A number of Asian countries have reported and is reporting cases of avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu or avian flu, in their domestic and wild bird populations. There are number of confirmed cases of bird-to-human transmissions of avian influenza, however, it has not been stated that avian flu is transmitted from person to person.

Avian flu is a contagious disease and gets transmitted among birds through the saliva, nasal secretion, feces of infected birds. The risk is further increased if the domesticated birds take water and feed that are contaminated with the virus. Birds to human transmission occur when human makes direct contact with infected poultry or surfaces contaminated with secretion or excretions from infected birds.

Avian flu is caused by the type A strain of influenza virus and the identified virus for the ongoing outbreak is H5N1, which has threaten not only the bird population but to the humans as well.

The symptoms associated with bird flu is fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases, and other severe and life-threatening complications.

Since there is no specific anti-avian influenza vaccine for humans till now. However, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. have suggested Tamiflu (Oseltamivir Phosphate), an anti-viral medicine, as an effective drug against the treatment of influenza illness. Tamiflu can lessen the effects of bird flu and speed up recovery. For an effective result, a course of Tamiflu should be taken within 24 hours of the onset of bird flu symptoms, and delay in the treatment lessens the effectiveness of the drug.

Tamiflu can cause nausea, dizziness, persistent cough, weakness, and fever as side effects. If these problems appear and remain for long time, you need to consult with your doctor immediately.

Apart from Tamiflu, highly prescribed anti-viral medicines are amantadine and Relenza. Relenza is a powder and is inhaled twice a day for five days from a breath-activated plastic device called a Disk haler for treatment of influenza. Both are effective in attacking virus and prevent it from spreading inside the body.

With online buying options, you can order Tamiflu online; it is safe and cheap to buy this medicine online. Online pharmacies gives you free online consultation and even deliver the drug to your doorsteps.

But, it is better to prevent the further spread of bird flu rather than take up medicine later. Spread of this flu can be prevented by quarantining of the infected farms and destruction of infected poultry population. Workers involved in the culling process must be protected and given proper clothing and equipment, and they should be given antiviral drugs as a prophylactic measure.

Another means of controlling avian flu is altering the traditional farming and cultural practices in Asia, where animals live in close, often unsanitary condition with the people.