WASHINGTON, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Avian Influenza (AI) -- the
bird flu -- is a disease caused by a virus that infects domestic
poultry and wild birds (geese and ducks and shorebirds). Each
year, there is a bird flu season just as there is for humans
and, as with people, some forms of the flu are worse than
others. The highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu has been
found in an increasing number of countries in Europe, Asia and
Africa. Currently, H5N1 avian influenza is not present in the
United States. It is likely the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain
will spread to this country, and the U.S. Government is taking
steps to prepare for and minimize the potential impact of bird
flu. There are a number of ways that highly pathogenic H5N1
could potentially reach the United States -- wild bird
migration, illegal smuggling of birds or poultry products,
travel by infected people or people traveling with virus-
contaminated articles from regions where H5N1 already exists.
Historically, highly pathogenic strains of