January 19, 2004

Bird Droppings and Uncooked Meat May Be Cause of Bird Flu

Bird flu may be largely transmitted through bird droppings and uncooked meat, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. If this holds true, poultry ban will seem unnecessary.

When a contaminated chicken makes an excrement the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, which has triggered an Asia-wide health scare, circulates in the air and is carried by the wind, according to the WHO findings.

Piled one on top of the other in cramped cages, the birds easily pass the disease on with their dirty droppings, the WHO said, noting that chicken breeders also risked inhaling the bug and got infected easier.

On the other hand, it was virtually impossible to catch bird flu by eating cooked meat that is infected, said WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib.

"The cooking kills the virus," Chaib said, citing some WHO experts. Similarly, boiling the bird also destroyed the bug, Chaib said.

The WHO warned that it was equally dangerous for humans to be close to infected birds whether they are alive or dead.

Only a few animals manage to survive once they catch bird flu and those who survive continue to lay contaminated droppings for a minimum of 10 days.