The Truth About Bird Flu Vaccines

What exactly do we have against the Bird Flu virus if it does materialize into a sudden threat? The governments of some countries have been claiming that they are stockpiling vaccines already. However how can that be possible when the vaccine we so dearly need is still under development.

The truth is that governments are sponsoring companies to help them create the appropriate vaccine faster. There is one company out there that has a vaccine, although it needs to be taken in large doses of two, a month apart. They are still trying to make ways to keep the dosages smaller.

If the bird flu pandemic hits today there will be just enough vaccines for eleven percent of the whole U.S. population. The vaccine is estimated to be developed around 2 years time. So we should just make sure that the virus does not become a pandemic during that time.

The stockpiling rumors of vaccines have just been said to calm down the general population. Especially those those are really panicky people. The reality is that Tamiflu is the one being stocked up.

Tamiflu is just an antiviral prescription drug. Tamiflu works because it has antiviral properties. However, when the outbreak occurs, there still won't be enough to help a lot of people. Tamiflu is supposed to be taken everyday. If a place does stockpile 100,000 pills, it will only be good for a thousand people for a hundred days. If a country does stock up, can you also imagine how costly a pill would cost?

The Tamiflu is really not that effective anyway on the H5N1 strain anyway. There are other antiviral pills made of more powerful herbs. They also don't require prescription and cheaper.

One of the best things to do is keep you well-informed. Try to learn about other herbs that have anti-viral properties as well. This will help prevent people from going on a panic when the outbreak does occur and the pills are insufficient. That can be prevented if the people stock up on herbs.

It is important to remember that we need to take charge of our own health. Remember to live a healthier lifestyle to help keep our immune systems stronger. This helps us be less adverse to the risk of the bird flu virus or any kind of flu virus.

As of the moment, people need to be getting worried about the H5N1 strain. This is because the virus is slowly affecting more people from various areas around the world. As of yesterday, the H5N1 strain has reached Africa.

Maybe sooner or later or possibly never, this virus may or may not hit. However, at least we did come prepare for the next big pandemic that could hit us.

Michael Colucci is a technical writer for Bird Flu Facts - A free site that offers facts on the history, prevention, vaccines and more on the Bird Flu Virus.

Avian Bird Flu Information

To combat a possible avian bird flu epidemic, the following should be considered and done:

1. The single most important thing than can be done for an epidemic, such as avian bird flu, is to have well-prepared local health care systems. People should be prepared in ways that are sustainable and will remain useful even if the epidemic does not occur.

2. Preparation of social norms and emergency procedures that would limit or delay the spread of the avian flu epidemic. Regular hand washing, and other beneficial cleanliness custom may save more lives than all other medicines combined.

3. The proper recognition and prizes should be given to those who have come up with effective vaccines for the avian bird flu disease. On the same note, vaccine makers should be given the freedom to make use of state materials needed for the vaccines. It can be noted that some parts of the government are discouraging these activities rather than encouraging them.

4. Relevant drugs and vaccines for the avian bird flu disease should be bought and sold at fair prices. This is in respect to the intellectual property rights of the people. To confiscate these things is to reduce the incentive for innovation and protection that may help many people in the future.

5. Make preparations to ensure the continuity of food and power supplies. The most relevant supplies should include the check clearing system and the use of mass transit to deliver food supply and get workers to their job destination.

6. The federal government, despite being powerful, will be deemed powerless in the worst times of avian bird flu epidemic. It is therefore appropriate to have local plans ready to be used when the situation calls for it.

7. Encourage the formation of prediction markets about the avian bird flu epidemic. This will give the people a better idea and perspective of the probability of a possible widespread including human-to-human transmission.

8. There should be enough foreign aid to the receipt of useful information about the progress of avian flu. This will be especially useful in some Asian countries where the avian bird flu epidemic is rampant.

9. The World Health Organization should be reformed to be able to cater to these epidemics. Greater autonomy to its government funders.

If there are some things to be done before or in times of the avian bird flu epidemic, there are also things that should not be done:

1. Tamiflu and vaccine stockpiling have their useful roles. But they should be the centerpieces of a plan. In addition to the medical limitations of these investments, other institutional factors, such as transportation, will restrict the ability to allocate these supplies promptly to the persons needing them.

2. Do not rely solely on quarantines and mass isolations. Both can be counterproductive. Rather than limit the spread of avian bird flu, they have the tendency to spread the disease more.

3. In times of any type of epidemic, people should not expect the Army or Armed Forces to be part of a useful response plan. An avian bird flu epidemic is no exception. As powerful as they might seem, they are also liable to have the disease themselves.

4. Do not expect to block off or isolate the pandemic in its country of origin. One should never assume that it has not spread abroad already. Once a pandemic has started abroad, public places such as schools and marketplaces should be shut off immediately to be on the safe side.

5. People should not obsess over avian bird flu at the expense of other medical issues. The epidemic or other public health crisis could come from any number of sources. By focusing on local preparedness and decentralized responses, this is a robust plan enough that will prove useful before and during the spread of this kind.

Linda Robins is website owner. Stop by and visit Wellness and Relaxation

Bird Flu: A Global Outbreak, A Global Concern

In the 1330s, the bubonic plague killed millions of people. Transmitted by rats, the disease originated from China. It later spread to Europe when merchants came back from their long voyage from China. The disease was also spread by fleas that when passed on to humans, became fatal. The bubonic plague continued for years and took the lives of millions of people.

Seven centuries later, a new disease is threatening to kill many if precautions are not made. This new disease is avian influenza, more commonly known as bird flu. Instead of rodents, birds transmit this disease to humans. Birds carry the bird flu virus in their intestines when they migrate for the winter. The virus, which does not affect the carriers, is deadly to those who come in contact with birds carrying the virus. When chickens, birds or geese come in contact with a bird carrying the virus through the bird's saliva, nasal secretions or feces, they can become infected, fall ill and die in 48 hours.

Humans infected with bird flu have symptoms similar to symptoms of human influenza: fever, sore throat or muscle pain. Because of this similarity, it is easy to mistakenly diagnose an actual bird flu as human influenza. However, humans infected with avian flu would have worse symptoms - eye infections and respiratory problems that could become life threatening. Influenza in pandemic proportions is recorded to have happened three times during the 20th century. The Spanish Flu of 1918, the Asian Flu of 1957 and the Hong Kong Flu of 1968 claimed at least 20 million people worldwide.

It's important to mention that humans will not usually get bird flu unless they have been in close contact with infected poultry. Since the number of people that has been infected with the disease is still low and confined to a few children and adults, there is no serious cause of alarm yet. However, scientists and the health community are concerned that the disease, which usually affects poultry livestock, may evolve into something that will adversely affect humans. In some scenarios, the bird flu virus may become airborne or transmitted from one human to another.

The bird flu virus has many subtypes, but the subtype that is proving to be fatal to humans is called the H5N1. To date, about 70 people in Asia are confirmed to have died from H5N1.

When a bird flu outbreak occurs, the entire livestock has to be destroyed. This is similar to what happened during the mad cow disease outbreak when cattle had to be slaughtered and burned in order to prevent the disease from spreading to nearby cattle areas. The slaughtering and burning of cattle were done in many countries in the Asian region as well as in some parts of Eastern Europe and Russia.

Antiviral medications such as amantadine and rimantadine, which are usually given to treat influenza, do not work on the bird flu virus. Drugs are being developed and temporarily used on patients who appear to have succumbed to the avian flu disease. Although they appear to be responding to treatment and are showing improvements, further tests need to be done to ensure the effectivity of these new drugs.

Centuries ago, particularly during the bubonic plague, medical science was not yet developed to cope with an epidemic of pandemic proportions. However, with the advances in technology today, scientists will be able to study the avian flu disease further. By closely watching the migratory patterns of birds and understanding the disease, scientists may help prevent bird flu from becoming another global outbreak.

With the help of the internet, information can be disseminated quickly to thousands of people around the world and a reaction force can be immediately deployed to stop the disease from spreading any further.

It is important for people to realize that the bird flu virus is not merely one country's problem. It is a serious global problem that affects all countries and all peoples.

Niall Cinneide publishes a news site, with reports and articles, about avian flu at http://www.bird-flu-alert.info

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.

Bird Flu: The Threat of Animal to Human Transmission

When bird flu hit most Asian countries, it prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to urge China to test its wild birds, particularly geese that migrate from its waters during the harsh winter. The disease spread so fast from one bird to another that about 5,000 birds were killed in one season. People who have close or direct contact to infected poultry can contract the disease after coming in contact with bird secretions or feces.

Although many are divided on the possibility of direct human to human transmission of the virus, this possibility has not been ruled out. Viruses, in general, are known to mutate. In the case of bird flu, family members infected with it may show different severity of symptoms, prompting a misdiagnosis. Also, if a person who has the common flu becomes infected with bird flu at the same time, it can lead to the mutation of the bird flu virus.

At the University of Leicester in Great Britain, it was discovered that a full-blown bird flu pandemic could cause an 80% mortality rate. A team led by Karl Nicholson is developing the bird flu vaccine with the goal of decreasing the fatality should a fourth major pandemic occur. In the last century, there have been three recorded major pandemics: the Spanish Flu in 1918, the Asian Flu in 1957 and the Hong Kong Flu in 1968. In total, the three pandemics claimed at least 20 million people.

The bird flu virus, which can be transmitted through direct contact with a bird's infected saliva, nasal secretions and feces, can survive for up to a week at 22 degrees Celsius. At freezing temperatures, the virus can survive indefinitely. It is no surprise that the bird flu virus tends to last in colder climates and is pronounced to be almost as deadly as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). In addition to the transmission of the disease from the migration of wild birds traveling great distances, the disease is also spread when contaminated birds are exported and imported in the international market.

In terms of safety in food handling and preparation, a cooking temperature of about 70 degrees Celsius is enough to kill the bird flu virus. It is important, however, to avoid raw birds and other raw markets meats from being contaminated. Cook eggs properly and check that the yolks are not runny. The simple act of washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling raw meats could spell the difference. Keep in mind that transmission of the bird flu virus to humans usually happens during the slaughtering process and handling of infected bird fluids. After slaughtering infected poultry, the virus typically stays in the intestinal and respiratory tracts, not in the meat itself. Cooking at right temperatures can help avoid the virus from spreading.

The symptoms of bird flu are very similar to human flu. However, the severity of a disease can sometimes give way to announcements of a pandemic, which can cause political issues. In Asia where the incidence and actual cases of human transmission of bird flu occurred, WHO and the United States immediately took precautionary measures. The British Medical Journal, on the other hand, declared that a pandemic is still far from happening.

No travel advisory has been issued restricting anyone from going to countries affected by bird flu although WHO has issued a warning to travelers. Travelers are advised against going to live poultry markets, getting close contact to any farms and having direct exposure to feathers, feces or droppings, eggs and poultry meat products. Travelers coming from afflicted countries are also not being screened. However, precautionary measures are in place, particularly in the media. Information is being disseminated in order to make people aware of the bird flu, its effects and what to do to avoid getting infected.

Viruses are constantly mutating and evolving. Health watchers, practitioners and scientists are concerned about this because if a pandemic occurs, there won't be enough time to prepare and develop a vaccine. They fear that we are once again on the brink of another major pandemic threat. However, with the strides being made by technology every day, hopefully the casualty won't be nearly as high as the casualty of the past three major pandemics that claimed at least 20 million lives worldwide.

Niall Cinneide publishes a news site, with reports and articles, about avian flu at http://www.bird-flu-alert.info

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved.

Bird Flu Information and Update

Laboratory tests have confirmed that bird flu was the cause of death of a middle-aged Indonesian male in November 2005. The man was the 14th fatality of bird flu infections in Indonesia, and the ninth bird flu case confirmed by the World Health Organization after the case was sent by local health officials to Hong Kong for verification.

The confirmation brings to 70 the number of people in Asia who have died in the last two years from the H5N1 strain, now considered the deadliest avian influenza virus subtype. Antiviral medications such as amantadine and rimantadine, which are usually given to treat influenza, do not work on the avian flu virus. Drugs are being developed and temporarily used on patients who appear to have succumbed to the avian flu disease. Although they appear to be responding to treatment and are showing improvements, further tests need to be done to ensure the effectivity of these new drugs.

With avian influenza, birds could transmit the disease to humans. Birds carry the bird flu virus in their intestines when they migrate for the winter. The virus, which does not affect the carriers, is deadly to those who come in contact with birds carrying the virus. When chickens, birds or geese come in contact with a bird carrying the virus through the bird's saliva, nasal secretions or feces, they can become infected, fall ill and die in 48 hours.

Humans infected with the avian flu have symptoms that include a fever, sore throat or muscle pain, which are similar to symptoms of human influenza. Thus, it is easy to mistakenly diagnose an actual avian flu as human influenza. However, humans infected with avian flu would have worse symptoms - eye infections and respiratory problems that could become life threatening.

It's important to note that humans will not usually get avian flu unless they have been in close contact with infected poultry. Since the number of people that has been infected with the disease is still low and confined to a few children and adults, there is no serious cause of alarm yet. However, scientists and the health community are concerned that the disease, which usually affects poultry livestock, may evolve into something that will adversely affect humans.

Before the bird flu, there was a disease that came from bovines, commonly known as mad cow disease. This disease came about from the practice of feeding cattle with processed foods. Later on, the cows developed an infection in the brain. The infection caused cows' brains to produce sponges, which made the animals go wild and die. Humans who ate meat from infected cattle fell sick and died. To rid of the mad cow disease problem, entire livestock were slaughtered, killed and burned. This prevented the outbreak from reaching other farms. Slaughtering infected cattle was done in many countries in the Asian region, including parts of Eastern Europe and Russia.

The bubonic plague killed millions of people in the 14th century. Transmitted by rats, the disease originated from China and spread on to Europe through merchants who came back from the long voyage from China. The same disease was also transmitted by fleas, which proved fatal when it was passed on to humans. The disease dragged on for years, killing millions more. The bubonic plague happened centuries ago, when medical science was not yet developed to cope with the epidemic and save lives of millions.

However, with the advances in technology today, scientists will be able to study the avian flu disease further. By closely watching the migratory patterns of birds and understanding the disease, scientists may help prevent avian flu from becoming another global outbreak.

Niall Cinneide publishes a news site, with reports and articles, about bird flu at http://www.bird-flu-alert.info may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.Bird-Flu-Alert.info

Bird Flu: A Historical Perspective

Recent outbreaks have put avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu disease, at the center stage of the global health community. From relative anonymity, the disease acquired notoriety for itself when it claimed more than fifty human lives. The deaths from bird flu disease are relatively small when compared to the number of deaths from other diseases. However, the possibility of a global pandemic is serious enough that deaths caused by bird flu warrant a closer examination and alarm.

Another pandemic waiting to happen

Officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the world is ripe for another influenza pandemic. An influenza pandemic occurs roughly every 30-40 years. The last influenza pandemic, which originated in Hong Kong in 1969, claimed 34,000 lives in the United States and even more in the Asian region. Although the viral subtype of the disease is still in circulation, the human body has already developed antibodies for it.

Historical precedence is not enough of a basis towards setting off global alarm bells. However, the patterns seen in the outbreaks point to the possibility of another influenza pandemic. There are an increasing number of cases wherein humans have been infected with the bird flu virus and the death toll from the disease is now more than 50.

One of the first signs of an impending pandemic is the crossing over of the disease from birds to humans. WHO is closely keeping its eye on the occurrence of a first case of human to human transmission of the bird flu virus. The human to human transmission of the disease will pose greater risks of infection to humans, which would effectively signal the start of a pandemic. To date, there are no recorded cases of bird flu being transmitted from an infected human to another.

To date, all human cases of bird flu were contracted by victims after having direct contact with infected animals and their secretions. However, the global health community is very much concerned because the bird flu virus mutates easily and is constantly evolving, and the first human to human transmission of the virus may just be around the corner.

Three global influenza pandemics: a brief history

Three major influenza pandemics have occurred: in 1918, 1957 and 1968. The first pandemic, the Spanish Flu of 1918-1919, had the highest mortality among the three pandemics. In less than a year, 20 to 40 million people died from the Spanish Flu, with over 50,000 lives claimed in the United States alone. Simultaneous outbreaks of the Spanish Flu were first detected in Europe and some parts of the United States. The infection spread to more areas through ships that traveled between the United States and Europe. Asia and Africa were eventually affected. The first wave of the pandemic was highly contagious although it was not deadly. The second wave, however, was deadly and occurred shortly in France, Sierra Leona and United States. It registered a ten-fold increase in mortality.

In 1957, a second pandemic occurred. Called the Asian Flu because it was first detected in Hong Kong and Singapore, it was much milder than the Spanish Flu, claiming between one and four million lives. When the second pandemic hit, the people were more prepared and knew what to expect. This was due largely to the world's experience with the first pandemic. The Asian Flu virus was soon isolated in Japanese and Singaporean laboratories. The findings helped the World Health Organization alert the world about the onset of a pandemic and vaccines were immediately produced and distributed.

The most recent influenza pandemic happened in 1968 and lasted for a year. Dubbed as the Hong Kong Flu, it was first detected in China and later spread to Hong Kong where it escalated at an alarming rate. Like the Asian Flu, the Hong Kong Flu claimed between one and four million lives. It reached Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, particularly California.

Niall Cinneide publishes a news site, with reports and articles, about bird flu at http://www.bird-flu-alert.info may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. Bird-Flu-Alert.info

Avian Bird Flu Poses Serious Threats To Humans

The global health community has been in a state of alarm due to recent outbreaks of the avian influenza disease in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia. The disease has infected humans, prompting many to believe that a global pandemic will soon occur.

In the past decades, avian influenza has affected only birds and in some cases, pigs. Avian influenza does not normally affect humans but the first human case of avian influenza has been recently documented. Diseases previously known to only affect animals have crossed over to humans - avian influenza being one of these diseases. As a consequence, this crossing over has started many of the health pandemics that the world has suffered from for centuries.

Avian flu virus: constantly mutating

Avian influenza typically affects birds, specifically migratory birds, ducks and chickens. Avian influenza is an infectious viral disease that is similar to human flu. Several subtypes of Type A flu viruses cause avian influenza. Avian influenza differs from human flu in terms of the proteins that reside on the surface areas of the avian influenza virus subtypes.

It is known that there are 16 different HA (hemagglutinin) subtypes and nine NA (neuraminidase) subtypes of the avian influenza virus. These subtypes can combine with each other, producing different subtypes of the disease. Because of these constant combinations of subtypes, producing vaccines becomes even more difficult. One can never know what subtype will emerge next, let alone what its impact will be.

In addition, viruses are known to be constantly evolving. Viruses are constantly "changing their spots." Thus, scientists have to also evolve the medicines and vaccines that are being produced in order to keep up with the viruses' constant evolution.

H5N1: deadly avian flue subtype

So far, only a few subtypes of the avian influenza virus have managed to cross over from the bird species to human species. These subtypes are H9N2, H7N7, H7N3 and H5N1. Of these subtypes, H5N1 has created the biggest alarm within the international health community. Among the subtypes that have been reported to affect humans, the H5N1 subtype appears to be the worst. The H5N1 subtype has caused more than 50 deaths to date.

Bird flu symptoms in humans are dependent on the subtype that caused the infection. Some of the bird flu symptoms in humans are typical flu like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches. Bird flu symptoms in humans also include eye infections, pneumonia, and severe respiratory diseases such as acute respiratory distress and other life-threatening complications.

Avian flu: human to human transmission may be possible

The avian influenza virus and its subtypes have the tendency to easily mutate. This may be one reason that the avian flu has managed to cross over from birds to human beings. This mutation may also be the reason that human to human transmission of the disease is a distinct possibility.

The World Health Organization has said that there are three ways for the virus to cross over and become a "human flu", which means that the disease will not only be contracted from birds but also from humans. Humans may contract the virus and mutation occurs while the virus is within the body. The bird flu virus may also combine with ordinary human flu, thereby assimilating the characteristics of the disease, including its ability to infect humans. Mutation through combination with human flu can occur in the body of humans who contract the disease while being sick with human influenza or by being in contact (consumption, for example) with pigs, which serve as carrier of both kinds of flu.

Niall Cinneide publishes a news site, with reports and articles, about avian bird flu at http://www.bird-flu-alert.info

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Bird-Flu-Alert.info

Don't ignore the threat of bird flu!

 

In the midst of all the commotion that is being created in the world today, yet another bolt of lightning has struck man kind recently. And this time, it has fallen straight from the sky. Thanks to our feathered friends, bird flu or avian influenza is slowly and steadily claiming human lives. According to statistics, bird flu has spread its wings all across the globe and is soaring fast, subtly preying on poultry and humans alike.

Though bird flu has not reached an epidemic level, it should not be shunned as a timely phenomenon. Everyday, across continents, people are falling victim to it and succumbing to death. Especially, in countries where there are no advance mechanisms and the resources to effectively counter the disease in case of an outbreak, the time to layout immediate action plans and precautionary measures is now.

There is no such thing as a 'possible threat' when millions of lives are at stake. Nobody knows for a fact whether the avian influenza virus is or is not a potential catastrophe waiting to unleash itself. Therefore, at this time, there is no room for complacency. No matter what the experts say, it is best to get into the defensive mode and do everything possible to fight back in this battle to stay alive.

The logic is simple. Why wait for something bad to happen and then get into the safety drive? Instead, why not start now and stay ahead of the threat? Hence, the only saving grace right now is vaccination and drugs like Tamiflu, which fortunately has the ability to control or even cure the raging flu that is hovering close.

It is an open canvas. And the catch is what you want the picture to be. It could either be a gory painting of death everywhere or a painting with happy smiling faces, as it should be. The choice is definitely yours and the truth, however blatant, is that there can only be one result when this is all over, you have either won or you have either lost the battle.

As a conclusion, let us believe that the bird flu is a deadly threat. Because if it is, it is not going to be pretty and the only thing protecting us from being infected would be our preparedness that instigated us to stack life saving drugs like Tamiflu. So, why take chances?

Hayley Stubbs an associated editor to eupharma.co.uk, is a contributing author to the http://www.eupharma.co.uk for distinct article sites/journals. Please feel free to visit http://www.eupharma.co.uk for more information on General Health related issues. Or write to him AT hayley.stubbs@gmail.com. Any comments and /or suggestions will be highly appreciated. Please note that this article is not a substitute for medical advice

Human to Human Transmission of Bird Flu- Is it Possible

The turn of the birds


It might have been the rats first and now it?s the turn of the birds; men are at constant war with the rest of the world. The war that includes more than what the human eyes could possibly endure; this time we are to deal with the H5N1 viruses which are on the edge of an outbreak. And for you layman, the message we wish to convey is this, birds are on the verge of spreading the flu and the possibility of treating Avian flu lies more in preventing the infection at first hand. You have options from Tamiflu to Amantadine, drugs which give you the chance to survive the disease if consumed within forty eight hours of the start of symptoms.


The micro level recombinations


What binds the success men have still against the reach of a pandemic is that H5N1 spreads only from a bird to a human. The need of the hour is take a quicker look to examine the nature of such a belief. True to the words, influenza A virus is specific to certain species other than birds. Birds have a craving for all subtypes of the virus. Animal to animal, bird to bird and between animals and birds the disease spread with ease. What the foresight of human fails to capture has more to be blamed on the reassorments that go past his eyes to the micro level. With the start of the flu symptoms, humans are at constant risk of the process that goes down further within their nerves. Genetic recombination?s could mould a H5N1 to dance intone to the genes within the human body resulting in something that is deadly, a strain that could cross over from a human to a human.


Rewriting the routes of history


So the possibility of exposure to the virus is the best way in which you could avert the disaster. Maybe a careful evaluation of the virus in human would take a year to produce an anti dose to save the species. However that would be the time more for bird flu to avenge the death that humans had spread between them. This is a suicide attack of the flyers. You have the options let bare as the need of the hour to escape the clutches of Avian flu is necessary to all. Get ready and equip yourself with the remedy. Get Tami flu and Amantadine by your side to seize the spread of the symptoms. The long road that stretches back to the routes of history has proved time and again that when men lagged to make the right decision he lagged to make the proper existence; this is the time to rewrite history, strive for the best.
 

How effectual is Tamiflu for Bird flu?

You are a part of the flu; try Tamiflu

With the last rays of the purple sun fading into the misty sea the last of the birds fly towards you with the flu. The night has lots of discomfort to offer; the best of it being the half awakened state at which you brood around the light to look for a solution. The rooster calls early the neat day to remind you of the fear; and fear you should as the wonderful life of yours is at risk with the avian flu. What prompts you further to prepare the concoction of the risky ingredients that could add to your getting attracted to Bird flu, starts with the passion that you enjoy in devouring the fowl. The H5N1 goes down along the throat, cuts the larynx and mixes with the juices of your stomach to be part of the weakening system. You are now a part of Influenza; you are under the mercy of the virus. Is there a solution? What about Tamiflu? What about Amantadine?

Before the requiem is heard aloud

When the start has been marked, Tamiflu has an offer for you; before the requiem becomes heard aloud; Tamiflu marks the beginning of the magic. The magic then flows with the pipe of the piper; you are pulled out from the advent of misery, you are shown the daylight.An alternative can be Amantadine. Bird flu symptoms starts without much of a panic; you are under the spell of a fever, cough, sore throat and muscle ache. But mark the incidence of such simple symptoms; they are bound with a ramification, culminating with acute respiratory diseases and other sever life threatening complications. So if someone asks about the strength of Bird flu, it is with regret that we agree to its fatality. Whether it be Tamiflu or Amantadine, both comes of best use at the initial stages.

Forty eight hours to destiny

The brand name Tami flu has oseltamivir phosphate as its active ingredient and the process of intake has strengths varying with the form of intake. From capsule to powder for oral suspension, this prescription drug has the charm to ward off the flu. With the viral attack and the flu symptoms popping up, Tami flu gives a chance for survival; it's a short time but still the forty eight hours becomes crucial. More to this is the fact that Tamiflu can reduce the chances of attracting the H5N1 viruswhen the flu out break looms freely around you. So the myth has at least a vent for fresh air; blow hard, ward out the spirit, take a deep breath and live life to the best extent, you have the support of Tamiflu.

Emily Purles is an associated editor to the website http://www.checkflu.com, a Roche Tamiflu Online site, is committed to provide visitors with complete information on Roche Tamiflu, Treatment of Influenza, Tamiflu, Influenza, Avian Influenza, H5N1 Virus, Human Transmission, Bird Flu, Mutating Virus, Neuraminidase Inhibitors, Oseltamivir Phosphate, Treatment of Flu, Types of Influenza virus and other related topics. Your feedback & comments

How effectual is Tamiflu for Bird flu?

You are a part of the flu; try Tamiflu

With the last rays of the purple sun fading into the misty sea the last of the birds fly towards you with the flu. The night has lots of discomfort to offer; the best of it being the half awakened state at which you brood around the light to look for a solution. The rooster calls early the neat day to remind you of the fear; and fear you should as the wonderful life of yours is at risk with the avian flu. What prompts you further to prepare the concoction of the risky ingredients that could add to your getting attracted to Bird flu, starts with the passion that you enjoy in devouring the fowl. The H5N1 goes down along the throat, cuts the larynx and mixes with the juices of your stomach to be part of the weakening system. You are now a part of Influenza; you are under the mercy of the virus. Is there a solution? What about Tamiflu? What about Amantadine?

Before the requiem is heard aloud

When the start has been marked, Tamiflu has an offer for you; before the requiem becomes heard aloud; Tamiflu marks the beginning of the magic. The magic then flows with the pipe of the piper; you are pulled out from the advent of misery, you are shown the daylight.An alternative can be Amantadine. Bird flu symptoms starts without much of a panic; you are under the spell of a fever, cough, sore throat and muscle ache. But mark the incidence of such simple symptoms; they are bound with a ramification, culminating with acute respiratory diseases and other sever life threatening complications. So if someone asks about the strength of Bird flu, it is with regret that we agree to its fatality. Whether it be Tamiflu or Amantadine, both comes of best use at the initial stages.

Forty eight hours to destiny

The brand name Tami flu has oseltamivir phosphate as its active ingredient and the process of intake has strengths varying with the form of intake. From capsule to powder for oral suspension, this prescription drug has the charm to ward off the flu. With the viral attack and the flu symptoms popping up, Tami flu gives a chance for survival; it's a short time but still the forty eight hours becomes crucial. More to this is the fact that Tamiflu can reduce the chances of attracting the H5N1 viruswhen the flu out break looms freely around you. So the myth has at least a vent for fresh air; blow hard, ward out the spirit, take a deep breath and live life to the best extent, you have the support of Tamiflu.

Emily Purles is an associated editor to the website http://www.checkflu.com, a Roche Tamiflu Online site, is committed to provide visitors with complete information on Roche Tamiflu, Treatment of Influenza, Tamiflu, Influenza, Avian Influenza, H5N1 Virus, Human Transmission, Bird Flu, Mutating Virus, Neuraminidase Inhibitors, Oseltamivir Phosphate, Treatment of Flu, Types of Influenza virus and other related topics. Your feedback & comments

Two Questions To Ask About Bird Flu Vaccines

 

The results of a government-funded study show that very high doses of an avian influenza vaccine, supplied by Sanofi-Aventis, are needed to produce an immune response that should guard against the virus. 54% of the volunteers received two shots of 90 micrograms each, 28 days apart. A typical flu shot is 15 micrograms.

Based on the requirements seen in the study, the U.S. government's current stockpile of vaccines would provide enough for only about four million people, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases.

The problem isn't just a matter of dosage. It is also a matter of production. Flu vaccines are produced using hen's eggs,a 50-year old technology, if it can be called that. Automated machines inject hundreds of thousands of eggs, then an 11-day waiting period begins while the eggs incubate, brewing viruses that are then killed and bottled. To produce millions of the the final product takes about six months.

Then there's the question no one seems to be asking: if we plan to rely upon chicken eggs to incubate an H5N1 virus, how do we know the H5N1 virus won't kill the eggs? H5N1 already kills chickens. Shouldn't we assume it also kills a high percentage of chicken eggs? Sanofi-Aventis is spending $150 million of its own money building a new vaccine-making plant based on the theory that H5N1 won't kill the eggs. By the way, eggs have to be ordered many months in advance for this antiquated process.

And where does Sanofi-Aventis plan to get all these egg-laying chickens anyway? Millions of chickens have been slaughtered worldwide already and a pre-pandemic scenario could kill off whole U.S. chicken farms at once.

However, there is a new vaccine technology on the horizon. It's called cell-based vaccine. Giant vats of living cells, such as dog kidney cells, multiply and then are inoculated with the virus. There are two companies already in the marketplace, one in Holland, one in Germany, but the technology won't be widely available for years. The FDA must review the entire method before any equipment can be imported to the U.S.

Clearly, the U.S. has waited for a new virus to come along to spur vaccine research. We may have waited too long. H5N1 isn't waiting. It's figuring out how to mutate into human-to-human transmission. In fact, the rate of mutation is alarming. Dr. Robert Webster, Ph.D., Member, St. Jude Faculty Rose Marie Thomas Chair, calls H5N1 "the most frightening virus I've ever seen in 40 years of research."

If you and your family are counting on a vaccine to protect you against H5N1 (Avian Influenza), don't bet on it. There are still too many unanswered questions and too many risks.

Mr. Hart is a medical journalist/researcher, and the author of "Killer Bird Flu...Get Ready Now!" a paperback that outlines what families can do to get prepared for the coming pandemic. Learn more at http://www.buynanomask.com.

The Blessings Bird Flu Can Bring Us

Not long ago, I read an article about alternative health where someone with a serious disease was counseled to look upon it as a "blessing."

Your first reaction is probably the same as mine was -- what a stupid idea! How can cancer or heart disease be a blessing?

First off, let me say that I do believe that humanity's greatest strength is the ability to persevere in the face of problems and to turn negatives into positives -- lemons into lemonade.

So if you believe, as alternative health advocates do, that you do have some control over your health -- then any disease indicates that you need to make some kind of change in your life.

That may be a change in diet, reducing stress, etc. -- but if you can learn the lesson before the "teacher" disease kills you, you'll be healthier for having had the problem.

As I write, 105 people have died from bird flu from Indonesia to Turkey -- to alert humanity to the danger it's facing. We cannot raise them from the dead, but we can attempt to give meaning to their death by learning how to prevent more, and thereby making bird flu a blessing for survivors and our children.

The first step was taken about 5 months ago by President George W. Bush. As part of his request to Congress for 7 billion dollars to fight bird flu, he wants to advance the technology of making vaccines so that they can be created and manufactured more quickly.

A company in Isreal had already started working on a "generic" flu vaccine. That is, it would train your immune system to target the universal genetic structure of all influenza viruses. They originally planned to do in 5 years. Now they're trying to finish before bird flu goes pandemic.

Those of us who live in the developed world must stop being so complacent.

Because long after bird flu is a boring chapter in history, we will be threatened by new diseases.

Most Americans have heard of Ebola, but are not aware of the many other emerging diseases we have discovered in the past 20 to 30 years. It's a long and scary list.

And although they all seem remote from us, they're all just one international jet flight away. They're no more remote than West Nile fever was before it started killing birds and people in Brooklyn in 1999.

We need to take care of our immune systems.

We need to better track viral infections in people. The developed world needs to make its expertise and resources available, and the developing world needs to make public healthcare and a medical infrastructure a higher priority.

The U.S. Center for Disease Control has done a terrific job at this for many years. It needs to expand its operations, the UN World Health Organization needs to expand and national health systems around the world need to do a better job of tracking and controlling disease threats.

We need to do a much better job of incorporating alternative health methods into standard medical care.

We need to stop counting on Tamiflu and start expanding the use of Vitamin C (especially injected ascorbate for serious illnesses), curcumin, garlic, beta glucans and other supplements from mushrooms . . . for starters.

For poor countries it makes economic sense to make use of regional herbs and supplements over expensive drugs such as Tamiflu.

Also, a massive demand for effective herbs and substances should spur farmers in the developing world to raise those herbs in a sustainable fashion.

This would encourage good use of land and also bring cash income to the poor farmers, everybody else involved in the processing and shipping of the supplements and their communities.

The human race has survived and prospered by learning from its mistakes. A lot of people are going to die for the lessons we learn from the bird flu pandemic -- let's learn and apply as many of those lessons as possible.

We owe that to the dead and to our children.

Richard Stooker Richard discusses how to avoid avian bird flu in his book How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From Asian Bird Flu -- And check out his Asian Bird Flu blog

Why the Risk of a Bird Flu Pandemic Increases as the Virus Spreads

The bird flu virus can be compared to a monkey with a typewriter. And that's why it's getting more and more dangerous.

You may have heard the old observation that if you give enough monkeys a keyboard, eventually one will -- just by random chance -- type out the complete works of Shakespeare.

Of course, the odds against one monkey doing this are extremely high. The universe might implode before one monkey could do this.

But give a trillion monkeys a keyboard and maybe one will do it in a few million years. Give as many trillion monkeys as it takes to stretch from here to the next galaxy a keyboard, and chances are one out of those gazillions of monkey will actually type out the complete works of Shakespeare.

I'm comparing monkeys to the bird flu virus or A/H5N1.

The bird flu virus doesn't have to do anything comparable to a monkey typing out Shakespeare. It just has to mutate or recombine genetic material to become high contagious to people. That's the start of a pandemic.

For viruses, that's a lot easier to do than for a monkey to type out the complete works of Shakespeare. There're many strains of influenza viruses in the world which are highly contagious to people. Most of us have suffered from the flu, caught from a child or coworker, so we know that.

The more A/H5N1 viruses there are this world, the higher the probability that one of them will become highly contagious, human to human, just as ordinary flu is now.

Just as with monkeys -- the more viruses, the faster one of them becomes highly contagious.

Yes, A/H5N1 "hid out" in chickens in China and wild ducks from the December 1997 massacre of chickens in Hong Kong until bird flu started killing chickens in South Korea.

It spread through most countries of Southeast Asia without becoming a pandemic. It's spread into Europe and Africa without becoming a pandemic -- so far.

The more people or animals bird flu infects, the more H5N1 viruses there are. Replicating, mutating and recombining with ordinary flu viruses.

Whether it's chickens in Thailand, cats in Germany or little girls in Turkey . . . the more viruses, the greater the probability it will become highly contagious.

And because it's now so widespread, there's little chance that it will be contained soon. Scientists expect it to land in the New World by autumn.

It's out of control and spreading fast.

How long before one out of those many countless trillions of viruses becomes highly contagious?

c 2006 by Richard Stooker Richard discusses how to avoid avian bird flu in his book How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From Avian Bird Flu -- And check out his Avian Bird Flu blog

Bird Flu: The Next Plague?

Are you afraid of the infamous bird flu (H5N1)? If not, you should be. Did you know there is no working vaccine yet? Many manufacturers advertise that they have vaccine, but that is not simply true. This is because it hasn't mutated yet to form where it can spread from human to human. Only with that virus, it is possible to create fully functional vaccine. Vaccines what are being advertised are unreliable to deliver results because it's the wrong vaccine for wrong virus. Initially bird flu only infected birds with 100% mortality. Now it has started to spread to humans.

The H5N1 Bird Flu virus mainly reproduces in lung tissues. The H represents a protein found on the virus that helps it to enter cells. The N represents a protein that helps the virus escape the host cell. The H5N1 Bird Flu virus is a new type of influenza, a virus that originated in birds. Most individuals in a target population will have very little immunity from this new virus.

Bird flu is spreading all over Europe and Asia. At the moment it is enough if you stay away from the birds, but when virus mutates that won't be enough. On July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the world could at any time be faced with a massive flu outbreak like those of 1918 or 1968 that killed tens of millions of people.

"The flu pandemic is more likely to occur in the next 12 months than in any time in the past decades. I hope it never happens but almost certainly it will happen. Australians are unused to contemplating death on a large-scale ...since WW2." says the Australian Federal Health Minister, Mr. Abbott on July 30, 2005.

At the moment H5N1 has mortality rate of at least 50% in cases of bird to human infections. Some scientists expect this high mortality to drop if this virus becomes pandemic but this is only an assumption and may not occur. Even with a 5% mortality rate at least 160 million people will die directly from the pandemic and this does not include the possible following deaths because of the likely breakdown of essential services, such as food, water, and medical supplies.

I suggest everybody to find out RIGHT NOW what they are dealing with. There is much information floating in Internet. Australian biologist Stephen Jones has collected complete bird flu information package what deals with subjects like 'how to care infected person', 'how to survive' and everything else you possible need to know about bird flu. You can find Bird Flu Survival Guide at www.survivebirdfluguide.com.

Check out Stephen's complete information package of bird flu! Bird Flu Survival Guide: www.survivebirdfluguide.com

What Are the Symptoms of Bird Flu

How can you know whether your or a loved one has bird flu or just a case of ordinary flu? That's not a simple question to answer.

Frankly, the only 100% way is to have body secretions tested by a World Health Organization (WHO) laboratory such as the U.S. Center for Disease Control in Atlanta Georgia. There are also such laboratories in Melbourne Australia and London England.

Obviously, they are not available to just any and every household and clinic with a flu patient. Right now there're probably overwhelmed with testing new and suspected cases in Southeast Asia, Europe and Africa.

If you have good reason to believe that you have been exposed to bird flu, then you should go right away to a clinic or hospital to be tested and get the care you'll need if your case becomes severe.

You have good reason to believe you have been exposed to bird flu if you live in or have travelled recently in SouthEast/South Asia, the Mid-East, Europe or Africa. Especially if you work with or around chickens or you have been around chickens. That is, to a chicken market or to a cock fight (where chicken blood and other fluids and sprayed through the air and onto the audience.) And also if you've eaten any undercooked chicken or eggs from those areas.

If you are in those areas and feeling very sick, get medical attention immediately even if you have not been exposed to chickens. You never know -- when bird flu becomes highly contagious, somebody is going to be the first victim to have no exposure to chickens. I hope it's not you, but I don't know that.

Right now, those of us who live in North or South America have no direct exposure to bird flu. But of course that will eventually change. And it's possible somebody could catch it from a migrating duck.

For example, near my apartment there's a small municipal park with a nice pond stocked with fish . . . and ducks love it! In nice weather hundreds of people especially children are exposed to ducks and their manure.

The difficult thing is that bird flu is, first of all, influenza. It infects the cells lining your respiratory tract and therefore causes symptoms that are much the same as ordinary flu:

Fatigue Coughing Sneezing Muscle pain High fever Sore throat Conjunctivitis -- pink eye

Bird flu can also cause:

Stomach ache Vomiting - including blood Severe headaches Bone aches Severe fatigue lasting longer than ordinary flu Stuffy nose Dizziness Diarrhea

During the first one or two days, bird flu will look exactly like ordinary flu.

The big difference -- and danger -- from its development. Bird flu tends to cause much more severe breathing problems than ordinary flu, plus triggers a much more severe counteraction by your body's immune system.

This can result in a fever that's high enough to be dangerous in itself.

If you or your loved one develops a high fever and/or difficulty breathing, definately see a doctor as soon as possible. Or any of the other symptoms associated with just bird flu. Whether you've got bird flu or not, you need professional medical care.

Last November 2005, a biotech company in Singapore named Rockeby announced that they'd come up with a quick test for bird flu.

According to WHO, their test is not proven yet. You can get more information on it from searching Google for Rockeby.

WHO has said they are working on a standard test for bird flu, but that has not come out yet. Until it does, they say the only recognized tests for bird flu must be done by their laboratories.

And of course, my final piece of advice should be obvious.

When there's an all-out pandemic of contagious bird flu anywhere in the world and you start feeling sick with the flu -- assume it is bird flu.

Treat yourself or your loved one accordingly. Get professional medical care.

Even if bird flu has not been reported in your country or your area, assume you've got it. A pandemic of contagious bird flu will make people ill in new areas before you hear about them on the news.

Besides, while ordinary flu is not dangerous for ordinary adults, it still kills 30-50,000 Americans every year and tens of thousands more people around the world -- so it's still a serious disease.

Whether you have bird flu or ordinary flu, treat yourself well, get proper medical care -- and do not attempt to go to work or anyplace besides a doctor.

Whatever virus you've got, do us all a favor and don't spread it around.

by Richard Stooker Richard discusses how to avoid bird flu in his book How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From Bird Flu -- And check out his Bird Flu Symptoms blog

Bird Flu Hits Close To Home What Then?

When the first outbreak of H5N1 was found on the tourist island of R?gen in Germany the country took action. Here's a look at how Germany reacted.

January 2006: more and more carcasses from birds were being found in Eastern Germany. The Parks Board reckoned that was normal during a long and relatively hard winter.

14 February: a tourist reported finding four dead swans on the east coast island of R?gen. A quick test indicated this could be H5N1, Avian Influenza (Bird Flu). Later that was confirmed.

15 February: More dead birds were found. All domestic birds were immediately required to be in stalls. Government officials called an emergency meeting.

16 February: It?s official! H5N1 is the cause of death of more and more birds on the island of R?gen.

17 February: Country-wide birds are required to be in stalls or under protective cover. All hens, ducks, geese and turkeys must be in stalls. Politicians discuss ways to better or refine their action plan.

18 February: The Island of R?gen is placed under alarm. That means a security zone of 3 kilometers (2 miles) around the dead birds is in place and 10 km (6 miles) zone of observation is put in place. All cars, trucks and buses are disinfected and the selling of birds is stopped. All birds within the 3 km security zone are disinfected. Locals are asked to immediately report to the police, fire or veterinarian clinics any dead animals. They are told not to touch any bird, just to report it.

19 February: Dead birds are now found on the German mainland.

20 February: The whole east-coast of Germany is put under alarm and all counties of Germany were getting themselves prepared.

In the mean time, fire-fighters, soldiers, experts and even volunteers are on the island of R?gen. Some are in masks, some are in full-protective suits to disinfect while others simply are there to watch and report on birds and answer questions of the locals. 1,280 protective masks were brought in, 1,550 disposable protective suits and 150 non-disposable suits, 1,200 safety glasses, 1,150 pair of rubber boots, 1,700 pair protective gloves and 1000 liters of disinfectant. Around the zone a further 11,780 masks, 11,560 disposable suits, 10,072 protective goggles, 9,140 pairs of boots and another 5,000 liters of disinfectant were brought into reserve not to mention 39 special epidemic cots. By now there were 370 people there to help.

The moral of this story? First, don?t panic. When H5N1 Avian Influenza breaks out, there is much which can be done. Tests are getting better and faster for dead animals and as more and more countries are affected, so too is the reaction process checked and re-checked. Note at the beginning it was a tourist who reported the dead swans. Your responsibility is to keep a watch out and report anything strange ? such as four or five dead birds together. Also noteworthy is the reaction of the people in Germany. There was no panic ? remember that this is an ongoing battle ? and there was lots of help. Although the Minister of Agriculture Dr. Till Backhaus had hoped for even a faster response time, there is no doubt that this was well handled. It was also an excellent example for other countries when Bird flu hits close to home.

Paul Madrid is a minister and author of several publications and web sites including http://www.xodigo.com "H5N1, avian (bird) flu and you."

Bird Flu True to Form? A Pandemic Scenario

Lee tried to stifle a sneeze but couldn???t. Invisible to the naked eye, a cloud of almost five thousand virus-filled droplets launched into the air at some 150 km/ hour or roughly 100 mph. Some passengers in the wide-body Airbus frowned. The Hong Kong to London flight was long and no one wanted to catch a cold.

Lee planned to fill every waking moment of his stay in London. A concert at the Millennium Dome, dinners at some of the finest hotels, shopping in crowded malls ??? ???What a chance,??? Lee thought. All he had to concentrate on was a few hours in front of the International Board. It was his job to present sales trends in China to the bosses who were also winging it towards Heathrow, one of the world???s busiest airports. ???The global executives will get only good news from me,??? figured Lee. ???Pity I don???t feel better ??????

The Diagnosis

Lee was exhausted. He had a cough, scratchy throat, runny nose and muscle aches. A fever started but it wasn???t until Lee began having difficulties breathing that he decided to get help.

Doctors huddled in subdued discussion. Experts were rushed in. It was finally determined that Lee???s body was fighting strenuously against two viruses. Lee had caught a highly infectious Influenza A virus ??? a flu bug. However, at much the same time he had also picked up a second virus called H5N1. The two viruses had mixed their genes and formed a hybrid. Since this was now a radically new pathogen, Lee had no immunity to it.

Lee was not the only one in this fight. Infected passengers from Lee???s plane from Hong Kong had connecting flights to major cities in most continents. The global executives Lee had addressed at the office had also flown home diseased. Sadly, some of the medical staff where Lee was diagnosed had also caught it not to mention the crowds Lee had interacted with at concerts, restaurants and on shopping sprees. The so-called Bird Flu or Avian Influenza had indeed spread its wings. It was the start of the first flu pandemic of the 21st century.

The News

Had Lee or any of the others known in time, they would have taken anti-viral drugs hoping to block or at least slow down the replication of the virus. At least the severity of some symptoms might have been eased not to mention a reduction in the duration of sickness. But time had run out - anti-viral medication needed to be taken within 48 hours of the first stages of the disease.

It wasn???t long before Lee was put on a respirator in quarantine. It also wasn???t long before the media found out Lee had Bird Flu. The public became nervous. The number of flu patients ??? real or imaginary ??? multiplied dramatically but nurses and hospital staff were strangely missing ??? using overdue holiday time or just not showing up for work at all. It was announced that schools, restaurants, and non-essential businesses would be closed. No deadline was given ??? no one knew for sure how long the measures would have to be in place.

The Public Announcement

Wisely, the public was advised to stock up on food and water. Newspapers advised people to stock up on toothpaste, toilet paper and treasure (cash). People were told to shop at off-peak hours and public transport was ordered to run 24 hours per day. But despite warnings to the contrary, doctor???s offices, hospitals and clinics were overrun. Faces masked in paper waited for hours in front of pharmacies in hope of getting relief. Despite clear instructions from health officials, panic broke out as folk finally fathomed that at best only one third of the population had access to anti-viral drugs. In rural areas and smaller towns, there wasn???t any chance at all.

The Short-term Havoc

Rumors and half-truths began to circulate causing public outcry and protests. Because the protests only helped spread the flu, quarantines were set in place. The public was told to stay at home indefinitely. Vibrant cities screeched to a halt as public transport shut down. Streets stank as garbage piled up. Shops were looted and in some cases those caught coughing were stoned. Safety services (fire, police, ambulance) were disrupted, fires burned out of control. Cross-border travel was curtailed killing tourism and all international sports events were cancelled. Food imports were banned creating shortages of meat, vegetables and wheat. Folk with chronic medical illnesses couldn???t get their medications. Soap and disinfectants ??? perhaps the simplest and most effective fight against the spread of disease ??? were in short supply; no one had thought to stock-pile soap.

The Controversy

Local governments and health organizations began to squabble over who had the power to do what. The question was of legalities: who would control distribution of anti-viral drugs and who would receive those drugs? Army barracks received attention but prisoners were ignored. Families with pets were labeled as ???higher risk??? groups but no-one knew if these families should receive more help or less. As in-fighting became more severe, decision processing became more difficult. Who should give the daily press briefings? Who would organize mass cremation? Who would facilitate conferences for global medical meetings? The list grew rapidly.

The Waves

The first wave of the pandemic was over in three months time but not the shock. Bacterial disease such as cholera multiplied rapidly with catastrophic results across Africa and Asia. The longer-term, global recession began with the realization that supply-lines, manufacturing and food-production chains were desperately weakened through labor loss. Medical facilities were terribly understaffed. As usual, the poor had little chance of aid at all. And then came the second wave of Avian flu. It took over a year before the waves of sickness and death became controllable.

Lee actually survived it all. Although he ???started??? the pandemic, he also helped ???end??? it. Doctors used his blood to find the initial vaccine. Since Lee was also now immune, he not only volunteered to help where he could and also founded the World Association of Sensible Hygiene (WASH). More importantly, Lee and others like him helped disrupted societies regain their faith and hope and love. Since this was pandemic number 11 in the last 300 years, history had taught that it was inevitable that individuals and communities and countries would bounce back fairly quickly. But a bitter question remained. Would Lee and the rest of the world be better prepared for the next pandemic? Lee wondered that too as he bordered the wide-body Airbus destined for Mexico City.
 

Bird Flu Hits Close To Home.

What then?When the first outbreak of H5N1 was found on the tourist island of R?gen in Germany the country took action. Here's a look at how Germany reacted.

January 2006: more and more carcasses from birds were being found in Eastern Germany. The Parks Board reckoned that was normal during a long and relatively hard winter.

14 February: a tourist reported finding four dead swans on the east coast island of R?gen. A quick test indicated this could be H5N1, Avian Influenza (Bird Flu). Later that was confirmed.

15 February: More dead birds were found. All domestic birds were immediately required to be in stalls. Government officials called an emergency meeting.

16 February: It?s official! H5N1 is the cause of death of more and more birds on the island of R?gen.

17 February: Country-wide birds are required to be in stalls or under protective cover. All hens, ducks, geese and turkeys must be in stalls. Politicians discuss ways to better or refine their action plan.

18 February: The Island of R?gen is placed under alarm. That means a security zone of 3 kilometers (2 miles) around the dead birds is in place and 10 km (6 miles) zone of observation is put in place. All cars, trucks and buses are disinfected and the selling of birds is stopped. All birds within the 3 km security zone are disinfected. Locals are asked to immediately report to the police, fire or veterinarian clinics any dead animals. They are told not to touch any bird, just to report it.

19 February: Dead birds are now found on the German mainland.

20 February: The whole east-coast of Germany is put under alarm and all counties of Germany were getting themselves prepared.

In the mean time, fire-fighters, soldiers, experts and even volunteers are on the island of R?gen. Some are in masks, some are in full-protective suits to disinfect while others simply are there to watch and report on birds and answer questions of the locals. 1,280 protective masks were brought in, 1,550 disposable protective suits and 150 non-disposable suits, 1,200 safety glasses, 1,150 pair of rubber boots, 1,700 pair protective gloves and 1000 liters of disinfectant. Around the zone a further 11,780 masks, 11,560 disposable suits, 10,072 protective goggles, 9,140 pairs of boots and another 5,000 liters of disinfectant were brought into reserve not to mention 39 special epidemic cots. By now there were 370 people there to help.

The moral of this story? First, don?t panic. When H5N1 Avian Influenza breaks out, there is much which can be done. Tests are getting better and faster for dead animals and as more and more countries are affected, so too is the reaction process checked and re-checked. Note at the beginning it was a tourist who reported the dead swans. Your responsibility is to keep a watch out and report anything strange ? such as four or five dead birds together. Also noteworthy is the reaction of the people in Germany. There was no panic ? remember that this is an ongoing battle ? and there was lots of help. Although the Minister of Agriculture Dr. Till Backhaus had hoped for even a faster response time, there is no doubt that this was well handled. It was also an excellent example for other countries when Bird flu hits close to home.
 

Countries Unite Against Bird Flu

The people of the world are so scared right now of the threat of the H5N1 strain. The focus of the world seems to have transferred from terrorism to bird flu.

If the H5N1 strain mutates and joins with a human virus, the situation will become worse. This is because the transmission rate from one person to another will become a possibility. Then the spread rate will become faster and causing a whole lot of people to get infected.

The severe effects of the virus will eventually lead the victim to have lung damage. The affected person will have lungs filled with water and causing complications with breathing problems. Eventually, death follows. This all happens within the span of a few days.

That scary situation has been a major concern and has caused bird flu experts to meet in Beijing. They are worried about the 80 deaths that have occurred since 2003. They are also worried about the spread of the disease on Europe, Middle East and currently Africa. They have a great concern about the disease in Africa, because the experts feel the outbreak might start at Africa.

The World Bank is hoping that the meeting held would be able to raise at least $1.2 billion dollars. This money is to be used for health improvement and added veterinary services for developing countries struggling with the virus. The budget also aims to help surveillance of countries that have potential to develop the virus.

The disease started out at East Asia but is concern is growing because it is going westward.

The $1.2-1.4 billion dollars will be just enough to prepare in case an outbreak occurs. That money still does not include the money needed for human vaccines. The money needed for vaccines will be handled by WHO separately.

The meeting will be attended by 89 countries. People who will attend include donors and also delegates of more than 20 international organizations.

The creator of the tamiflu vaccine, Roche, has pledged a second donation of Tamiflu. They already made a donation of 3 million pills and plan to donate 2 million more. The donation is for preparation in case a pandemic does occur.

It has been estimated that a year long pandemic of bird flu will cost the global economy $800 billion. The World Bank itself has helped, approving $500 million to help reach the $1.2 billion goal.

This threat may or may not materialize. But we should just be thankful for the people who gives a concern of the potential threat this virus has. It does not only affect us in terms of mortality rate but you can see how much expensive it is for the world.

Michael Colucci is a technical writer for Bird Flu Facts - A free site that offers facts on the history, prevention, vaccines and more on the Bird Flu Virus.

Steps to Control Bird Flu outbreaks

As bird flu maintained its relentless march across the globe spreading the deadly H5N1 virus strains it has of late become the latest scare factor to have hit the world. Though the bird flu strain spread across the borders are attributed to factors primarily like the migratory birds who are the likely carriers of the virus, the poultry birds are the easy victims to be infected with flu virus through contaminated saliva, nasal secretions and faeces. So far, human cases have been blamed on direct contact with infected chickens and their droppings. A latest study on the bird flu virus has found the reason why bird flu doesn't spread easily in humans. The research says that, the virus prefers to infect cells in the lungs instead of areas like the nose and the windpipe, so its not easily coughed or sneezed out into the air. On a global statistics, more than 180 people are known to have been infected with the virus strain H5N1 and they all have been virtually believed to have caught it from infected poultry. But scientists have long warned that the virus, which is prone to mutation, could transform into a version that is spread easily from person to person. Unlike normal seasonal influenza, where infection causes only mild respiratory symptoms in most people, the disease caused by H5N1 follows an unusually aggressive clinical course, with rapid deterioration and high fatality.

The World Health Organization recommends rapid elimination of the H5N1 virus among infected birds and other animals to help prevent further spread of the virus and reduce opportunities for human infection. This is done by culling infected birds and vaccinating poultry around the infested area to create a buffer zone which is essential in preventing a major outbreak. Till date there are no drugs which can claim for sure shot cure to bird flu in human cases. But, the World Health Organization (WHO) has mentioned Tamiflu as the drug for tackling bird flu if ever a human pandemic breaks out. The FDA has approved Tamiflu (generic Oseltamivir phosphate) belonging to a class of drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors for the treatment of bird flu. When the flu virus enters the host cells with the help of the protein and multiplies, Tamiflu inhibits this protein preventing the virus from spreading by destroying the virus at its source. It can help prevent flu in case you have been exposed to people infected with flu. An older generic flu drug, the M2 inhibitors Amantadine could potentially be used against pandemic influenza. But some currently circulating H5N1 strains are fully resistant to these the M2 inhibitors. However, should a new virus emerge through re-assortment, the M2 inhibitors might be effective. The international effort to prevent the spread of bird flu is multifaceted, focusing on the health of both birds and humans. It is necessary for the human community to rise for safeguarding the causes behind the outbreak of bird flu.

Hayley Stubbs, an associated editor to Eupharma.co.uk , is a contributing author to the http://www.eupharma.co.uk for distinct article sites/journals. Please feel free to visit http://www.eupharma.co.uk for more information on General Health related issues. Or write to him AT hayley.stubbs@gmail.com. Any comments and /or suggestions will be highly appreciated. Please note that this article is not a substitute for medical advice

Bird Flu Vaccines: What Is Taking So Long?

 

With the current development of a vaccine for the H5N1 strain of the Bird Flu Virus still 2 to 3 years away. We don?t have much of a choice but to really be very cautious that the H5N1 strain does not mutate with a human flu virus.

If the outbreak we fear does happen without the vaccines ready yet, all we can possibly do is just quarantine the geographical area where the virus is rampant. Give them the vaccines that have been developed and prevent them from spreading it further. This will only work if the outbreak is limited geographically. When the outbreak does happen to 10,000 places, we?re in Big S*%T.

The development of a vaccine is so slow because we still use methods dating back 50 years ago. Ironically this is because they still use chicken eggs to develop the vaccines. New methods are on the horizon, instead of using chicken eggs, they may be able to use mammal cells.

Scientist would be storing the mammal cells in large numbers. So that when a flu strain or threat develops, they can just inject it to the cells. The injected cells will then burst and die. The scientist will then harvest the proteins of the influenza and distribute them as vaccines already.

Vaccines made from DNA are really appealing because they could be made and administered quickly. However this kind of vaccine is still being tested on humans. DNA vaccine works by attaching itself to a segment of our DNA. It contains the coded information of the flu virus? protein.

Now you would want to ask why we would vaccinate everyone instead of just treating them. This is because giving vaccines is cheaper compared to treating everyone. With a vaccine the person only needs one or two doses in total. Compared to giving two doses a day for a period of time to treat the viral problem. It is also pretty stupid to wait for someone to suffer before treating the person. The person might not even live to see the day just to receive the medication.

The current stand of some people however is that why waste precious money on a threat that may never materialize. The best answer here is it?s better to be prepared than be sorry.

In the last 87 years we have had three pandemics. So it?s better to prepare for something that could be really catastrophic. The longer our world goes without a pandemic; there is more chance that it could occur in the upcoming years.

That?s why we should be very thankful for every company out there trying to create a vaccine for a pandemic that might hit us. Rather than be worried of money that might get wasted.

Michael Colucci is a technical writer for http://www.bird-flu-facts.org - A free site that offers facts on the history, prevention, vaccines and more on the Bird Flu Virus.

Bird Flu Explained

Bird Flu or more correctly, avian flu, is much in the news and causing a lot of anxiety. Many people are worried that they may get it, and the papers are full of horror scenarios.

There are over 100 strains of avian flu, but most of them do not infect humans. The current strain H5N1 can infect humans, but not easily. The number of cases of avian flu in humans in the current outbreak is very small, and almost all have come about by direct contact with infected or dead birds ? something that most of us are unlikely to experience. So far, the spread of H5N1 virus from person-to-person has been rare and has not continued beyond one person. In fact according to The Times (London, 23rd March 2006) only 184 confirmed cases have been reported worldwide so far from this strain, with 103 deaths. These have been in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and most recently, several cases in Turkey.

What the authorities are much more concerned about is the strain mutating into a variation that can be transmitted between human beings, rather than just from bird to human. This has been designated as influenza A/H5N1. Humans do not have any resistance to this strain, because these viruses do not commonly infect humans. If a strain developed that could infect the human population, a pandemic would be likely with many people being infected and dying. The 1918 ?Spanish flu? is estimated to have killed 50 million people worldwide. At least four of the eight genes of H5N1 avian flu now contain mutations seen in that deadly strain.

Jeffery K. Taubenberger, a molecular pathologist at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Rockville, USA has said:

"These H5N1 viruses might be acquiring the ability to adapt to humans, increasing their pandemic risk ... there is a suggestion there may be some parallel evolution going on."

Scientists still do not understand completely how a bird virus becomes a human virus, but H5N1 is already showing some of the mutations necessary for it to become a human flu, but at the moment, in spite off all the panic, there is no pandemic flu strain.

Research in the Netherlands and the USA has shown that while human influenza viruses are able to bind with receptors in the windpipe, H5N1 binds only much deeper inside the lungs. This makes it more difficult for the virus to infect humans, because the virus is less likely to reach the inner lungs than the windpipe. The H5N1 virus is also less likely to spread from human to human. Coughing and sneezing easily transmits viruses that have multiplied in the windpipe, but not those located deep in the lungs. If H5N1 manages to mutate so that it can replicate in the upper respiratory tract, a pandemic becomes more likely. Scientists are constantly monitoring the virus for this mutation.

So should we be concerned? There have been many scares over the years that have not come to anything, and this could turn out to be one of those too, but it is worth taking some sensible precautions rather than just relying on the scientists to find a powerful enough solution. Having a strong immune system has to be the first line of defence. Eating a good diet, taking exercise, getting plenty of sleep, and reducing stress can all lead to a stronger immune system that can fight more effectively against the bugs of this world and any dangerous mutations.

References:
Daily News Central: Bird Flu on Similar Evolutionary Path as 1918 Killer Virus

Centers For Disease Control & Prevention: Key Facts About Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus

The Times (London) 21 January 2006 and 23 March 2006

The Guardian (London) 1 March 2006

Jane Thurnell-Read delights in making information on health more understandable and accessible. Visit her web site http://www.healthandgoodness.com for more ideas and information.