Avian influenza atau Flu Burung adalah penyakit menular pada binatang yang kemudian menulari manusia pula. Penularan pada manusia menimbulkan masalah kesehatan penting sejak tahun 2004, apalagi dengan adanya ancaman pandemi. Sampai I Maret 2006 pasien penyakit ini pada sudah dilaporkan di 7 negara, yaitu Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Viel Nam, China, Irak dan Tnrki. Jumlah total kasus adalah 174 orang, 94 diantaranya meninggal dunia (54.02%). Sampai 1 Maret 2006 Indonesia mempunyai 27 pasien, 20 meninggal (74.07%). Pasien A! Indonesia sebagian besar adalah pria (62.5%) dan semuanya datang dengan kehtlum demam. Pandemi influenza terjadi bila muncul virus sub tipe baru yang sebelumnya tidak menyerang manusia. Karena itu, avian H5N} punya potensi unluk menimbulkan pandemik karena mungkin menulari antar manusia. Dampak pandemik dapat berupa tingginya angka kesakitan serta pekerja absen dari tugasnya, yang semuanya akan memberi dampak sosio ekonomi yang besar. Tentang kematian, pengalaman masa lalu temyata bervariasi, tergantung dari 4 faktor, yaitu jumlah orang yang terinfeksi, vindensi virus, keadaan kesehatan pasien dan efektfitas upaya pencegahan yang ada. Prediksi akurat tentang angka kematian sulit dibuat. (Med J Indones 2006; 15:125-8)
Avian influenza, or "bird flu", is a contagious disease of animals which crossed the species barrier to infect humans and gave a quite impact on public health in the world since 2004, especially due to the threat of pandemic situation. Until 1" March 2006, laboratory-confirmed human cases have been reported in seven countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Viel Nam, China, Iraq and Turkey with a tola! of 174 cases and 94 dead (54.02%). Indonesia has 27 cases, 20 were dead (74.07%). AI cases in Indonesia are more in male (62.5%) and all have a symptom of fever. An influenza pandemic is a rare but recurrent event. An influenza pandemic happens when a new subtype emerges that has not previously circulated in humans. For this reason, avian H5NI is a strain with pandemic potential, since it might ultimately adapt into a strain that is contagious among humatts. Impact of the pandemic could include high rates of illness and worker absenteeism are expected, and these will contribute to social and economic disruption. Historically, the number of deaths during a pandemic has varied greatly. Death rates are largely determined by four factors: the number of people who become infected, the virulence of the virus, the underlying characteristics ami vulnerability of affected populations, and the effectiveness of preventive measures. Accurate predictions of mortality cannot be made before the pandemic virus emerges and begins to spread. (MedJ Indones 2006; 15:125-8)
