Avian flu, or bird flu, is a deadly type of influenza that rarely infects humans. According to the Mayo Clinic, more than half of the people diagnosed with avian flu die from it. Drug treatment is available for people diagnosed with avian flu, though many fatal cases of pneumonia caused by avian flu result from a virus, which antibiotic drugs cannot treat.

Treatment

If you suspect you have contracted avian flu, see your doctor immediately. Treatment is usually only effective if administered within the first 48 hours of the onset of symptoms. Symptoms of avian flu are very similar to regular flu symptoms. They include cough, fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and sore throat. If your doctor suspects you have avian flu, he will most likely administer antiviral medication. The two antiviral medications used for avian flu are oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). Avian flu is resistant to other antiviral drugs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these drugs may increase a patient's chance of survival if they are given within the first 48 hours, but clinical data on the effectiveness of the drugs is limited. People living in the same household as you may also need to take an antiviral medication. If you have a severe case of avian flu, you may need to go on a breathing machine.

Vaccine Development

Get a flu vaccine every year to reduce the risk of the virus that causes avian flu mixing with human flu viruses. Avian flu is not easily transmitted from person to person, but a mutated avian flu virus mixed with a human flu virus could cause the disease to spread quickly. According to the World Health Organization, vaccines against the avian flu virus (H5N1) are under development in several countries. According to the Mayo Clinic, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a vaccine to prevent avian flu infection. The United States government is stockpiling the vaccine to have readily available for distribution in the event of a severe outbreak. No vaccine specific to avian flu was ready for commercial production as of December 2009, and WHO does not predict that vaccines will be widely available until several months after a pandemic begins. Vaccines need to match the pandemic virus to prevent severe global outbreak in the event of a fast-spreading virus.

Source:

Mayo Clinic: Bird Flu

New York Times: Avian Influenza

WHO: Avian Flu FAQs