[The impact of avian influenza on health care system]

Avian influenza is a viral transmitted disease that mainly occurs in birds. First described in 1878 in Italy the disease can be found worldwide. The causing agent belongs to the family of orthomyxoviridae. Since its enormous spread among poultry in 2003, the influenza virus H5N1 is heralded as a possible agent of a new pandemic. H5N1 is pathogen to humans with a mortality rate of over 60%. The main reason that this virus has not caused a pandemic yet is its lack to propagate freely between humans. The current review explores the impact of avian influenza on the health system.