Avian flu, more commonly known as bird flu, is spreading in the U.S. The disease rarely spreads to humans but government officials have offered Tamiflu to farmers exposed to infected birds.

Farmers are most likely to be exposed to infected birds. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working to release government stockpile of oseltamivir, which is marketed under the trade name Tamiflu by Roche. The drug is used for treating people suffering with influenza type A or type B.

"CDC currently recommends oseltamivir, peramivir, or zanamivir for treatment of human infection with avian influenza A viruses. Analyses of available avian influenza viruses circulating worldwide suggest that most viruses are susceptible to oseltamivir, peramivir, and zanamivir," per CDC.

Around 300 people in South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin have been asked to take Tamiflu as a precautionary measure. However, many people have not taken any drugs. Farmers in South Dakota have also declined to take Tamiflu as a precautionary measure. Some farmers say that they will not take Tamiflu unless a human infection has been confirmed by government officials.

The CDC also revealed that avian influenza A viruses normally do not infect humans; however, rare cases of human infection have been reported in the past.

"Most human infections with avian influenza A viruses have occurred following direct or close contact with infected poultry. Illness in humans has ranged from mild to severe," per a CDC statement.

The latest bird flu outbreak in the U.S. has infected chicken and turkeys in many Midwestern poultries, but human infections have not been reported yet. However, health officials believe that the bird flu virus may make humans ill if they come in close contact with the infected birds.

Dr. Alicia Fry, a medical officer at CDC's influenza division, suggests that the even though the bird flu virus does not affect humans, the agency has recognized the H5N2 strain of the virus for likely use in a human vaccine if needed.

While many farmers have declined to take Tamiflu, Minnesota's Infectious Disease Laboratory is tracking people with cold like symptoms to check on human infections of avian flu. Till now, the lab has tested 11 individuals with cold symptoms but none of them have been tested positive for avian flu.

Photo: Peter Cooper | Flickr