Have you been following news coverage of predictions of an influenza pandemic? It can be difficult to sort out the facts amid so much confusing information, predictions, opinions and speculation. Here are a few key points that all Hoosiers need to know:

1. The flu pandemic does not yet exist. Scientists around the globe are predicting another influenza pandemic, much like what the world experienced in 1918, then in the 1950s and 1960s in this century. But those are just predictions right now. To have a pandemic, a disease must pass easily from person to person, with a high rate of illness and often a high death rate. Current fears about the H5N1 avian influenza virus are based on an expectation that the virus is going to mutate into a disease that can spread easily from person to person. That, however, has not happened yet.

H5N1, as it exists now, is able to pass from infected birds to people who are in very close contact. Individuals may be literally living with these birds, handling them very closely, or consuming them without proper food preparation and handling. These human cases have not resulted from person-to-person transmission; therefore, it is not a pandemic threat. The virus must undergo a change (or "mutation") before that can happen.

Why the concern about H5N1? Some researchers believe that this particular strain shows some characteristics that are very similar to the 1918 virus that proved so devastating worldwide. It's also had a unique ability to pass directly from birds to people without moving through another species, such as swine, to mutate first. Fortunately, H5N1 lacks the critical ability to move from person-to-person.

2. Not all avian influenzas are alike. Avian influenza exists in many different forms. Often "AI" is referred to by an H and N number designation. These labels refer to the different patterns of proteins on the surface of the virus, which also tells those of us in the human and animal health world a lot about how a particular strain behaves. In theory, as many as 144 different combinations of Hs and Ns can exist, although that many strains have not been identified.

If a positive diagnosis of AI is made in North America, take time to find out more about what strain it is. Most forms of AI have no, or only minimal, human health effects. Just because a case of AI is discovered, whether it's H5N1 or not, it does not warrant undue fear by the public.

All strains of avian influenza are reportable to BOAH under state law. Highly pathogenic strains (including H5N1) are considered foreign animal diseases that would trigger emergency response efforts. As part of BOAH's field investigations for a variety of poultry health problems, AI surveillance is standard. A confirmed diagnosis would launch the Indiana State Poultry Association's Poultry Health and Response Plan, a joint readiness plan between BOAH and industry first developed in 1985.

3. Don't be afraid to eat poultry or egg products. With proper cooking and handling, avian influenza presents no food safety threat. As I said, most strains of AI have no human health effects.
Our nation's poultry industry has been concerned with the presence of any form of the disease for more than two decades with a broad flock testing program in place since the 1980s. While the industry has taken action to step up testing recently to provide consumers with even greater assurance about the safety of their products, protecting our food supply against this disease has been a high priority for years. This is standard practice-not reactionary response to extensive media coverage and public hype.

Poultry producers have a vested interest in keeping their flocks free of any strain of the disease, as one positive case of any type can shut international trade.

4. American agriculture is not like farming in other countries. American poultry, for the most part, is raised indoors, in bio-secure environments, away from migratory birds and other pests that can introduce disease. In other parts of the world, birds are raised very differently-often within the homes of people who own them. That increases disease exposure opportunities for the birds, as well as their handlers. Most of us have little or no contact with domestic or wild birds on a daily basis.

5. We all need to be prepared for all disasters. This particular disease threat has captured the attention of the public and the media unlike any other in recent memory. While the pandemic flu does not yet exist, the core message emergency planners are trying to convey is still valid and clear: We all need to be prepared for any type of disaster. Much like Hurricane Katrina, this scenario presents an opportunity to educate the public and raise awareness about personal preparedness. We need to heed that message and be ready. At the same time, we need to be vigilant. Without panic. Without fearing our food supply. Without fearing the birds in our yards.

That's been a core message of the Board of Animal Health as we train others to be prepared for large-scale animal health emergencies, as well as situational disasters (such as floods or chemical spills) in our Animal Issues in Disasters course. The course, originally developed by our staff in 2001, is a one-day course that covers steps to preparedness, along with an overview of response activities by BOAH and other agencies.

BOAH, in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), will be offering the class for the third time this year on May 17 at Camp Atterbury. Space is still available in the course, by registering through IDHS. To print a registration form, visit the BOAH website at www.boah.in.gov and click on the "What's New" option at the top.

The Board of Animal Health recently participated in the Governor's Pandemic Influenza Summit, with the opportunity to host a break out session oriented to agriculture. We were glad to have that opportunity and the support of this administration on this subject-other states have not recognized how agriculture is intertwined in this topic. I encourage everyone in the agriculture community to become educated about avian influenza, the pandemic flu and the difference between the two.