Is There Any Vaccination For Fighting Bird Flu

The outbreak of the pandemic flu in the South East Asian countries created a wave of terror through out the world. There were evidences of the bird flu being spread to West and infecting some of the African countries. The possibility of a strike in the western world cannot be neglected since the pathogens or viruses of the bird flu are carried by the migratory birds.

The death of people in certain countries has raised an alarm about the incompetence of science and technology to create a vaccination for bird flu.

The preparation of the bird flu vaccine is not an easy task. The most important fact is that a vaccine for a virus cannot be prepared beforehand since the strain of the virus is not known till it attacks.

The bird flu viruses go on mutating through antigenic shift or drift. The mutation cannot be traced to find out what form it is taking. So, the scientists cannot prepare the vaccine before a pandemic occurs.

Thus, there lies the problem in formulating a vaccination for bird flu. The world is totally unaware of the kind of virus that is going to infest the humankind. Next problem in the line is, the preparation of the vaccination will take a long time after the outbreak. That is, it will take almost six months to prepare a vaccine and a year for its mass distribution.

At present, prototypes of the H5N1 virus vaccination have been prepared by the scientist which are able to provide some kind of protection to the body. The prototype vaccine is not a complete protection against the bird flu. All the health organizations of different countries are still working on it and China has claimed that they have prepared two types of vaccines for the H5N1 bird flu virus.

The vaccination can produce high accentuated antibodies in the immune system that can target the H5N1 virus and remain longer in the immune system. The WHO has acclaimed this effort and will provide China with a prototype vaccine for humans, for developing a more effective vaccine.

It's a good news that vaccines are soon going to be available for the deadly H5N1 virus which is the present threat to the world. The CDC and WHO are providing instruction to the Health Departments of the countries throughout the world to teach people how to prevent the infection of the bird flu.

There are some antiviral medicines like Tami flu, Relenza, and alike that can be taken to reduce the intensity of the attack and help the immune system of your body to fight.

Let's hope for better that the vaccines are made available, as soon as possible. Maintain personal hygiene for preventing the virus, because it cannot attack you if you are clean and healthy to beat it.

To get more information on bird flu, bird flu virus and bird flu vaccine visit www.isitbirdflu.com

It Is A Must To Identify The Early Symptoms Of Bird Flu

Some of the bird flu symptoms are identified. As regards the other symptoms the usual guess work is going on. In birds, the virus H5N1 causes diarrhea, excessive shedding, a swollen head and difficulty in breathing.

?but how will you take note of these symptoms unless you are a bird expert?

Some more symptoms are, fever, sore throat, muscle ache, chest pain, lethargy, cough and headache. If the infection has taken a serious turn in you, the following symptoms would indicate the state:

eye infections
acute respiratory problems
pneumonia
inflammation of the heart
inflammation in the brain.

Immediate hospitalization in the case of severe symptoms is not only advisable but absolutely necessary. Human to human help is most welcome in most of the adversaries, but not at this time when your H5N1 virus is waiting for the opportune moment to take hold of the person who is coming to help you.

So, avoid all contacts and let a trained health worker handle the precious cargo!

This virus is actually found in the bird's intestines. Even in the birds, the symptoms are not severe as such. But the way in which the birds are handled in the poultry farms (they are packed closely together with chicken and turkeys) helps the cause of rapid spread of bird flu.

A general alert was sounded in health circles all over the world, when the mutated variety of the bird flu virus, H5N1 showed its teeth. That was in the year 2003. The infected poultry led to several human infections. About 50 % of the affected died. The other 50% turned temporary vegetarians and inspired many others to follow the suit.

The mode of infection is simple. Come into contact with the bird?s saliva, face or nasal secretions and you certainly have it instantly. The other birds which come into similar contacts have no chance of survival. As for human beings, if protective measures are not taken, become susceptible to the disease.

To get more information on bird flu, bird flu symptoms and bird flu prevention visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

How a Little-Known Science Might Protect You From Bird Flu

You can use a little-known branch of science to help protect yourself and your loved ones from the bird flu pandemic.

It's called evolutionary epidemiology. Basically, it means that microorganisms evolve in ways that encourage the survival and spread of their species.

How this works in each human disease, depends on the nature of how the disease spreads.

The common cold irritates but does not kill us -- so we feel well enough to go to work and sneeze and cough on other people, thus spreading the virus. However, malaria is a killer disease because weak, bed-confined malarial patients allow more mosquitoes to suck up their blood and then go infect other people.

There's currently a scientific debate going on about what this means in connection with bird flu.

Some scientists say that bird flu will not evolve into a highly contagious killer such as the 1918 virus because there is no World War I going on. Trench warfare conditions made that flu virus evolve into a fast killer, because the fast transmission of diseases causes them to evolve into virulent forms.

Other scientists say that the A/H5N1 virus could still mutate or re-assort into a highly contagious and highly mortal killer of people, even without a brutal war to encourage such evolution.

As the recent author of a book telling people how to protect themselves and their families from bird flu, I worried that maybe the first camp are right and I was wasting people's time.

Then I realized something -- my book was perfectly in tune with evolutionary principles.

It's true that there's no world war raging in Europe, but so far, I have not seen anybody in this debate bring up the subject of megacities in the developing world. Mexico City, Jakarta, Bangkok, Calcutta . . . and more are intensely crowded with humanity. Whole extended families sleep together on floors of corrugated iron.

These overcrowded megacities are home to millions of people around the world. If bird flu spreads into one of these neighborhoods, it will find many victims.

They will not seek medical treatment, because they can't afford it. They will lie down at home -- which means being in close contact not only with the many family members they live with, but all the neighbors who stop in and visit. They do not have separate bedrooms or even beds. So they will just have to lay in a corner and struggle for breath.

It seems quite logical to me that in such areas, bird flu could rapidly evolve into a killer flu on a par with 1918, in accord with evolutionary biology principles.

The clear call to action from evolutionary epidemiologists is therefore that isolating victims encourages microorganisms to evolve into nondangerous forms.

If we could isolate everybody in mosquito areas behind solid walls and screened windows, we would force malaria, yellow fever and dengue to evolve into mild forms.

If we could provide everybody in the world with safe drinking water we would force cholera to evolve into a mild form.

If we could force every drug user to give up needles and everybody to give up all but one lifetime sexual partner, HIV would have to become more benign.

I have always recommended that during a bird flu pandemic everyone isolate themselves and family members as much as possible. That's the flip side of isolating victims. As much as possible, bird flu patients should be isolated from non-infected people.

And during a pandemic when large numbers of people will be infected? Non-infected people should isolate themselves.

I advise to do that for personal protection, but if everybody isolated themselves, then A/H5N1 would have to evolve into a much less lethal flu virus.

However, we cannot wait for that eventual evolution to save us. It did happen to the 1918 flu, but not before wiping out whole Eskimo villages near the Arctic Circle -- far from the European war.

Once bird flu becomes both highly contagious and highly lethal, it will eventually change. I've never believed it would wipe out all humanity.

But you don't want to be one of the millions who do die while waiting for bird flu to evolve into a "nice" virus.

Resolve to isolate yourself and your family if necessary -- and all other ways to fight bird flu.Richard Stooker Richard discusses how to avoid H5N1 bird flu in his book How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From H5N1 Bird Flu -- And check out his H5N1 Bird Flu blog

Prepare Now for Dangers of the Bird Flu Pandemic Chaos

In a bird flu pandemic, more people might die from other causes than from bird flu itself.

Even if you've stocked up your home with all the food, water and immune system boosting herbs you'll need for the next 3 months and you're all set to sit there and read WAR AND PEACE until the bird flu virus burns itself out -- you could still be at great risk.

If you really want to live through the bird flu pandemic, you better have a plan to avoid human germs as well as the bird flu virus.

On a bird flu discussion forum, someone recently posted this advice -- stop telling your neighbors you're storing food and water for the bird flu pandemic. Stop trying to convince them to do the same thing. Make your preparations in secret. Because when there's no more food at the grocery store, and their kids are hungry, they're going to remember that you've stored food -- and they're going to come knocking at your door.

Truly sad words, but they obviously have a truth to them.

You definitely must think just as hard about the nature of your neighbors as about the nature of bird flu itself.

You must assume that law and order as we take it for granted now will not exist or will be enforced only sporadically.

Your local police are 95% great people with a strong sense of duty. But some of them will catch bird flu too and some will die from it. Some of them will feel their greatest duty is to protect their own families. Others will stay on the job but will be too stretched and stressed out to keep order on every square block of their territory. This is especially true of rural areas. And you cannot depend on the 911 system, which will likely be overwhelmed. And if they're no dispatchers to take calls and send messages -- and no more ambulance drivers or police cars available -- what good is it?

At some point the government may step in and declare martial law, but we don't have enough soldiers to stand on every street corner in the world.

Many neighborhoods will band together for mutual protection.

Many people will band together so they can loot and kill with impunity.

Some people will surprise you. Some gangbangers will use their guns and street organization to defend the people in their hood.

Some "nice" people will take advantage of the lack of civilized constraints to do some not so nice things.

If your neighbors already know you're a bird flu kook, it's too late now to start preparing in secret -- and probably it doesn't matter.

Because if your neighbors get together and decide to go house to house, how're you going to stop them?

And I don't mean they'll be doing it for bad reasons. Neighbors should be keeping tabs on each other to see who's got bird flu. Who needs food cooked and delivered to their door. Who has small children who need watching.

I can understand the stock up on supplies and lock up the door against the world mentality -- I pretty much share it.

But realistically, you'll stand a better chance of surviving the pandemic if your neighborhood works together -- including you.

Because many neighborhoods are going to have to defend themselves against outsiders -- and you don't want to be seen as an outsider who just happens to live on the same block.

You want to be seen as one of the group. As someone smart enough to foresee the pandemic and prepare for it, you should assume a leadership role.

The better you get along with your neighbors now, despite being laughed at for storing food, the more likely you are to keep enough of that food and water for your family.

If your neighbors really are the kind of people you don't want knocking at your door (and I've lived in neighborhoods like that, myself) -- then plan now to get out.

You should do what you can to get out of such a neighborhood anyway, bird flu or no bird flu. 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

How Far The Medicines For Bird Flu Will Protect You?

The modern medicine has advanced to unimaginable heights during the last five decades. You have lots of confidence to tackle any situation. You have hundreds of hospitals. Fresh doctors and specialists roll out every year from colleges and universities with their newly acquired medical knowledge. The 1918-19 influenza that killed millions all over the world is only a memory now.

Though, governments all over the world shook to the foundation! For some time, they did not know what to do, except culling the poor birds to save humanity. Even today the awe and fear caused by the epidemic in the past exist.

There are only four types of medicines for bird-flu, out of which two have proved ineffective. As regards the remaining two, not much reliance can be placed on them. For, the bird-flu virus changes its type and pattern so fast.

Moreover, the affected individual needs to be given the doses of medicine within 48 hours of the onset of the symptoms. The manufacturing process of the vaccine takes not less than 40 days and by the time you can well imagine the magnitude of the damage done by this disease. Handling a few cases of bird flu is one thing. Handling it, when it is pandemic is another matter!

You have seen lots of progress with regard to antibiotic medicines, but bird flu beats them all. Antibiotics are for bacterial infections; they are ineffective against viral infections. Understand this statement in the proper perspective, there is no known treatment for the bird-flu as on date and the scientists are just groping in the dark.

The bird-flu virus does serious damage to the lungs within a short time of its onset. When all the treatments fail, the only hope for the patient lie in putting him on the ventilator, which means you need a mechanical respirator for each patient and some special space! You need exclusive staff to look after the patient.

These machines are expensive and the supply is limited. If the bird-flu strikes on a massive scale, all concerned will be the dumb spectators and watch people die helplessly.

Coming to the practical part of handling the situation, from where do you get all those supplies needed to handle the rush of bird-flu affected patients- N 95 face masks, gowns, goggles, head caps and shoe covers? What if the manufacturer's staff were to be attacked by bird flu? When the whole system collapses, when the confidence of all concerned is at the low ebb for nothing much can be done to control this virus!

When the Ultimate Protector condemns you for the reasons best known to Him, who can protect you?

To get more information on bird flu, bird flu and bird flu vaccine visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/.

What is Bird Flu

Bird flu is a contagious disease of animals that is caused by viruses. This virus is called avian influenza. This virus normally infects only birds. It is highly species-specific and on rare occasions cross the species barrier to infect humans. The infection with avian influenza virus causes two main forms of disease, distinguished by low and high extremes of symptoms. The low pathogenic form commonly causes only mild symptoms such as ruffled feathers or a drop in egg production. These may easily go undetected. The highly pathogenic form is far more serious. It spreads very rapidly through poultry flocks, causes disease affecting multiple internal organs, and has a mortality rate of 100%, which is often reached within 48 hours. How this virus spreads is still unknown. The role of migratory birds is not fully evident. Wild waterfowl are believed to be the natural reservoir of all influenza viruses. They have probably carried influenza viruses for centuries. Considerable circumstantial evidence suggests that migratory birds do bring in low pathogenic viruses to poultry flocks, which later mutates to highly pathogenic form. Any kind of widespread persistence of this virus in poultry population poses two main risks for human health. The first is the risk of direct infection when the virus passes from poultry to humans, resulting in very severe disease. The other that is of even greater concern is when the virus gets enough opportunities and changes into a form that is highly infectious for humans and spreads easily from person to person. This may even turn into pandemic flu and can be fatal. The drugs available for treatment of bird flu are not many. For cases of human infection a class of antiviral drugs, the amantadine and rimantadine, can potentially be used against pandemic influenza. The famous pharmaceutical company ROCHE's bird-flu drug Tamiflu is also available.

Norma Dsouza is a Health and Fitness Consultant. For more details please visit: www.checkflu.com

Impact Of A Bird Flu Pandemic Hits Home

If the avian flu virus mutates so that the disease can be transmitted from one human to another, we will face a pandemic with the potential to kill a billion people worldwide. It is important for people to educate themselves, their family and their neighbors about bird flu and the concrete steps they can take now can to lessen the spread of the disease.

Waiting to prepare for a pandemic is like waiting for a category five hurricane to come ashore before racing to the lumber yard for plywood. A pandemic is even more dangerous than a localized natural disaster because a virus can be transported by airplane to virtually anywhere in the world within a matter of days.

Pandemic preparation has two integral components. First, you should have a basic 3 day emergency kit, just as you would for an earthquake, storm, hurricane, or other disaster. The only difference in preparing for a pandemic is that you should extend the level of preparation to last much longer. The flu lasts approximately two weeks, but it can conservatively take 6-8 weeks for it to go through a population. During this time you will need to be prepared for disruption of services just as with other large scale emergencies.

Second, is the preparation for "infection control," it involves hygiene and barriers to contamination. Hygiene includes hand washing, covering sneezes and coughs, and daily disinfection of surfaces such as doorknobs, keyboards, and faucets. The "barrier method" of infection control requires that sick individuals be isolated and that others wear protective clothing. Only by wearing the appropriate quality masks, gloves, and goggles can the flu virus be prevented from entering through the mucosal membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Dr. Fenstersheib, the Public Health Officer for Santa Clara County, California, predicted that in the event of a pandemic, 25-35% of the population would become ill. He said, "With the burden this will place on the healthcare system and the government infrastructure, it is clear that each individual and family in our community must take on the responsibility to be prepared to care for sick family members during a pandemic. With proper supplies and instruction, home preparedness will go a long way to lessen illness and save lives."

Tracy Ferea, Ph.D. is a published scientist whose research at Stanford University focused on the evolution of microbial genomes. She writes for BirdFluSmart.com to increase the general publics understanding of the risk of a bird flu pandemic. Bird Flu Smart's mission is to prepare the public for a pandemic by providing both information and products, that increase preparedness.

How?s And Why?s Of Bird Flu Attack

Bird flu attacked many Nations. How and why it actually happened no one knows! The speed with which it spread all over the world was a mystery and confusion confounded. With its universal ?influence? it crippled many, without the distinction of race, color and nationality.

This bird-flu has the capacity to make such a big kill, the casualties of World War I and II put together will be a kindergarten stuff before the possible number of deaths due to bird flu.

With the drugs, antibiotics and vaccines developed so far to combat bird flu having proved ineffective, the alternative is now to search whether the nature has in store some natural herbs. If they are there, how to make their effective use is another matter for the researchers and scientists.

Can the Governments do something for the people to provide a protective cover in such emergent situations? What could do they do during Hurricane Katrina? At the time of Tsunami? That was just a small fraction of the world that was affected. What if the whole world were to be engulfed in bird flu?

Many Nations are at present attacked by bird flu but the damage is limited. As of now, the disease is not transmitted from human to human. Millions of birds and fowl are culled and destroyed in a desperate effort to contain it. But the virus of bird flu is evolving and changing. Sooner or later it will not spare the human beings, why should it? And why should the Nature come to the rescue? Have you been kind to the nature? We continue to exploit it to the hilt! Less said the better about the treatment human beings mete out to the animal kingdom!

The answer to the specific question-how did bird flu happen, I know will draw blank responses from you. I don't blame you. Human history, for that matter human health history is full off such ambiguities. But the projections about the possible consequence of a mass attack of bird-flu will be catastrophic! None has the solution. Nature has varied methods of population control. And when it uses those methods, it uses them ruthlessly.

It is indeed a no-win win situation. The question would no more be how did bird flu happen, the question then would be why did bird flu happen??
To get more information on bird flu, bird flu virus and bird flu vaccine visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

Bird Flu and the anti-Viral Drug Tamiflu

Bird flu might have disappeared from the news recently but the likelihood of a human pandemic has not receded along with media interest in the story. Unless there is something new to hang a story on, there seems no point in reporting on the matter. When a dead swan was found in Scotland earlier this year the whole of the world's media seemed to go crazy but interest soon faded, even after the confirmation that the dead bird was indeed infected with the H5N1 strain of the influenza virus, as this seemed to be an isolated incident with a single migratory bird that had strayed off course.

The Global Health Research Forum believes that the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the virus could be with us for another decade and the possibility of this virus mutating into one which can be transferred between humans is still highly likely. So far 256 humans have been infected with the virus since 2003 but these have all been people who have come into close contact with infected poultry or wild fowl.

It is estimated that around 750,000 people in the UK could die in a pandemic. The Government has arranged to stockpile around 14 million courses of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu which is effective in preventing the spread of influenza or reducing the symptoms once contracted. The Government is also in talks about acquiring a vaccine.

Given that the Government has only made provisions for around 25% of the UK population, many people are looking to Buy Tamiflu for themselves and their families as a precaution. Although GPs can write a private prescription for their patients, many seem to be unsympathetic to their patients' concerns and have refused to write the prescriptions. As a result, many people have turned to the internet to seek advice and to purchase medication.

Anyone seeking to purchase Tamiflu online should be careful to purchase from a regulated Online Clinic or pharmacy. Whilst there are many charlatans supplying counterfeit medication over the internet, there are a few legitimate suppliers in the UK which employ doctors and dispense from regulated pharmacies. Any person looking to purchase Tamiflu online should check out the credentials of the supplier and ask for the registration details of the pharmacy that will dispense the medication so this can be checked with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

Ronald Widburn is a medical journalist. Ronald recommends visiting the Online Clinic is one of the leading suppliers of Tamiflu in the UK. It is possible to Buy Tamiflu following a free and secure online consultation with The Online Clinic.

All The Untold Secrets Of The Bird Flu Virus

The bird flu virus is one of the most deadliest in the world and has taken many lives over the last century and a half. Bird flu is better known as avian influenza and is derived from an influenza virus from birds. When there is an outbreak of the bird flu virus, vast numbers of poultry including chickens and ducks have to be slaughtered to prevent the virus from spreading beyond the poultry and into the realm of humans.

Preventing the bird flu virus

There are many ways of preventing the bird flu virus from occurring in chicken and other poultry farms. Firstly bird flu is usually spread by native birds who usually have an immunity to the bird flu virus. Most poultry stock are not bred with this immunity and therefore when they come in contact with native birds, they may pick up the virus and spread it throughout the whole flock. This is probably the most common reason how the bird flu virus is spread.

To prevent this from occurring, farm owners must do everything in their power to prevent outside contact from other birds with their livestock. This is one of the reasons why chicken farmers choose to keep their chickens caged because they are afraid that their flock may become infected with if not the bird flu virus, but another deadly disease that could destroy their whole flock of poultry.

How does the bird flu virus affect humans?

The bird flu virus is a strain of influenza that appears to affect only avian species or birds. So why is it that there have been so many humans deaths associated with bird flu? The answer is that infact it isn't the actual bird flu virus that infects humans, but a mutation of the virus. What actually happens is the virus mutates into the human strain of influenza that is super deadly. This of course doesn't always happen but when it does, it can be catastrophic.

Throughout history there have been several cases of bird flu outbreaks that have been known to have killed hundreds of thousands of people. The latest cases are coming out of South East Asia, where there were several deaths due to the bird flu virus. Many experts believe that the most scary thing about bird flu is not that it is so deadly, but that it has the potential to spread so fast and maybe to a point where it could become uncontrollable. Whatever the case, people must do everything they can to prevent it from occurring in the first place.

If you want to learn more about birdflu including free information, course reviews and much more, or you want to join our free weekly newsletter then please visit bird flu (Recommended) or for more free articles all about bird flu visit http://www.BirdFluReview.com/BirdFlu.

Bird Flu -- How the Nightmare Begins

Somewhere in Southeast Asia (or Africa, the Mid-East, Europe etc) . . .

A hen clucks and shifts around in her perch. She sniffs and sneezes.

Inside the lining of her respiratory tract and lungs, millions of influenza viruses -- commonly called A/H5N1 or bird flu -- are infecting her cells and forcing them to replicate millions more of the virus.

This is the same virus that's deadly to chickens. People can catch it through close contact with chickens, but they can not spread it to other people.

The hen excretes. Her white waste material -- full of A/H5N1 -- falls to the floor below, mixing in with the dirt and other chicken manure.

The pig below the hen also feels ill. Several days ago, the farmer who owns them both sneezed on the pig while feeding her. Now the pig has a case of ordinary human flu. It's not life-threatening to the farmer or the pig, but it is highly contagious.

Hungry despite her flu, the pig gobbles down some chicken manure, including some which contains A/H5N1.

A/H5N1 works its way through the pig's body to the pig's respiratory system. There, it starts drilling into the pig's cells with its spikes of hemagluttinin.

There it meets up with a virus of ordinary flu infecting the pig -- just like two bank robbers who enter the same vault from two sides.

It's not true love, but it's not bad. They combine genetic material and soon have an offspring who's the best of both of them.

As contagious between human beings as ordinary flu.

As lethal to human beings as A/H5N1.

Soon Junior uses the neuraminidase protein spikes on his surface to cut himself loose from the pig's cell he calls home, and makes his way out into the world . . . to infect his very own cell.

He takes over its genetic material and soon has instructed the cell to replicate millions more of himself.

Soon those viruses are spreading through the pig.

Several days later, the farmer's oldest son comes to feed the pig. Heavily infected with the contagious form of lethal bird flu, the pig snorts and sneezes onto the boy.

Who later rough houses with his friends at school, including Pim.

Pim takes the virus home to his father, Yu.

The next day, Yu takes a bus to Bangkok to buy some supplies and equipment for his farm. He spends much of the day talking over his order with Mr. Chen, the owner of The White Lotus Farm Store.

Mr. Chen goes home that evening and spends a lot of intimate time with his wife, who is leaving tomorrow to spend two weeks visiting relatives in Chicago, U.S.A.

When Mrs. Chen boards the early morning Thai Airways flight to Los Angeles, she is not aware that 145 kilometers away from her, a chicken and a pig are dead . . . and a farmer's son and his friend are too sick to go to school.

Neither do the other 200 passengers who spend 11 hours breathing the same air as Mrs. Chen.

The farmers have taken their children to the nearby clinic, which has taken throat samples and sent them to the United Nations World Health Organization laboratories to be tested.

The doctor is worried, because the other family members are also feeling poorly and many of their farm animals have died. He's feeling weak himself.

After landing at Los Angeles International Airport, some of Mrs. Chen's fellow passengers go into Los Angeles. Some of them go on to flights to Canada, Latin America and New York City. A few plan to continue on to London and Paris. Mrs. Chen finds her gate to a American Airlines flight to Chicago.

A few days later, WHO and CDC workers fly to the small farming village and the Thai government imposes a travel ban on the entire province.

In Chicago, Mrs. Chen has taken to her bed and her relatives are sneezing on their jobs . . .

Learn How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From the Bird Flu H5N1 Virus

Latest news and immune info at: Bird Flu H5N1 Virus Updates

Find Out What The Symptoms of Bird Flu Are Before It's Too Late!

How frightening it is to think that one disease such as bird flu can cause so must devastation by literally killing thousands of people in a short period of time. Well this of course can all be prevented if you are able to read all the bird flu symptoms before it's too late. In this article you will learn exactly how what symptoms are associated with bird flu and how you can notice them early enough to save a person's life.

Bird Flu Symptom One: Muscle Aches

Muscle aches are usually the first signs that a person may have bird flu, however it's usually impossible to tell whether or not the muscle aches you are having are in fact a symptom related to bird flu. Here's how you can tell. First of all ask yourself it it unusual that you should be having muscle aches at this point in time? Have you done any exercise lately? If you haven't and there is no possible reason why you be having muscle aches, then there is a chance that it is in fact a bird flu symptom and you should consult a doctor immediately just to be safe.

Bird Flu Symptom Two: Sore Throat

A sore throat is another symptom associated with bird flu. Generally it isn't too painful in the immediate stages but as time progresses you will find that the intensity will increase to about the time when a fever starts to set in, which of course takes us to our next bird flu symptom...

Symptom Number Three: Fever

At this point in time, you have worked out that you are having unusual muscle aches, your throat is sore and now finally you have picked up a fever, it's time to get to a hospital quickly. Even if you don't have bird flu, you still may have something just as bad and therefore you need immediate treatment. The doctor's can usually tell whether you have contracted bird flu or not within minutes. Generally a cough is also begins to start around the time of the fever and will again intensify as time goes by.

It's important to note that the first question you should ask yourself is, have I or the person showing bird flu symptoms eaten any poultry such as chicken or duck lately. Your doctor will ask you this question and also how long ago it actually was before you last consumed a meal with some sort of poultry product.

Stay alert and always remember that no matter what, it's always better to be safe than sorry!

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The Smart Way Protect Yourself From Bird Flu by Using Germicidal Hand Lotions

One thing that people can do to protect themselves from colds and flu is use germicidal hand lotions.

These lotions are commonly recommended by public health experts at the beginning of every cold and flu season. Almost all common commercial lotions contain isopropyl alcohol.

A company in the U.K. -- Advanced Formulations -- is already marketing a product called No-Germs to people concerned about bird flu.

To be fair, Advanced Formulations created No-Germs to deal with the very serious problem of MRSA or Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.

When they heard about bird flu, they tested No-Germs against the bird flu virus H5N1. And discovered that it was 99.8% effective against the H5N1 bird flu virus. Knowing a good thing when they see it, they now market No-Germs in England as a way to protect against bird flu. You can also buy it online at their site.

What's the problem with both isopropyl alcohol and No-Germs?

Look at that number 99.8% again. It's not 100%, is it?

And that's the problem. Nothing kills 100% of microorganisms. There're always a few oddballs in every crowd of germs who just happen to have a genetic resistance to anything you throw at them. A select few have the biochemical capacity to bind to the antibiotic and so render it harmless to them. Or some biochemical way of destroying the antibiotic. Or a biochemical pump that draws out the antibiotic.

A few always survive. They continue to multiply and divide -- and so their descendants inherit the resistance. And so you have dangerous bacteria that laugh at your strongest antibiotics.

Look at it this way. What if the Earth were invaded by some race of aliens who wanted to wipe out humanity. So they unleashed a sophisticated bioweapon that destroyed every homo sapien with black, brown or blue eyes?

That would kill a huge percentage of the population -- but not the people with green eyes or albinos with red eyes.

They only way to kill everybody would be to destroy the entire planet. But then the aliens would have nothing left to take over.

We could kill every germ inside ourselves simply by blowing ourselves up, but obviously that's not a desireable option.

The process of creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria and viruses that resist antibiotics and germicides has been going on in hospitals for decades. And it's why hospitals, nursing home and other medical treatment facilities are the worst places to catch an infection in.

Because those are the places which have attacked germs the most -- forcing them to evolve into antibiotic and germicide-resistant varieties.

Does that mean hospitals and nursing home shouldn't fight against harmful bacteria and viruses? Obviously not.

When you have a medical problem you must balance potential gain against potential risk.

When you have a life-threatening bacterial infection, take the antibiotic.

But if you take antibiotics every time you blow your nose . . . Or what's even worse but it's frighteningly common, you take them simply to prevent infections . . . you are encouraging the development of bacteria inside you that can resist antibiotics.

And that makes it more difficult for people who get a similar infection in future -- including perhaps yourself -- to defeat it.

That is what alcohol and now No-Germs can do to your hands. All skin has bacteria on it -- which will not harm you. You are safe as long as the normal skin bacteria far outnumbers any disease-causing bacteria.

But apply isopropyl alcohol or No-Germs -- and you kill the normal bacteria. You are just clearing the way for germicidal resistant and harmful bacteria to grow like weeds in a newly plowed garden.

Sometimes this is the lesser of two evils. Do consider using isopropylalcohol or No-Germs on your hands when:

1. You are a health care worker or anybody else in close contact with bird flu victims.

2. You're caring for a bird flu patient at home.

3. You're visiting someone in a hospital or nursing home. Apply lotion to your hands going in to protect the patients. Apply it to your hands after you leave, to protect you.

4. You handle dead birds or anything suspected of bird flu or anything for that matter that might have harmful bacteria or viruses of any kind.

5. You know that you're touching door knobs or other objects recently touched by someone with bird flu. This could be at your work place or at home.

For most people, the best protection is still ordinary soap and water.

Wash your hands thoroughly several times a day, as well as before eating and after using the bathroom -- of course. Wash your hands for at least 30 seconds at a time.

This cleans them of harmful bacteria and viruses just as effectively as anything else -- without encouraging the evolution of germicide-resistant bacteria.

Richard Stooker is the author of How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From the H5N1 Bird Flu Virus and H5N1 Bird Flu Virus Blog

How Many People Would a Bird Flu Pandemic Kill

You see a lot of wild and crazy estimates for this. Yet, the truth is, there's no simple answer. It depends on a lot of things -- and the most important factors are still unknown.

First of all, I don't put any stock in the simplistic estimates that are based on 1918. We're living in a much different world. H5N1 is a different virus.

Some estimates are based on more sophisticated mathematical models. The only problem is, right now critical variables are still unknown.

First variable is known as the lethality rate. That is, what percentage of infected people will bird flu kill?

Right now, based on known victims, it's consistently killing 55% of victims. However, the numbers of patients are still quite small, so that may not be statistically accurate. Plus, many of those patients are receiving good medical care. It may kill a higher percentage of those who don't make it to hospitals.

It's also true that we probably don't know the true number of infected people. Just a few days ago Indonesia announced that it just learned that a little girl who died there last year had bird flu, even though several of her family members were known to have died of it.

If a relatively advanced country isn't getting around to testing an obviously suspect child patient until 8 months after her death -- what's happening in sub-Saharan Africa?

How many more victims are going undetected? That's unknown. On the bright side, it's possible that some or many victims are recovering without being tested so the actual lethality rate might be lower than we think.

If and when H5N1 mutates into a highly contagious form, its lethality rate could go lower. Until it actually happens, we just don't know.

But it is frightening to compare H5N1 to the 1918 flu, because the 1918 flu had a lethality rate of 2.5% -- so if contagious bird flu retains anything like its current apparent lethality rate, it could be much deadlier than 1918 flu. Which would make comparisons between them way over-optimistic.

To measure the spread of a disease, scientists use the contagion rate.

This is -- how many other people on average does one infected person spread the flu to?

Partly this is based on the virus itself, so we just can't know this until it does mutate. However, right now H5N1 is a tough virus -- it can survive for hours outside a human body and in water. This means that you could be infected by an A/H5N1 virus left on a doorknob by someone who opened that door several hours before you.

Overall contagion rate must be affected by population density. Bird flu will infect more people in a crowded Calcutta slum than in rural Wyoming.

And here's a great difference between now and 1918. The world's population is over 6 times higher. But since some areas of the world are so densely crowded, it's possible that chicken flu would spread through them very quickly and kill even more than 6 times as many people as in 1918.

Plus, in 1918 various areas of the world defended themselves by closing themselves off from the outside world. Some places can still do this, but most of the world is much less self-sufficient. Unless you're on an island that supplies its own food and water, you can't isolate yourself from other people.

And even if you can -- there's still the risk of contagion from animals. So your island better not be under a duck migration route. Because duck manure does contain the active virus.

Plus, the world's population may be more susceptible to infection than in 1918. Everybody infected with HIV is at risk, for example.

Bird flu would likely travel around the world more quickly today because we have much more international travel. We go places by jet instead of steam ships.

There's another advance in transportation -- not usually mentioned -- which will affect transmission of bird flu: the automobile. Only a very few people in 1918 had cars, and there was no system of highways.

Now cars and highways connect the entire developed world. And are common and widespread in the developing world.

Of course, riding alone in a car during a lethal flu pandemic is safer than riding in a bus, train or other mass transit vehicle with many other people. Yet if you're the one infected, a car can help you spread the virus farther and faster than you could have in 1918.

There's another risk of death the world's population faces from A/H5N1, which is not being addressed.

That's the risk of the consequences of the pandemic.

If the pandemic causes many deaths the world's economy will be disrupted.

There'll be shortages of food, water, medicine, energy and other necessities. This could last for a year or more, if agriculture is greatly affected.

In many places there's likely to be problems with both law and order and civil unrest.

In a pandemic of any significant seriousness there will be deaths caused by a large number of various groups seeking to take advantage of the situation: ordinary criminals, terrorists, organized crime, renegade groups of soldiers and police, ethnic/racial hate groups, political/religious extremists of all stripes -- and just any old mob looking to loot and kill just because they can get away with it, or to scapegoat some other group for the pandemic.

In some cases there's bound to be organized armed battles and wars between countries and between competing groups within countries.

My personal belief is that there'll be great civil unrest but ultimately society as we know it will prevail -- though the world's map may change in many places.

With central governments weakened by deaths and lack of resources, many disaffected ethnic groups will seize the opportunity to become independent.

On the other hand, many ethnic majorities will seize the opportunity to blame ethnic minorities for the pandemic -- and kill them in riots.

The severity of events will likely fall somewhere between the temporary default of law and order in New Orleans during the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the total anarchy of Stephen King's novel THE STAND.

How can anybody predict the number of dead from these events?

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

How's and Why's Of Bird Flu Attack

Bird flu attacked many Nations. How and why it actually happened no one knows! The speed with which it spread all over the world was a mystery and confusion confounded. With its universal ?influence? it crippled many, without the distinction of race, color and nationality.

This bird-flu has the capacity to make such a big kill, the casualties of World War I and II put together will be a kindergarten stuff before the possible number of deaths due to bird flu.

With the drugs, antibiotics and vaccines developed so far to combat bird flu having proved ineffective, the alternative is now to search whether the nature has in store some natural herbs. If they are there, how to make their effective use is another matter for the researchers and scientists.

Can the Governments do something for the people to provide a protective cover in such emergent situations? What could do they do during Hurricane Katrina? At the time of Tsunami? That was just a small fraction of the world that was affected. What if the whole world were to be engulfed in bird flu?

Many Nations are at present attacked by bird flu but the damage is limited. As of now, the disease is not transmitted from human to human. Millions of birds and fowl are culled and destroyed in a desperate effort to contain it. But the virus of bird flu is evolving and changing. Sooner or later it will not spare the human beings, why should it? And why should the Nature come to the rescue? Have you been kind to the nature? We continue to exploit it to the hilt! Less said the better about the treatment human beings mete out to the animal kingdom!

The answer to the specific question-how did bird flu happen, I know will draw blank responses from you. I don't blame you. Human history, for that matter human health history is full off such ambiguities. But the projections about the possible consequence of a mass attack of bird-flu will be catastrophic! None has the solution. Nature has varied methods of population control. And when it uses those methods, it uses them ruthlessly.

It is indeed a no-win win situation. The question would no more be how did bird flu happen, the question then would be why did bird flu happen??

To get more information on bird flu, bird flu virus and bird flu vaccine visit www.isitbirdflu.com

The Origins of the 1918 Flu and What It Means for How Much Bird Flu Endangers Us Now

What can the 1918 flu tell us about the current H5N1 strain of bird flu?

The 1918 flu was the most lethal disease pandemic in history -- killing 20 to 100 million people worldwide, most of them in the Fall of 1918.

It's now being examined and debated with new urgency, thanks to the threat of a bird flu pandemic.

According to evolutionary biologist Paul Ewald, author of Evolution of Infectious Disease and Plague Time: How Stealth Infections Cause Cancers, Heart Disease and Other Deadly Ailments (both great books well worth reading), the 1918 flu was so much more lethal than ordinary flu because it appeared and evolved at the Western Front of World War I Europe's brutal trench war.

The more advantageous it is for infections to keep us alive and feeling well enough to walk around, the safer they are. The common cold is irritating but we can still go to work with it -- the better to sneeze and spread cold germs to our co-workers.

The more advantageous it is for infections to disable and kill us, the more they will do so. Malaria makes us so sick because it spreads by mosquitoes -- who find it easier to bite people who're too sick to slap mosquitoes. Who then go spread the infection to a healthy person.

During the 1918 flu, soldiers in Europe lay sick in crowded trenches where they easily spread the flu to other soldiers even though they were too sick to walk and many soon died. When transported to medical care, they were crowded into trucks and train cars with other sick and wounded soldiers. And arrived at military hospitals crowded with more sick and wounded soldiers.

Therefore, the 1918 flu virus had every evolutionary incentive to evolve into a strain highly lethal to people.

But is that the whole story? According to Ewald, we are not in danger of a bird flu pandemic -- or at least, not one as deadly as 1918 -- because there is no similar war going on today.

So should we all forget about bird flu and start worrying about Iran and global warning?

Ewald uses sources from the 1940s that give France as the origin of the 1918 flu.

In The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague In History John M. Barry discusses the work of Dr. Edwin Johnson, editor of THE JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE, who studied the 1918 soon after it happened and published EPIDEMIC INFLUENZA in 1927.

Dr. Johnson also discards the theory (that some have given) that the 1918 flu originated in China and spread to Europe via imported laborers. Yet he also could not find evidence that it started in Europe.

In Haskell County, Kansas, the winter of 1917-1918 was hard. Many people came down with a flu that was unusually serious. We don't know exactly how many of Haskell County flu victims died that winter, but it was enough to alarm the local doctor. He was so concerned about the number of local and deadly cases of flu that he wrote an alert to the government.

Of course, that didn't stop the government from drafting young men from Haskell County -- who were sent to Camp Funston for training before shipping them off to France.

So it's quite possible that the 1918 flu first infected people in Haskell County, Kansas.

It appears that it did evolve once it was in Europe. The first wave of it hit the soldiers in the spring. It was known as the 3 day flu because large numbers of them caught it, were sick for 3 days and then recovered.

Then it went unnoticed until around September 1918 -- when it spread throughout the world and in 3 months killed many more people than the war itself. From at peace Spain (which was unfairly blamed for it) to the South Pacific to remote Eskimo villages in Alaska.

Perhaps the deadly 1918 flu had its deadly origins for BOTH reasons:

1. It was a mutated avian flu that people did not have any acquired immunity for.

2. Wartime conditions encouraged it to retain and/or increase its lethality, by rewarding it for disabling and killing soldiers so fast and easily.

What does this mean for bird flu today?

We already know it's a mutated avian flu we have no acquired immunity for. It kills over half of its human victims.

There is no major, intense war underway -- but many people in large megacities of the developing world from Rio to Calcutta live in extreme population density. One sick person lying in the corner of a corrugated iron hovel could infect many close family members and neighbors. If a pandemic struck, many would be transported to large and overcrowded medical centers.

In such conditions, a bird flu mutation would likely retain or evolve its extreme lethality.

And what if it was "only" as lethal as the virus that caused the 1968 "Hong Kong" virus?

According to the CDC, the 1968 virus would today kill 2 to 7 million people around the world. From 89,000 to 207,000 people just in the U.S. That would not be a worst case scenario but it would certainly cause a lot of fear and concern.

Therefore, bird flu does not have to evolve into a strain as deadly as 1918, to pose a threat to millions of people around the world. Even without a major world war, we are at risk from a bird flu pandemic.

c 2006 by Richard Stooker

Richard Stooker is the author of How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From Avian Flu and Avian Flu Blog

Awe And Horror Created By H5N1 Bird Flu Virus

What is this bird flu - What is the genesis of this virus - nobody can tell to be precise.

But wild guesses circulate in plenty. Every street in the affected city has a different story to tell.

Some say that it is the divine retribution for the millions of chickens the human beings have slaughtered for the sake of the taste. If this is true, the process of retribution will take a long tome to complete.

Researches and health organizations are not at rest. They are going full scale to get a definite answer.

But one important achievement of the scientists. They have given a number tag for this disease: H5N1. The origin of this disease began with the birds. The migratory nature of the bird has added fuel to the fire. They have sincerely carried the virus to the visiting countries. Millions of birds have died so far or have been destroyed by the human beings.

This virus, codenamed, H5N1, initially threated to envelop the whole world. Utter confusion and panic prevailed all over. The possibility of human beings getting into the net of this disease became real, and a few deaths were reported. You do not know whether the deaths were due to eating the flesh of the birds. But you are warned against coming into close contact with the infected bird. It is reported that a fellow human being can not transmit it to you.

The statistics available with us indicate that only 207 people have been infected with this disease, during the last ten years but the alarming fact is 115 of them died. The survival rate works out to less then 50%.

So, ?why panic?? question some of the scientists. But the disease experts have an altogether different story to tell. It takes weeks and months for a flu-like virus to spread. Do you think a virus has been created, by whosoever created it, just to kill 100 odd people? Scientists do not rule out a bird flu pandemic rampaging the whole world! They are busy researching the remedial measures!

What if this virus, would begin to attack the human population? How would the governments contain the outbreak? The chances of their being able to do something tangible seems to be remote. With the outbreak of the malaria fever which has been attacking the humanity since time immemorial, the Health Ministries shiver even today!

What would be the scenario like if this virus would strike in a big way? Mass hysteria, commotion, mass cremation, common graves, doctors absent, vaccine shortages, the elected representatives who must live under any circumstances hiding in bunkers...seems hysterically terrible?

Well, unless we find a sure shot answer to all these queries...the situation is unlikely to change...and we go ahead with chicken soup and cutlet!

To get more information on bird flu, bird flu effects and bird flu virus visitwww.isitbirdflu.com

The Blessings Bird Flu Can Bring Us - if We're Smart

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, over 150 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 1 year 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.

Companies around the world are working on a "generic" influenza vaccine that will prepare our immune systems to protect us from all influenza viruses no matter how much they mutate in the future.

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.

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

7 Simple Ways to Boost Your Immune System Against Bird Flu - and Every Other Infectious Disease

If nothing else, the bird flu scare should remind us not to take our immune systems for granted.

According to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt, it'll take 6 months after a contagious strain of bird flu is isolated to make enough doses of vaccine to innoculate everybody in the U.S.

By that time, the pandemic will be over.

The message is clear -- we're responsible for our own health.

1. Get 7 to 8 hours sleep every night.

I believe this is very important, and many recent studies verify that sleep is essential for our health in many areas. That's why when you feel sick all you want to do is lie down and close your eyes. That is nature giving you a clue. I know that when I feel a cold coming on the best I can do for it is to sleep for as long as possible.

2. Exercise moderately.

Too many people are either couch potatoes or ultra-marathon fanatics. Yet good health lies in staying active -- without overstressing yourself.

3. Stop smoking.

Cigarette smoking weakens the small hairs called cilia which line your respiratory tract. These are particularly important in fighting bird flu and other respiratory infections because they guard your lungs against infection.

4. Reduce alcohol to 0-3 ounces a day.

I'm not lecturing you here. Alcohol is not immoral. But in large quantities it reduces your immunity.

5. Cut way down on sugar. It weakens your immune system.

In fact, cut down on all forms of starchy carbohydrates -- including wheat (yes, even whole wheat), rice and other grains.

6. Take a good multi-vitamin/mineral. At the very minimum, you need Vitamin A, Vitamin C, zinc and selenium.

7. Wash your hands thoroughly through the day.

Your skin is part of your immune system -- and touching infected people and objects with your hands is the most common way to catch colds and the flu.

Wash those viruses away -- scrub your hands with soap and water for 30 seconds at a time.

Face it -- you are under constant attack by germs. Bacteria, viruses and parasites want to feed off you and many of them will make you sick.

Some cancers are known to be caused by viral infections. Some medical researchers believe that many more cancers than we realize are caused by infections. And no matter how cancer is caused originally, a powerful immune system is good at destroying cancerous cells before they multiply. A weak immune system is more likely to allow tumors to survive.

Besides, bird flu, we face assaults by a wide range of previously unknown emerging infections such as West Nile fever. Plus newly resurgent medical threats such as tuberculosis.

And bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

Even if bird flu never becomes a problem in your area, you need a strong immune system to fight off diseases.

Learn How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From the Avian Influenza Pandemic

Latest news and immune info at: Bird Flu Updates

Bird Flu Impact

With autumn very likely to represent another opportunity for the bird flu virus to find new hosts in new territories, as a consequence of the movement of large flocks of migratory birds across great distances, some experts warn the flu pandemic that is so feared and predicted for some while now could be just around the corner. But how severe could such an outcome be? Estimates range from thousands to millions of victims. In any case, it might not be a disease to end civilization as we know it, but it is quite likely to cause important social disturbances. So how does this disease influence current world affairs and how will it take its toll on our lives in an unfortunate future?

Current effects of the much talked about virus are obvious in areas where the virus has been detected in birds or even humans. Asian countries in particular have been facing the disease for a few years now. Most have at least some prevention measures implemented and there are programs to monitor and test birds populations for the virus. Some have chosen to vaccinate poultry with anti viral drugs and where there is an outbreak, rapid culling of all the birds in the area is standard procedure. In countries relying heavily on poultry consumption, the culling of millions of birds has forced the population to choose other products as a substitute.

Poultry farm owners and all other types of companies involved in the process of raising, processing and distributing poultry products have suffered great losses and are likely to go to great lengths to merely keep their businesses alive. The financial issue is manifested at a national level as well. Countries depending on their poultry exports are forced to see their products rejected from the international market, as many others ban such imports fearing a possible spread of the disease. Tourism is also affected. Although not as noticeably as the food industry, periodic changes into the travelers' preferences can be noticed. Previously favoured destinations in Asia now struggle to attract tourists, as many people are rightfully reluctant to visit regions where the bird flu virus has ravishing effects. Some governments have even warned their people and recommended those destinations to be avoided.

However, the greatest disruptions can be expected in the future, in the event of a local or world wide epidemic. With predictions of millions of people succumbing to the disease, it is easy to foresee all areas being affected. For businesses in particular, it would be interesting to consider the effects such a widespread health conditions could have. Some new reports estimate that up to half of the staff of any business could fall ill or be absent from work. Employers are being warned to take precautions and be prepared for such an event. Although terrorism is a more common concern for anyone today, a bird flu pandemic could cause even greater disruption. It is expected that employees will miss work either to care for others, or prevent an infection, or because they will have been infected themselves. It will therefore be difficult to find cover for the absent staff and the costs of any service is likely to rise considerably.

Furthermore, public transport could be disrupted itself and prevent staff getting to work. It is advisable to research the possibility of some of them working from home. This could prevent a further spread of the virus, while also offering a solution for those only suffering minor symptoms. Supply chains will also be impaired and stocks of different provisions should be taken into consideration. Travel will become very difficult and might not be recommended, as to avoid further spreads. The simplest way any employer can do to prepare for this is a plain information bulletin for their staff to keep them informed on the situation, or even considering all these factors and preparing suitable equipment for them to continue their work from home. It would be wrong to wait and see to what extent the virus will strike, as preparations at that time could prove too little too late

George Velicu is the senior editor at Bird flu center and the man responsible for making the website one of the most comprehensive sources for avian influenza information on the internet.He is also the one keeping a daily record of bird flu's developments

United States Versus Bird Flu

Avian influenza, or bird flu as it is most commonly known, is a viral disease that has been ravishing Asia, as well as other countries, for more than two years now. Some choose to ignore the threat, but most health experts agree what we see now in the Eastern Hemisphere could be witnessed soon all across the world. Since the first outbreaks of bird flu recorded in late 2003, there have been more than 140 deaths world wide and entire poultry populations decimated. Some estimates claim a flu pandemic (world wide epidemic) could infect hundreds of millions and cause major social disruption.

With these worries in mind, the United States have closely followed the situation and with general fears that the disease could spread to their territory as well, federal and local authorities have been handed over a plan to prevent and be ready to deal with a possible avian influenza outbreak in the country. It is not clear if and when this will happen, but one can look to previous experiences and other events for clues as to how serious the threat really is for the American country.

Recent violent outbreaks in places such as Indonesia, which is now the world's most heavily hit country, counting 47 human victims, are now followed by discoveries of low pathogenic bird flu viruses in some spots in U.S. The first one to raise fears was the case of two wild swans living on a lake in the state of Michigan. Routine tests found traces of a mild form of bird flu virus on the birds. The announcement was made by a White House spokesman, with details being given afterwards by officials from the Agriculture and Interior Departments. While the news was given high importance, experts claim there is no reason for concern, as the virus in question is in no way related to the Asian form and is no threat to humans. More recently, wild mallard ducks from Queen Anne's County, Maryland, were found to carry the same pathogenic agent. The same reassurances were given by U.S. officials and although some people see this as a preview for possible bird flu outbreaks, health experts say mild and low pathogenic strains of avian influenza such as this one are common in the United States, as well as other countries. Since 1975, the low pathogenic strain of the H5N1 virus (the highly pathogenic form of which is causing high mortality in Asia) has been found on six other occasions on U.S. soil.

However, claims from other researchers warn that a more aggressive form of the disease could come to the American continent as early as this fall. Indeed, summer is a rather quiet period for the virus and the large number of cases in Asia during this time is due to the virus residing there for a long period of time. Come fall, large populations of wild fowl will cover thousands of miles on regular migratory paths. These birds are the natural carriers of the virus and are also quite resistant to it. Thus, they can carry the disease for great distances, without falling ill or succumbing to the disease and showing any signs of an infection. One particular reason for concern is the Alaskan territory. Its vicinity to the Asian continent makes it one of the possible points of entry for the disease. It is also a meeting place for water fowl, as wild birds from both Asia and America choose it as a feeding and nesting environment during the summer months. U.S. authorities have implemented a plan for the summer of 2006 which included the testing of more than 15,000 birds from 27 species in the region.

The program was extended to a nationwide level as you can read on www.bird-flu-center.com, as surveillance and constant testing is seen as an effective method of preparing for a possible outbreak of the disease. Biologists are set to test tens of thousands of birds. Locally, individual counties have also prepared pandemic plans and are carrying out drills for a worst case scenario. Hospitals are setting up special units for avian influenza patients, while schools and university campuses are also preparing. In the case of a pandemic, social disruption might force such institutions to close down, as they would be a suitable environment for the virus to spread. Another prevention measure used is banning poultry and poultry products imports from countries where avian flu has been found.

Although it is widely believed that some form of bird flu epidemic will eventually occur, there are those that play down the warnings. However, countries around the world choose to play the safety card and take prevention measures. Grim estimates say that if a pandemic occurs, it will kill 1.7 million Americans in the first year alone, as a vaccine takes months to produce after the start of an epidemic. On the other hand, we can still hope the disease will be contained and dealt with before before such an outcome is reached. It is, in the end, just a matter of wait and see.
George Velicu is the senior editor at Bird flu center and the man responsible for making the website one of the most comprehensive sources for avian influenza information on the internet.He is also the one keeping a daily record of bird flu's developments.

Is It Possible To Have A Blue Print Of The Day Bird Flu Homes In Your State?

It is indeed a war scene, without the weapons, blasts and the fire!

Ten years ago, the scientists and the researchers never thought in their wildest imagination that birds could lead to such a crisis. Birds were the delight of the bards on the one side and the meat-eaters on the other side! They accepted the butcher's knife for too long a time and now they are in a mood to send the human race to the graves!

What would be the world scenario like in the event of the outbreak of the bird flu pandemic?

It staggers one's imagination! The lifestyles will change. The dress code will change. Men, women and children will look like Spiderman, with their masks. Public areas will be deserted areas. Schools and colleges will suspend their operations.

It is not the wild guess in a fiction. It is the real life situation. Large corporate clients are getting the blue prints ready and work on their contingent plans. They wish to ascertain from their suppliers, whether they would be in a position to continue/augment their supplies in case of the break out of bird flu pandemic.

There are certain situations in which your government will come to your help, but there are also certain situations where you need to help the government. Bird flu pandemic is possibly one such situation.

Constructive dynamism would be the need of the hour. The spread of the pandemic virus must be halted. Kids need to be educated about the do's and don'ts. It is desirable not to touch the railings, railings in the parks and schools and even the buses. Avoid sitting, playing and sleeping on the park benches. Do not go to a movie at all...if you still insist, don't use shorts and let not your bare skin touch any part of the auditorium furniture items.

Avoid 'contact' with the materials used by other persons. Make maximum use of the sanitizing items, whichever may be the place. Avoid swimming pools.

In anticipation such situations, a disaster management cell needs to be created in every institution, private or public. A manual of instructions that explains the details of "to do" and "not to do" things needs to be prepared. It goes without saying that the government will make maximum use of the print media and electronic media to educate the public.

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What is Bird flu?

Bird Flu Information
Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including Chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them. Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but several cases of human infection with bird flu viruses have occurred since 1997.Avian influenza or 'bird flu' is a highly contagious disease of birds, caused by influenza viruses. In birds, the viruses can present with a range of symptoms from mild illness and low mortality to a highly contagious disease with a near 100% fatality rate. The bird flu virus currently affecting poultry and some people in Asia and other areas is the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the virus. As the virus can remain viable in contaminated droppings for long periods, it can be spread among birds, and from birds to other animals, through ingestion or inhalation.

There are many different subtypes of influenza a virus. The most virulent are called highly pathogenic avian influenza and can reach epidemic levels among birds. Of these, subtype H5, and more particularly subtype H5N1 currently, pose the greatest concern for human health. Two other subtypes - H9 and H7 - have caused illness in people but neither has caused outbreaks in poultry as severe as H5N1-related ones. The H5N1 virus does not usually infect humans. In 1997, however, the first case of spread from a bird to a human was seen during an outbreak of bird flu in poultry in Hong Kong. There have been other cases of H5N1 infection among humans. Most recently, human cases of H5N1 infection have occurred in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia during large H5N1 outbreaks in poultry. The death rate for these reported cases has been about 50 percent. Most of these cases occurred from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces; however, it is thought that a few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have occurred.

Infection The causative agent is the avian influenza (AI) virus. AI viruses all belong to the influenza virus a genus of the Orthomyxoviridae family and are negative-stranded, segmented RNA viruses Avian influenza spreads in the air and in manure. Wild fowl often act as resistant carriers, spreading it to more susceptible domestic stocks. It can also be transmitted by contaminated feed, water, equipment and clothing; however, there is no evidence that the virus can survive in well cooked meat. The incubation period is 3 to 5 days. Symptoms in animals vary, but virulent strains can cause death within a few days.

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Do The Risk Of Bird Flu Outbreak Hover Over Australia Also?

The pattern of working of the avian influenza is like that of touring of a cricket/hockey team...one country after another. Everywhere it meets with success in some degrees.

Avian influenza, popularly known as bird flu did not spare the vast continent of Australia either. Could it be the migratory birds that have done the trick? Migratory birds were held in awe and admiration by you, particularly by the bird-watchers all over the world. But, now you await them with suspicion.

Does avian influenza in birds cause the disease to spread in human beings also? Luckily, not to a great extent so far. The deaths reported since 2003, with the arrival of the flagship bird flu virus, H5N1, are just 120 all over the world. Why then researchers and scientists are so much worried about the outbreak of the bird flu? Why the concerned authorities are culling birds in millions?

The root cause of the worry is on account of the mutating capacity of the bird flu virus. It is likely to take the deadly shape anytime, if the past behavior of this type of virus is any indication. Whether the migratory birds will do it in Australia? Or the international travelers should be blamed, when the expected pandemic occurs in Australia? Why such strong fears among the medical fraternity of Australia? What is the basis for this latent fear?

The Australian health authorities are vigilant and confident. They can prove to you that H5N1 virus is not present in Australia. The job of spreading the virus is carried out by water fowls in Europe, Asia and Africa, but they do not migrate to Australia. But the species of birds that do migrate luckily are not the carriers of the bird flu virus. Australia has strict quarantine laws and the measures are correctly followed. So the disease can not arrive in Australia through imported birds or poultry products.

The standards of personal hygiene are excellent in Australia. So, the normal contacts of the people with the birds will do no harm. The Australian authorities and the people also know how to take care of caged birds, aviary and yard birds. The measures adopted are simple, just don't allow them to mix with the wild birds and give them good feed and clean water supply.

Australia knows it well- prevention is better than cure. A mock exercise conducted in November 2005, gave detailed instructions with practical demonstrations, how to meet the emergent situation, should there be an attack of bird flu.

The incidents of avian influenza reported in Australia so far are just five, but they are small incidents, very well controlled- and controlled in time. The last incident reported was in the year 1997.

Many Bird Flu articles are available at Bird Flu website & http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

Many Bird Flu articles are available at http://www.isitbirdflu.com/ for Bird Flu.

Bird Flu A Ticking Bomb

Although the earliest occurrences of avian influenza date back to 1997, when an outbreak in Hong Kong was swiftly dealt with and managed to be contained after causing 6 human deaths, it is the disease's most recent history, from late 2003 onwards, that is seen as a very worrying sign for the situation's future development. After only random cases between 1997 and 2003, Hong Kong and China reported various cases that signalled the start of a rapid spread of the virus across Asia. A couple of years later and the question is still being asked: is avian influenza a real threat to world health or will this become just another 'has been' news story? The SARS disease was another killer thought to have the potential to evolve and cause major social disruption. However, it was eventually contained and other headlines have taken its place.

If we are to believe international experts such as the World Health Organization officials, we are not far away from a flu pandemic. But this warning exists for a while now and apart from millions of birds being killed in Asia and some regular human victims every once in a while, the great 'plague' is yet to come. The issue is still an avian one, as birds are the virus' natural host. However the fear is that a possible mutation of such a virus strain could cause it to easily spread between humans. There are suspicions that this has already taken place in the case of an Indonesian family that was decimated by the virus. Therefore, international authorities show concerns over the inability of some countries to contain the outbreaks of the disease among their poultry population. This is the case with Asian countries, a continent where the illness has caused the death of tens of millions of birds. Culling of birds in an infected region is seen as the most effective way of preventing the spread.

Based on estimates that say that hundreds of millions of people could succumb to the avian flu disease in the case of a world wide flu epidemic, governments are racing to prepare for such an event. Plans are put together, surveillance programs are trying to detect the earliest signs of a possible bird flu infection in either wild or domestic birds and flu drugs are being stockpiled as the only way to treat patients. Although an effective and proven vaccine for the illness is yet to be found, several publicly funded or independent companies are doing research into the virus and how it can be stopped. Periodically, autumn and winter is seen as a perfect season for the disease to evolve into a world killer. Migratory birds are the most common source for the virus and starting September, their migration is thought to have the potential of taking the viral agent to new territories.

If we are to look on the other side, there are plenty of opponents to the bird flu fears. Not just people who look to the issue with disbelief, but strong supporters of a conspiracy theory. People such as Dr. Stephan Lanka, a German biologist who is disputing basic generally agreed facts such as the existence of viruses itself. It is in the end a matter of personal opinion how one takes to the matter. But with strong warnings that this is not something to joke around with, on one hand, and constant reassurances that the virus has some way to go before reaching its deadly arm into the Western hemisphere, it seems one could turn their attention to more stringent matters.
George Velicu is the senior editor at Bird Flu Center and the man responsible for making the website one of the most comprehensive sources for avian influenza information on the internet. He is also the one keeping a daily record of bird flu's developments.

Are We Ready For Next Asia Bird Flu?

The global health community is simmering in discontent. They are in a dilemma. They are unable to find a proper medication for a simple disease like bird flu. They crossed the moon. They intend to beat the stars. But the simple-looking disease, the bird-flu is causing them much concern. The survival chances of a person afflicted with this disease are less than 50%.

Next to terrorists, it is the hotly debated and discussed topic in the USA administration. There is a rare unanimity among the contending forces world over as to the damaging consequences this pandemic is likely to cause. In the Asian continent, about ten countries have experienced the bitter results of the attack of this disease in minor and major proportions.

From the position of anonymity, it is assuming a status of world importance. The deaths due to the attack of this disease have been relatively small so far. But the coming events, they say cast the shadows before.

Even the apolitical officials of the World Health Organization are the greatly worried. It is estimated by them that the world has to go through the bad influence of pandemic flu once in 30-40 years and the time is ripe now.

They are aware that something tangible needs to be done but how to do it and what to do, they are not aware about.

Many Asian countries including China and India have had the initial taste of the bird flu. Hong Kong had a few deaths on account of this bird flu but they answered it by culling the bird population ruthlessly. The last influenza pandemic that originated in Hong Kong in 1969 took the toll of 34,000 lives in the United States. In the Asian Region, this influenza did the worst job.

The viral sub type of the disease is still in circulation. The most recent beating influenza pandemics wave was felt in 1968 and its influence continued unabated for over a year. It is known as Hong Kong Flu and it was initially detected in China. It worked with full fury in Hong Kong. Put together, it claimed between one to four million lives. It then reached Canada, United Kingdom and United States, particularly California.

The nature, movements and the working of this virus is mysterious. So far, human beings suffered on account of the direct contact with the infected animals and their secretion. But the virus evolves constantly and mutates to inflict punishments on the birds, animals and human beings from different types of attacks.

So, where lies the solution? No one knows for certain. It is darkness of the cave!

Many Bird Flu articles are available at Asia Bird Flu & http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

Many Bird Flu articles are available at http://www.isitbirdflu.com/ for Asia Bird Flu.

Symptoms Of Bird Flu

Whether man is on the nature-conquering spree or the nature is on the spree of subduing the humanity? Who is the master and who's whose servant? Technology or man? Can the push-button comforts provide relief to all your miseries? Have you conquered all the diseases, identified all the viruses so that you can ravel in a state of perfect health? Then why do you have these symptoms, which your doctor has identified as bird flu?

You have been giving something to the dear birds, in the form of cruelty, since time immemorial. Now it is the turn of birds to repay you in the same coin, with compound interest! Air space is free for the birds and migration from one part of the globe to another part, is their birth right. They don't require visa.

The virus is found in the bird's intestines. Even in the birds,the symptoms are not severe as such. Buy you see in poultry farms the way in which the birds are handled?they are packed closely together with chicken and turkeys?thus man helps the cause of rapid spread of the latest disease called bird flu?to give it a more trendy name, avian influenza!

A general alert was sounded in health circles all over the world, when the mutated variety of the bird flu virus, H5N1 showed its teeth. That was in the year 2003. The infected poultry led to several human infections. About 50% of the affected died. The other 50%, turned temporary vegetarians, and inspired many others to follow suit!

The mode of infection, is simple. Come into contact with the bird's saliva, faces or nasal secretions?and you certainly have it instantly. The other birds which come into similar contacts have no chance of survival. As for human beings, if protective measure are not taken, become susceptible to the disease.

Some of the symptoms are identified. As regards the other symptoms the usual guess work is going on. In birds, the virus H5N1 causes diarrhea,, excessive shedding, a swollen head and difficulty in breathing. How will you take note of these symptoms unless you are a bird expert? --so far you have been the expert in eating the flesh and drinking the blood(soup) of the birds only.

Some more symptoms are, fever sore throat, muscle ache, chest pain, lethargy, cough and headache. If the infection has taken a serious turn in you, the following symptoms would indicate that state: eye infections, acute respiratory problems, pneumonia, inflammation of the heart and inflammation in the brain.

Immediate hospitalization in the case of severe symptoms is not only advisable but absolutely necessary. Human to human help is most welcome, but not at this time when your H5N1 virus is waiting for the opportune moment to take hold of the person who is coming to help you. So, avoid all contacts and let a trained health worker handle the precious cargo!

I told you several times, about the necessary to have clean habits, and not to eat non-vegetarian food in all those joints. Hope you come out of this phase of suffering successfully!

http://www.isitbirdflu.com/ & Bird Flu Symptoms provides detailed information on bird flu, bird flu prevention, bird flu symptoms and more.

Bird Flu Protection and Prevention

Bird flu prevention and protection can help prepare you for an influenza pandemic if it were to occur right now. You should become knowledgeable about the magnitude of what can happen is there were a pandemic outbreak. Certain actions can help lesson the impact on your family.

You should prepare yourself for an outbreak by gathering certain information and necessities in case your town comes down with a pandemic. These necessities will help you if you need to protect yourself from an outbreak and stay inside your home.

Put away a supply of food and water for you and your family. While the pandemic is taking place, you may have a hard time getting to the store or the store can be out of supplies, hence the importance for you to have extra supplies put away.

Make sure you carry non-prescription drugs and health supplies to your storage spot. You should have pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough medicines, fluid with electrolytes, and vitamins. This is necessary to provide relief in the event you come in contact with the flu.

Help other family members by explaining to them the necessity to store these items as well. Other people should be informed of what is needed in the event a pandemic happens in their area too. Each home should have somebody designated to help care for the sick.

You can help by volunteering your time with groups in your area to help prepare and assist in emergency situations. You can make a difference for people who have already come into contact with this deadly flu virus.

You can limit the spread of dangerous flu and prevent others or yourself from being infected. You need to teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water, and you should be a model person in this rule and use the correct behavior as well.

Everyone in your family or home should make sure they cover their mouths with tissues while they are coughing or sneezing. This helps to prevent the spread of this flu by obstructing the germs from getting into the air around you.

Educate your children to keep away from anyone who seems like they could possibly be ill. Your children should also stay at home if they possess any of the symptoms of this flu to prevent contamination to other people.

You can both prevent and protect yourself from a deadly outbreak by following these simple guidelines. Don't risk your own life or the lives of others and help keep this flu under control.

Bird Flu Prevention and Protection - Get the facts about the Avian Flu Virus - http://www.avianstocks.com