In the last few years, the avian flu, or bird flu, has become a growing worry around the world. Although avian influenza once infected only birds, the new avian flu virus that has emerged from Asia can be passed on from birds to humans with deadly results. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are closely monitoring what could be the next deadly flu pandemic, especially the possibility of the virus mutating into a strand that could be transmitted from human to human. "Avian Flu" examines the history and science of this disease, as well as how it affects the body. This book also discusses the symptoms and treatment, bringing forward vital information on this timely topic.

Author Biography

Jeffrey N. Sfakianos, Ph.D., was trained as a virologist in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Currently, he is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Cell Biology at Yale University, where he studies epithelial cell morphology and protein sorting. He has authored and coauthored more than 10 peer-reviewed manuscripts in the fields of virology, pharmacology, and cell biology. David Heymann is executive director of the Communicable Diseases Section of the World Health Organization.