This commentary is submitted by Creative Reporter, Lisa Hoover.

Canadian health officials announced yesterday that the H5 Avian influenza flu virus has been found in 33 migratory ducks in Eastern and Central Canada. Though the flu's subtype is yet to be determined, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Jim Clark says, "These findings do not indicate that we are dealing with a virus strain capable of causing significant illness." He goes on to say that this particular strain of flu is not the same virus that is wreaking havoc on Asia's bird population.

Approximately 4,800 samples were taken during the course of a study to determine what role, if any, migratory birds play in the spread of the deadly H5N1 virus. More than 60 people have died and a staggering 140 million birds have been put to death in an attempt to control further spread of killer H5N1 virus

Though further testing is expected, Canadian officials seem nonplussed by the detection of avian flu in their country. "The detection of H5 avian influenza is not unexpected," said the Agency's official statement. They also point out that similar types of H5 have been detected throughout North America over the past 30 years.

Early identification of the deadly H5N1 may be key in helping to contain a potentially large outbreak so it is heartening to see Canada taking a proactive approach. Some researchers feel it is only a matter of time before H5N1 finds its way to North America.

While I was reading this article, I wondered how Americans would react to similar news. Given how touchy our nation is right now about national security and adequate government response, if H5 was suddenly detected in Cleveland, Ohio I am curious how the news would be received. Would sales of poultry suddenly drop? Would people begin randomly shooting at birds in their own backyards? Or would people react calmly and trust that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was doing all it could to ensure our safety

During the recent Mad Cow Disease scare, sales of beef did decline but certainly no one was shooting livestock whenever the mood struck. The avian flu situation seems a little more murky, however, since so little is known about the human transmission of the virus. Americans have a tendency to overreact when dealing with the unknown: remember when the news of HIV/AIDS began to surface in the 1980's? Many individuals with the illness lost their jobs because people were afraid of "catching" the disease when so little was known about how it was transmitted. When a particularly virulent strain of influenza affected the nation three years ago, entire schools were known to have temporarily closed in response

I am not suggesting that such safety concerns are not warranted in the event that H5N1, or even the benign H5, is suddenly discovered in the United States. I simply wonder if the nation, both the Administration and the general population, is equipped to deal with it.

At this point, education is the public's best defense. To avoid unnecessary panic, it would be wise to educate ourselves about avian flu because of its potential to touch the United States at some point. Equipping ourselves with a basic knowledge of the virus will help us understand when to be worried about "breaking flu news" and when not to be, should the need arise.

When it comes to avian flu in the US, knowledge is the best defense. In fact, it may turn out to be our only defense.