H5N1 is op zich niet gevaarlijk voor de mens. Om een onverslaan op
mensen (en daardoor de kans zien toenemen dat het H5N1 gaat muteren,
waardoor je een mens-op-mens variant gaat krijgen) is het raadzaam de
vogelwereld goed in de gaten te houden. Ontdekt men dus dode vogels
(zoals kraaien, zwanen, eenden, kippen e.d.) dan dient men dit direct aan
de overheid te melden. De dode vogels zijn een eerste indicator dat er
misschien iets mis is. Onderzoek moet dan uitwijzen of er sprake is van
het H5N1-virus. De beste preventie is dus het direct vaststellen van
geïnfecteerde vogels (direct ruimen), zodat de weg vogelvirus-mens kan
worden doorbroken. Het is dus in ieders belang om de directe vogelwereld
in zijn of haar omgeving goed in de gaten te houden.

Hieronder een stukje website over de vogelgriep.
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As of July 20, the outbreak had claimed at least 60 human lives — mostly
in Vietnam. It is believed most human cases developed from contact with
infected poultry or infected surfaces.

Normally this virus would not be harmful to humans. Close proximity of
humans to live chickens, pigs, and other animals, as may be seen in
certain farms or marketplaces, could cause the H5N1 virus to exchange
genetic material with other viruses that more easily attack humans. Cats
are also thought to be possible infection vectors for H5N1 strains of avian
flu (Kuiken et al, 2004).

Aside from the already reported cases, a cause for alarm has been the
large numbers of cases in poultry found mainly in eight countries in Asia:
Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand, and
Vietnam.

The current virus is evolving into a type that is spread among humans with
the first human-to-human cases found in Vietnam during 2005. When
avian influenza subtypes adapt for this mode of transmission the effect is
deadly for humans as the immune system has no natural immunities for it.

Vietnam and Thailand have seen several isolated cases where human-to-
human transmission of the virus has been suspected. In one case the
original carrier, who received the disease from a bird, was held by her
mother for roughly 5 days as the young girl died. Shortly afterwards, the
mother became ill and perished as well. In March, 2005 it was revealed
that two nurses who had cared for avian flu patients have tested positive for
the disease.

Er zijn natuurlijk meer links (via Google). Dit is er een van:
http://www.h5n1fluvirus.info/