Current flu vaccinations do not provide protection against the H5N1 strain. Various worldwide health organisations are currently working together to produce a vaccine against avian flu.
General precautions

To reduce your risk of developing and passing on viral infections, such as flu, always ensure that you:

Wash your hands regularly, particularly after going to the toilet and before handling food. Turn away from other people and cover your mouth with tissues when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of tissues immediately after use and wash your hands with soap and warm water. If you are ill, avoid public places and contact with children or people with underlying illnesses. Tell the receptionist at your GP surgery (when you visit) about your symptoms so that you can be seated away from other people and given a surgical mask if necessary. Make sure that you maintain a good level of general health and that you have any recommended vaccinations, such as the pneumococcal vaccination and seasonal flu vaccine, if you are in a high-risk group, for example, if you have a long-term illness such as asthma or you are 65 or over.

Preparing meat

Avian flu is not transmitted through cooked food. It is safe to eat poultry and eggs in areas that have had outbreaks of bird flu. As a precaution, always ensure good hygiene standards when preparing and cooking meat. For example:

Use different utensils for cooked and raw meat. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling meat. Ensure that meat is thoroughly cooked and piping hot before serving.

Read more about bird flu and food.

Contact with birds

You can feed wild birds and ducks, but it is important to ensure that you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Do not go near sick or dead birds. Call the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) helpline on 08459 33 55 77 if you find:

one or more dead wild swans, ducks or geese (wild fowl) three or more dead wild birds of the same species five or more dead birds of different species in the same place

Keep away from bird droppings if possible and wash your hands thoroughly if you accidentally touch some.
Pets

In general, you don't need to change the way you look after your pets. If you have a dog that sometimes catches wild birds, try to avoid areas where this is likely to happen. In theory, H5N1 can be passed on to other animals, but it is very unlikely.
Travel

If you are travelling in a country that has had avian flu outbreaks, don't go to live animal markets or poultry farms. Don't go near bird droppings or dead birds, and don't bring live birds or poultry products back to the UK with you, including feathers. The NHS has plans in place to manage a potential outbreak of bird flu in the UK, although this is thought to be highly unlikely. Brief explanation of avian influenza What is Avian Flu?
Avian influenza (bird flu) is an infectious disease caused by the type A strains of the influenza virus. These are mainly found in birds and poultry. Has bird flu reached Indonesia? Avian influenza was first detected in August 2003 in Indonesia. As of early February 2006, the virus is endemic in 26 provinces in Indonesia. I have domestic birds. How would I know if my domestic birds have bird flu? The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) website provides information about how to assess whether a bird may be infected with bird flu. You can also visit the Department of Agriculture for general information on Avian Influenza (http://www.deptan.go.id/) or the Directorate General of Animal Health of the Department of Agriculture at (http://keswan.ditjennak.go.id/) Can humans catch bird flu, and are the effects fatal for humans? Yes, bird flu can infect humans and the disease can be fatal. Keep in mind that at this stage the disease remains a rare event. For latest updates on the number of cases reported to WHO, please see the following link: Confirmed Human Cases How long is the incubation period? The incubation period for bird flu is 2-10 days after exposure to the virus. However, most cases become symptomatic after 3-5 days of exposure to the virus. What are the symptoms of bird flu? Early signs of bird flu are often similar to seasonal human influenza (cough, sore throat, high fever, headache, muscle ache, etc). The disease can progress into pneumonia where there might be shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and respiratory failure. What should I do if I think I have bird flu? If you think you have been exposed to bird flu and have influenza-like symptoms, seek medical advice. How is the virus transmitted to humans? The virus is found in bird and poultry faeces and respiratory secretions. Most cases have contracted the virus directly from infected birds, although environmental contamination with the virus can also be a source of infection.

Is the virus spreading from human-to-human? Limited human-to-human transmission could not be ruled out for some family clusters of bird flu where there was close contact between family members. However, none of these clusters have led to larger outbreaks in the general community indicating that the virus does not spread easily among people. Is there a cure for the bird flu? Besides intensive medical attention, Oseltamivir (registered as Tamiflu) is the main anti-viral treatment for bird flu. It is most effective when administered early in the disease. Tamiflu in Indonesia is available at all Avian Influenza Referral Hospital. (see AI Hospital Referral list) Are there any vaccines for the virus? There are currently no human vaccines available for bird flu. Researchers are carefully monitoring the situation to ensure that if the virus changes into a strain that is more infective for humans, they can then start to develop a vaccine specifically for that strain. What can we do to prevent bird flu in our homes? a. Maintain a healthy environment and sanitary surrounding (especially if there are bird/poultry pens and cages). b. Maintain self sanitation (frequently wash hands with soap and antiseptic solution) c. Always place bird/poultry pens and cages as far away from the house as possible. d. Use protection (masks and gloves) when handling organic poultry fertilizers. e. Dont throw bird/poultry innards and feathers recklessly, always place them in a p lastic bag and dispose properly. f. Always clean excess bird/poultry and animal feed, to prevent attracting wild birds. How do we protect ourselves from bird flu infection? a. Wash your hands with soap or other antiseptic solutions after handling poultry/birds. b. Disinfect surfaces with simple detergents, alcohol solutions (70%) or chlorine (0.5%). c. Wear masks, gloves and boots if entering areas with recent bird flu infection. d. Closely observe your health if you have close contact with birds/poultry. Seek medical advice if you develop fever, eye infections, and/or respiratory problems. What occupations are high risk for bird flu infection? a. poultry farmers and farm workers b. poultry slaughterers and slaughterhouse workers c. sellers of poultry products (meat, eggs, etc.) d. bird / poultry owners e. lab staff and workers processing samples f. people who live in areas where recent poultry deaths have been attributed to bird flu infection g. people who had direct, close and unprotected contact with confirmed bird flu cases Is it safe to each chicken meat and other poultry products? Yes, it is safe to eat chicken and other poultry products that have been fully-cooked (fried, boiled or grilled). Do not eat poultry meat that is still pink or half-cooked/half-boiled eggs.