A 4-column table with 1 row titled Avian Influenza, commonly called bird flu. Column 1 is labeled symptoms with entry In its early stages, bird flu acts just like an ordinary flu. Patients might have a fever, headache, or aches and pains. But within days, bird flu sufferers get a lot worse. They have difficulty breathing. They may also have vomiting and diarrhea. They can become delirious and may die. Column 2 is labeled how you get it with entry Birds like chickens, turkeys, and ducks pass it to each other. They catch it from the blood, saliva, or urine of a sick bird. Humans are most at risk if they handle chickens or live in a place where chickens are kept as pets. Catching bird flu from another person is rare. Column 3 is labeled treatment with entry Antiviral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza are the only treatments that seem to fight bird flu. But they have to be taken within 72 hours after a person is infected. Column 4 is labeled prognosis with entry It's not good. Untreated, bird flu is often fatal. It kills about half of all people who are infected with it. What is the purpose of this chart?
to break up the amount of text on the page
to give the reader easy-to-read, quick facts about bird flu
to show the reader what four different diseases look like
to scare the reader away from eating infected meats