Bird Flu Avian Flu

The Basics about Bird Flu

2008-03-19T22:58:00.000-07:00

Avian influenza is a natural infection in wild birds, which are actually carriers without ever being affected by the disease. Never the less, the avian flu can be passed to domestic poultry through various types of contact such as sharing the same food and water or coming in contact with excrements and cages of contaminated birds. A fairly easy way of determining whether poultry such as chicken, ducks, turkeys has bird flu is microscope examination of their saliva and nasal secretions.

Bird flu caused by influenza A viruses does not have a spontaneous effect on humans. The possibility is rather low to many because we are not as susceptible to it as birds. Though rare, cases of human infection have been outlined by the press. The virus that spreads among humans is known as the human influenza virus and has three branches: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2. The viruses vary through the different types of proteins that form their genetic coat: Hemagglutinin and Neuraminidaze. Parts of the virus affecting humans have also been found in birds, but the main concern is that the virus is in permanent replication and may one day evolve into a more potent form.

Furthermore, there are two forms of influenza, differing through pathogenic capacity. The low form is usually not easily spotted and can cause minor derangements, while the high extremes of virulence are much more dangerous leading to high death ratio and damaging vital body parts.

Moreover, the H5N1 virus or the influenza A virus has affected a number of people. For this reason, it is becoming a nuisance in undeveloped regions of Asia and Africa where poverty is widespread and living conditions are at a limit. In these places transmission between different species of birds and bird to human transmission is very likely because people live in very close contact with their poultry. Generally the following manifestations are present: conjunctivitis, pneumonia, breathing disorder, fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches.

Although researchers are trying to come up with a vaccine as fast as possible, further experiments with the genetic coat of the virus are a must for the cure to be efficient. However, medication does exist. The likes of Zanamavir and Oseltamavir are currently on the market but it is not known whether they work or not.

At present time nobody can tell 100% if bird flu can cause a pandemic, but the H5N1 virus is closely monitored by experts worldwide.

For more information about bird flu or even about bird flu treatment please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/bird-flu-treatment.htm

Bird Flu Manifestations In Poultry And Wild Birds

2008-03-19T22:56:00.000-07:00

The avian flu is a specific bird condition that affects all kind of birds but wild ones seem to be more resistant and carry the virus without showing any obvious signs. Poultry is most sensitive to the virus and develop the disease; mild cases evolve with respiratory symptoms, low egg production ruffled feathers. The second type of illness is the rare but lethal infection and was first discovered 1878 in Italy. The severe symptoms appear sudden and the mortality can reach 100% in less than 48 hours; the viral strain affects the respiratory tract but also produces damages to other tissues and organs and causes massive hemorrhages.

There are 16 haemaglutinins known and 9 neuraminidases and all can be found in wild birds. This makes the permanent reserve of avian flu as many of the infection viruses cause no harm in normal conditions. Most severe cases of bird flu have been caused by the subtypes H5 and H7 containing a set of basic amino acids.

All low pathogenic virus types have the possibility to become most dangerous after mutations. If earlier it was thought that waterfowls carry the low pathogenic virus, today we know they are able to transmit the most dangerous H5N1 to the visited countries. Highly pathogenic viruses can be transmitted from farm to farm by live birds, contaminated clothing, equipment, feed or cages. Very contagious virus types survive long periods of time in the environment if the temperature is low. H5N1 remains in feces for 35 days at 4 degrees Celsius. At 35 degrees the virus can survive 6 hours in faecal samples.

In cases of high pathogenic strains immediate measures such as quarantine, disinfection, proper disposal of carcasses and rapid culling of the infected birds. Strict biosecurity and sanitary measures oblige large poultry farms to isolate birds and stop the movements of live poultry. The control is easier to be done in big commercial poultry farms than in small private flocks in rural and per urban areas.

If the culling method proves unsuccessful a vaccination campaign can be recommended in high risk areas. The vaccines however must be certified by the National health organization and should be of high quality. Poor quality vaccines lead to dangerous viral mutations and can expose humans to an apparently healthy poultry population.

Backyard flocks expose humans to the infection as birds usually roam free and share water places with wild birds. These situations place humans at risk especially when birds are brought inside the household and in direct contact with children. Most common, house owners tend to sacrifice birds with illness signs and consume the meat with their families instead of alerting the authorities. Many persons especially in the country side hide their poultry during culling operations.

For more information about bird flu or even about bird flu vaccine please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/bird-flu-vaccine.htm

Avian Bird Flu - A Possible Pandemic

2008-03-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Avian bird flu, often referred to as Avian influenza, is an infectious disease found usually in birds which is caused by A strains of the influenza virus. This influenza virus occurs naturally in the intestines of wild birds and usually does not cause them sickness.

Avian influenza, or influenza A, is chiefly found in animals, but a virus infection of this type could occur in humans. Although cases of human infection have been on the rise since 1997, risk from this virus to humans is considered mild. In most cases, humans have caught this disease by coming in contact with contaminated surfaces like water bowls and cages, and with infected birds.

Cases of transmission of this virus from an infected human to another human have not been recorded officially. Some human influenza viruses are known to be subtypes of the avian bird flu influenza. Influenza A is continuously changing and it is possible that subtypes may adapt over time to infect and spread among humans.

Migratory waterfowl, most notably wild ducks, are the natural reservoir of avian influenza viruses, which is very contagious among them. When passed on to domestic birds like chicken, ducks and turkeys, the virus can make them very sick and even result in their death.

Infected birds transmit the influenza virus through their saliva, nasal secretion and feces. Domestic birds can contract the sickness when they come in contact with food containers, cage bars, water bowls, floors or with material such as feed and water that has become contaminated with this virus.

There is an extensive number of influenza viruses potentially circulating in bird populations, due to the fact that there are over a dozen subtypes of the influenza virus that infect birds. To date, all outbreaks of avian influenza have been caused by influenza A viruses of subtypes H5 and H7.

The sickness caused by this virus often take two stages. The first is a mild stage which often goes undetected. Symptoms for this stage are ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production. The second stage is where the internal organs of infected birds stop functioning and ultimately results in the death of the bird within 48 hours.

Humans who become infected with influenza A show symptoms similar to human influenza virus, and they may suffer from fever, muscle aches, sore throat, cough and eye infections.

In severe cases, they may have pneumonia and other life-threatening diseases. Death is a possible outcome of the infection.

What can we do to try to prevent a world-wide pandemic? While the efficacy of vaccines is no sure protection, many are trying to get their hands on these, since there is a chance that vaccines might help. The Australian government, not unlike many other governments, have stockpiled vaccines such as Tamiflu to prepare themselves for a possible outbreak of avian influenza, even though the exact virus that causes influenza A in humans has not yet been identified.

Another point to remember is that these viruses often become resistant to vaccines so by the time they are used, the particular influenza strain might not react to the present vaccines.

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Understand the Bird Flu Symptoms to Fight Against Bird Flu

2008-03-17T23:21:00.000-07:00

One of the latest fears around the World is the outbreak of bird flu. Bird flu has been spreading around countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and China. Now, this virus is rapidly spreading to more countries such as Japan, Korea, and recently, to European countries. It is important for individuals to be aware of this issue and understand the bird flu symptoms in order for one to take measures immediately and prevent the virus from spreading further.

The recorded bird flu symptoms among humans include fever, cough, sore throat, muscle pains and conjunctivitis. Other kinds of complications for people who contracted these illnesses include eye infections and acute respiratory distress. The most fearsome effect of the bird flu on humans are breathing disorders, such as pneumonia, and other severely life threatening complications that may eventually lead to death.

Since this condition is very dangerous, bird flu preparation is the key needed to prevent this life threatening disease from becoming a full-blown flu pandemic. People around the world need to be equipped with the basic awareness of the disease, such as understanding bird flu symptoms and how to prevent it, and should communicate and cooperate in the worldwide pursuit of ending the chain of bird flu victims.

What are the necessary things to do to prevent bird flu infection? How would you know if the person around you is suffering from this rare disease? What symptoms are they showing when one is affected by this condition? What should you do if you suspect a family member has avian flu? These are just among the many questions that you should know of the answer.

Prevention is definitely the most important thing in this battle. There might unfortunately be a very slim chance for cure when you are already infected by the disease. That is why prevention is so important.

The first preventive step in fighting off avian flu is for a person to wear a bird flu mask, especially if he or she will be exposed to fowl for longer than usual, such as those people who are working in a veterinary clinic, pet shops or poultry farms, or one who has already showed some bird flu symptoms. Some bird flu masks are equipped with nano-particles that are proven to be highly effective in eliminating viruses and bacteria. These masks (which are usually disposable) effectively isolate and destroy bacteria and viruses, thus preventing their unwelcome entrance to the human body.

Bird flu infestation has been a big threat to animals and humans as well. We have to give our sustained effort to fight off this influenza, especially since it has been reported to be evolving fast into becoming a highly contagious disease. Be sure to take action immediately, either by called for medical help or isolation till medical help arrives, when you notice bird flu symptoms. In doing so, you can help to prevent this deadly virus from spreading further.

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Christopher Wen is the webmaster for greenHealth information site where he provides articles, news, and remedies to current health issues we faced in our everyday life. Check out his blog at http://greenhealthinformation.com

Questions And Answers About Bird Flu (Avian Influenza)

2008-03-17T23:19:00.000-07:00

Bird Flu is an infectious disease of birds that can also affect people. It can present mild or severe forms of illness. The only subtype that can cause severe illness to people is Influenza A /H5N1 virus, initially it affects chickens, ducks and other birds by the process of mutation they can become highly pathogenic. Because highly pathogenic viruses can survive for long periods in tissue, water and in the environment, especially when temperatures are low is transmitted very easily in chickens and other birds through direct contact with feces and secretions from infected birds, eggs, feed, water, cages equipment, vehicles and clothing. The virus is excreted orally and in feces 10 days if the bird survives. Domestic birds can get infected when they roam freely or share water supply with other birds. The virus may be transported from farm to farm with contaminated equipment, vehicles, feeds, cages, or clothing, especially shoes. Luckily, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and through cooked chicken meat. But particles of discharges with the bird avian flu inhaled in market, poultry, surfaces and aerosols are very dangerous.Avian influenza affects chickens and the poultry industry, recombined with the human influenza viruses form a totally new influenza virus to which people do not have protection that spreads in the population and that causes serious illness and death in humans.

Signs and symptoms of bird flu in chickens: Infection determines many symptoms from mild illnesses to highly contagious and severe epidemics. Among them a decline in activity and in egg production, facial swelling and bluish-violet colored combs and wattles, diarrhea, hemorrhages, paralysis, sudden deaths.

Signs and symptoms of bird flu in humans are similar to other influenza viruses: sore throat and cough, fever, muscle weakness and/or pain with complications such as: severe viral pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome, multi- organ failure.

How to make a differential diagnostic between avian influenza, pneumonia or any other respiratory illness?

A laboratory and epidemiologic confirmation of the bird flu infection is needed and details required such as patient had direct or indirect contact with sick chickens or other birds.Treatments of bird flu are antiviral drugs, but some of these drugs are expensive and supplies are limited.

To prevent recombination of avian with the human influenza virus: is recommended a vaccine used against circulating strains in humans to those exposed to bird flu. Even better is recommended the prevention: to cease importating of live chickens and other poultry products from countries affected with bird flu, avoid contact of poultry with wild birds, proper hand washing and cleaning and disinfection procedures in poultries. Report to authorities any unusual death or illness of chickens other birds or humans. The rest of us should: wash hands with soap and water before and after handling chicken meat. Cook chicken well, not to let chickens roam freely, do not place chickens, ducks and pigs together in one area. Local Government Officials should: apprehend illegal trading of poultry, not allowing chickens to roam freely, correctly informate the community, advise public not to catch, get near or keep in captivity wild birds.

For more information about bird flu or even about symptoms of bird flu please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/symptoms-of-bird-flu.htm

Bird Flu In Britain - We Are All Going To Die

2008-03-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

Bird flu has reached Britain. One hundred and sixty thousand turkeys have recently been called in Suffolk, England. This was after the local farmers looking after the birds decided that some of the birds looked unwell and called in the inspectors. After appropriate testing it was found that the birds were suffering from the dangerous strain of bird flu virus and that an exclusion zone needed to be kept around the bird habitat and the birds were killed.

Time for panic or at least so it would seem.

The first mention of bird flu, especially in Western countries, is usually met with the blind assumption that we?re all going to die. Nothing, of course, can be further from the truth and facts show that only 160 people have died around the world from bird flu. All of these have been in close proximity to infected birds. Try explaining this to the general population and you will be met with disbelief.

As yet we have not been subjected to true human bird flu. The virus, at the moment, is contained within birds, although it can spread to humans, there is not yet any known human spread. That is to say there is no reason to suspect that humans have passed on the mutated virus to other humans. When it does, it is highly likely that this spread will be quite rampant. And, of course, there will be deaths?there are deaths in normal flu epidemics. But the deaths will be mainly due to general debility or other intercurrent illnesses which have been affected by the flu virus itself.

It is highly likely that the mutated flu virus?the one that travels between humans---will be much less dangerous than the bird flu virus itself.

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Bird Flu is Still a Threat for Humanity

2008-03-14T03:10:00.002-07:00

Bird flu, also known as avian influenza is a disease which affects the birds, especially the poultry, in different extents. The bird flu is produced by subtypes of influenza A virus and it sheds in the wild birds which transmit the virus to the poultry. The H5N1 subtype is considered to be the most pathogenic virus from all the subtypes of influenza A virus.

Chicken, ducks and turkeys get infected if they get in contact with discharges from infected birds, infected water, and infected vehicles. The eggs can also contaminate the incubator if they are from infected hens.

The birds which survive the infection can spread the virus for another period of at least 10 days through secretions, discharges and feathers.

The virus can easily spread in the area if a contaminated bird is left to roam freely; if it drinks water from the place other birds drink, this way contaminating the water. Cars can spread the virus also from one place to another if they are not disinfected properly. Shoes, cages and clothing are also a way of spreading the virus.

Humans can get infected if they get into close contact with ill birds. People who transport poultry, who feed them and clean the place the birds live in, are exposed to the virus if the birds are infected. Eating cooked chicken meal is not dangerous as the virus gets inactivated at heat.

Until now human to human transmission was not encountered.

The governments are concerned that the virus could mutate and achieve the ability of transmitting itself from one person to another. This could lead to a global pandemic and millions of people might die. Also, if this problem is not solved quickly the poultry industry will suffer and the economy of the country will drop.

In chicken the bird flu gives these symptoms: diarrhea, muscle weakness, breathing problems, sudden deaths, facial swelling, and a decline in the egg production.

In humans the symptoms of bird flu are: fever, muscle pain, sore throat and then cough, breathing problems and multi-organ failure in the last stage of the disease.

As there are so many diseases which manifest very much alike with bird flu the doctors must be very careful when diagnosing bird flu. If the patient got into close contact with a sick bird, or handles bird cages, laboratory tests will be done to see exactly if there is a bird flu infection.

There has not been yet discovered an effective vaccine against bird flu virus. The only thing humans can do is take a shot for a human influenza virus to prevent the recombination between the bird flu virus and human flu virus which could form a more threatening virus.

In order to prevent bird flu people must avoid getting into close contact with birds or their discharges; must not buy any living bird illegally as they are not controlled by the veterinaries, must report any suspect death of a bird to the authorities, and must disinfect properly after handling bird products.

For more information about bird flu or even about symptoms of bird flu please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/symptoms-of-bird-flu.htm

Bird Flu Kits

2008-03-14T03:10:00.001-07:00

Bird flu is not a new trend. In 1918 around 700 000 Americans were killed by this disease! This is why being prepared is essential! Every emergency preparedness kit needs survival gear such as respirators, protective overalls, eye protection, anti-microbial wipes, etc.

This is of course a debatable subject. Some scientists will argue that investing in something like ?flu wear? is a complete waste of time and money. Yet people will buy anything! And many people are running to get things from gloves to surgical masks to full biohazard suits!

Since avian flu or bird flu has spread all over the world, and jumped from China to Southeast Asia to Turkey, there has been an unprecedented level of interest in these safety supplies. But maybe there is good reason for this concern, as crazy as it may sound. But it is estimated that 750 000 people could die, in the UK alone, if this virus mutates and becomes capable of human-to-human transmission.

Sales of these bird flu safety kits have been even higher than those of anti-terrorism kits which sold like hot-cakes after July 7. July 7 being the day when a series of terrorist explosions killed over 50 people on the London subway. And it seems as though when people watch the news at night they get scared and look to these kits. This is the time where hits on websites supplying these kits will suddenly shoot up. And yes, children?s masks have also been developed and snatched up by worried parents.

Not only can you protect you child, but you can purchase a full ?family kit?. This is a lucky packet of protective wear against bird flu for the whole family!

It would probably be easier just to wash your hands constantly and avoid places with a lot of human traffic. Rather that than running around looking like an idiot in a full bird flu kit which will have you looking somewhat like an astronaut. But on the other hand, might this save your life? Whichever way, people do need to be educated about this virus. We need to keep ourselves aware. Prevention is obviously the best method!

Be more educated about Bird Flu

Bird Flu Prevention

2008-03-12T22:21:00.000-07:00

Prevention is better than cure! These words are too true. And countries around the world have taken to doing anything possible to prevent the outbreak of bird flu. Bird flu has killed more than 60 people thus far in South East Asia. This is since it was discovered in 2003. It also resulted in the deaths of millions of poultry.

This virus can be a serious threat if it develops the capacity of easy transmission from one person to another. Experts and decision-makers (400 of them!) had to gather recently for a three-day council of war on bird flu, which took place at the World Health Organisation headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

There is currently no vaccine available to protect humans against avian flu or bird flu ? also known as the H5N1 virus. But development is underway ? research began in 2005.

Personally, everyone should know what steps to take so as to keep risk at a minimum. Stay away from people who are coughing and sneezing, especially if you are visiting a country other than your own. Be especially careful if you do not know the bird flu status of that country. Try to avoid places with a lot of human traffic, such as movies, concerts or shopping malls. Try skip peak hour on busses or trains. But if you must travel in areas which are crowded, wear a mask or respirator. This will protect you against any airborne bird flu virus. These particles are released when people cough, sneeze and just talk.

There are so many measures that can take taken. Even in the work environment. Small things, such as using your own coffee mug and using disposable towels to open the toilet door, might just save your life. These things are not difficult to do ? personally I do most of them anyways. But if there is a serious risk then you may want to don your bird flu survival kit ? especially if you or a co-worker are coughing and sneezing.

Whether at home, work and out and about, try and pay attention to the small things. Do not share your cutlery or drink containers. What seems like sharing a cool drink may actually lead to contraction of the virus. Try not to touch things, such as the bathroom door or the handle of the shopping cart. Use towelling papers, or even wear gloves. If you saw all the germs on communal spots such as ATM machines anyways you would probably never take your gloves off in public again!

More questions answered with Bird Flu Q&A

Bird Flu

2008-03-11T21:57:00.002-07:00

The recent growth of bird flu cases popping up around the globe has triggered a world wide concern to prevent the spreading of this lethal disease.

Firstly, avian flu or bird flu caused by the H5N1 virus is a very common affliction with wild birds. Although they are only carriers without being affected by the infection, the disease is deadly for domestic poultry and humans.

Furthermore, the increased number of people affected by avian flu and its high mortality rate prove that the H5N1 virus has the power to mutate and redevelop its structure. The virus can be detected in the saliva and nasal secretions of birds. The possibility of new strains being developed is more likely to happen in under-privileged communities where people live in close quarters with poultry. For example, sharing the same water between various types of domesticated animals can determine animal-to-animal transmission and even more drastically animal-to-human transmission.

Additionaly, even the common flu virus manifests a permanent antigenic shift. For this reason, the vaccines must be constantly updated to be able to fight-back the newest strains of the virus. Until now there have been detected three types of influenza viruses: A, B and C, the former being the most dangerous to humans.

Moreover, immunity deficiency against avian flu can generate a world wide pandemic. Even more the virus does not respond to Amantadine (drugs used to treat flu). Among the manifestations of the infection are: fever, sore throat, muscle aches, headaches, lethargy, conjunctivitis (eye infections), chest pains and breathing problems. Death occurs because of respiratory illnesses in no more than weeks after contacting the infection. The cases of avian flu affecting humans have provoked the killing of millions of domestic birds in South-East Asia in a desperate try to prevent the further spread of the virus.

All in all, the possibility of the H5N1 virus to cause a flu pandemic has put scientists on a tight race to protect human existence by creating an efficient vaccine against this dreadful disease.

So, if you want to find out more about bird flu vaccine or even about asian bird flu please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/

How Bird Flu Is Manifested In Humans

2008-03-11T21:57:00.001-07:00

Professor Peter Openshaw, head of respiratory infections at National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London answered some questions regarding bird flu symptoms.

Which are the symptoms of the bird flu in humans? The symptoms of bird flu in humans are similar with those of an ordinary flu with fever, cough, muscle aches and short breath. Pay attention if your temperature goes up to 38 degrees, it might be bird flu but, if the temperature is lower it might be only a common flu. In almost half of the cases bird flu seems to be like an abdominal flu with diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting. So, to be sure you should perform some tests, if you hadn?t been in contact with sick poultry then you don?t need to worry for sure it?s only an ordinary flu.

How to be sure that is bird flu and not any other common flu? After the exposure in 3-7 days the symptoms develop. By the time patients get to the hospital it is too late to follow a treatment with antiviral agents.

How quickly is manifested the disease ? Bird flu should be treated within two days after developing fever of 38 degrees, that?s why is so important to measure your temperature. Severe symptoms that lead to death: The organ which is most affected is the lung and that?s why most people die. Some are developing kidney problems and more than a half bone marrow deficiency, so the bone is not producing cells to deal with the infection so the body is overwhelmed.

What is to be done if someone suspects that he is infected? It is very important to get close to a medical facility that can provide artificial ventilation if necessary and antiviral drugs, especially in the early stages of the disease. Next, the treatment is supportive and needs to overcome the kidney or lung failure and the spreading of the virus. The only subtype that can cause severe illness to people is Influenza A /H5N1 virus, initially it affects chickens, ducks and other birds by the process of mutation they can become highly pathogenic. Because highly pathogenic viruses can survive for long periods in tissue, water and in the environment, especially when temperatures are low is transmitted very easily in chickens and other birds through direct contact with feces and secretions from infected birds, eggs, feed, water, cages equipment, vehicles and clothing. Public health authorities monitor human illnesses associated with avian influenza. In Hong-Kong occured for the first time infection both in humans and poultry and were killed about 1.5 million chickens. In China and Hong-Kong avian influenza A (H9N2) virus infection affected two children who recovered. The source was unknown, but suspected the poultry.

For more information about bird flu or even about symptoms of bird flu please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/symptoms-of-bird-flu.htm

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Particular Concerns

2008-03-10T22:19:00.000-07:00

Avian Influenza first occurred in Italy, but nowdays is spread along the world. It is an infectious disease caused by type A strains of the influenza virus. All birds are supposed to be susceptible to the avian influenza, but particularly domestic poultry.

Recombined with the human influenza viruses form a totally new influenza virus to which people do not have protection that spreads in the population and that causes serious illness and death in humans. Bird Flu is an infectious disease of birds that can also affect people. It can present mild or severe forms of illness.

The only subtype that can cause severe illness to people is Influenza A /H5N1 virus, initially it affects chickens, ducks and other birds by the process of mutation they can become highly pathogenic. If the bird flu virus recombines with a human flu virus and mutate it may become possible the transmission from human to human as happened in Asia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia Thailand, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Eygpt, China, and Iraq where people died.

Bird flu affected Australia in 1997 but, was eradicated. Water birds are supposed to carry the avian influenza type A virus inside their intestines and to distribute it in the environment through bird faeces. In highly contagious forms results in severe epidemics and rapid death. In Hong-Kong it has been declared pandemic.

H5N1is considered to be dangerous because it mutates rapidly and aquires genes from viruses infecting other animal species and human. The more affected were the birds of avian influenza the more dangerous was the infection for human beings, transmited by migratory birds. This could be the start for influenza pandemic.

Symptoms and treatments

Patients usually develop fever, sore throat, cough, severe respiratory distress and viral pneumonia. The people which were affected are of all ages in different states of health. Luckily, there are rapid tests for diagnosing all influenza strains. Antiviral drugs have some limitations, although they are effective in the treatment and prevention of influenza A virus strains. If a new virus subtype occures, it takes some time to produce a new vaccine to be efficient.

The World Health Organization (WHO) makes reports and updates regarding new human cases of infection with bird flu. It is also important to question patients if they had direct or indirect contact with sick chickens or other birds. Not allowing chickens to roam freely, correctly informate the community, advise public not to catch, get near or keep in captivity wild birds are important requirements in order to prevent a catastrophal pandemic.We must wash hands with soap and water before and after handling chicken meat. Cook chicken well, not to let chickens roam freely, do not place chickens, ducks and pigs together in one area.

For more information about bird flu or even about bird flu prevention please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/bird-flu-prevention.htm

General Information Regarding Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

2008-03-09T22:11:00.002-07:00

The World Health Organization (WHO) makes reports and updates regarding new human cases of infection with bird flu. The only subtype that can cause severe illness to people is Influenza A /H5N1 virus, initially it affects chickens, ducks and other birds by the process of mutation they can become highly pathogenic. Because highly pathogenic viruses can survive for long periods in tissue, water and in the environment, especially when temperatures are low is transmitted very easily in chickens and other birds through direct contact with feces and secretions from infected birds, eggs, feed, water, cages equipment, vehicles and clothing. Public health authorities monitor human illnesses associated with avian influenza. In Hong-Kong occured for the first time infection both in humans and poultry and were killed about 1.5 million chickens.

In China and Hong-Kong avian influenza A (H9N2) virus infection affected two children who recovered. The source was unknown, but suspected the poultry.

In Virginia, 2002 an outbreak of H7N2 among poultry was descovered but,with no human victims. Canada, 2004: human infections among poultry workers with H7N3.

Thailand and Vietnam human infections with H5N1. Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey, 2006: Human infections with H5N1 occurred as a result of contact with infected poultry and with infected death swangs. Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, 2005 two persons have been infected with H5N1 as result of consuming uncooked duck blood. China two cases of patogenic infections with avian influenza A (H5N1) have been confirmed in a family travelling through China. Netherlands, 2003 were reported outbreaks of influenza A (H7N7) in several farms, after which in pigs and people, 90 people were confrmed with bird flu virus H7N7 in association with cases of eye conjunctivitis, one death occured at a veterinarian with acute respiratory distress syndrome and other complications after having direct contact with infected poultry. In New York, 2003 there has been registered one case a patient with respiratory symptoms which recovered in few weeks and tests confirmed it had been avian influenza A (H7N2) virus. Signs and symptoms of bird flu in humans are similar to other influenza viruses: sore throat and cough, fever, muscle weakness and/or pain, eye infections, with life-threatening complications such as: severe viral pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome, multi- organ failure.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests the following antiviral agents supposed to prevent and treat avian influenza: amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir, and zanamivir. They may be not always effective it has been demonstrated that viruses are resistent to amantadine and rimantadine. In the United States they are not in use any more for the treatment or prevention (prophylaxis) of influenza A. Specialists are monitoring the resistence of avian influenza A viruses to influenza antiviral medications.

For more information about bird flu or even about bird flu vaccine please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/bird-flu-vaccine.htm

Bird Flu Virus Is Now Known To Have Evolved In Two Forms

2008-03-09T22:11:00.001-07:00

What was only a supposition, now it is proven, that the bird flu virus has evolved in two strains that are distinct genetically speaking. This is not good news as it might cause even more deaths among humans and the researchers will have to work double for finding an effective vaccine against these two forms of bird flu virus.

Between the year 2003 and 2005, US scientists have been collecting and analyzing more than 300 samples of H5N1 virus taken from infected birds and humans. They discovered that in 2003 and 2004 the human and bird population was affected by the same type of virus that was active in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. But in 2005 a new strain of H5N1 virus appeared and infected people from Indonesia. This virus is in a continuous genetic development and as time goes by our treatment option become more and more restrained.

Since 2003 the virus affected 180 people and killed 100 from all over the world. Doctors are afraid that a pandemic could start if the virus is not kept under control and hope that this virus will remain a bird virus and will not change into a human one. If the virus gains the ability of transmitting itself from human to human then the whole world population is in danger.

Fortunately, according to the scientists those two forms of the virus do not have the possibility of spreading easily from on person to another.

Until now the US scientists have been trying to find a vaccine that will kill both viruses. The vaccine will be 100% definitive once the exact form of a pandemic virus is known. The scientists believe that one vaccine could offer partial protection against the other type of virus strain if it works against the first one.

Scientists need to move fast because the viruses have the ability of changing their status and of developing very fast, gaining even the possibility of transmitting themselves from one person to another.

The thing is that no one had expected for the virus to travel around the world so easily and to mutate so fast creating another strain. But scientists are confident that by keeping the virus under control in birds they can find a suitable vaccine in a year or two. As long as the governments work together and help each other there is no need for panic as there is still hope for a cure.

For more information about bird flu or even about bird flu prevention please review this page http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/bird-flu-prevention.htm

The Bird Flu - Are You Ready?

2008-03-07T21:16:00.000-08:00

Bird Flu is caused by Avian flu viruses which naturally occur in birds. Birds in the wild, all over the world, carry the virus in their intestines, although they rarely become ill from it.

The Bird Flu however, is very contagious among birds and can spread to domesticated birds such as ducks & chickens and kill them. The Bird Flu is transmitted though saliva, nasal secretions and feces. Usually the Bird Flu is only transmitted from bird to bird, but cases have now been widely reported since 1997 of the flu being transmitted from bird to human, with cases reported of human to human transmission, although the virus has not infected more than one person in those cases. Bird Flu viruses are always changing, and over time may develop into a strain that can be transmitted from human to human to human, in which case we would be faced with a global pandemic of devastating proportions.

Symptoms of Bird Flu in humans can be anywhere from norman flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, cough, fever & muscle aches, to respiratory diseases such as acute respiratory distress, eye infections, pneumonia and other severe life- threatening complications.

As of January, 2006, cases of the Bird Flu in humans have been reported in several countries including China, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, with several cases in Turkey in recent months. Over 140 cases have been reported by the WHO since 2004. Most of the people infected had been in close contact with birds that were infected with the Bird Flu.

Scientists are not able to predict if or when a Bird Flu pandemic will occur, but have been keeping a close eye on the virus in Asia and Europe and are preparing for the worst possible scenario.

If you need more information on the Bird Flu, treatment for the flu with Tamiflu, or where to Buy Tamiflu we have supplied plenty of information links that can help you answer your questions about the Bird Flu.

Don't forget to bookmark us (control + D) so you can check back regularly for updates on the virus.

Charles Dumont - http://avian-bird-flu-crisis.blogspot.com

Social Distancing is the Key to Minimising Bird Flu Infection in Your Business

2008-03-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

Second to frequent hand washing, the next best way to protect yourself and your staff is to minimise or eliminate close contact and proximity to others. This is 'Social Distancing' and is the term being used more and more frequently as people learn what measures they can take to try to minimise the chance of contracting Bird Flu when the pandemic starts.

There are a number of ways you can encourage social distancing in the workplace. For example crowded places and large gatherings of people should be avoided, whether in internal or external spaces.

A distance of at least one meter should be maintained between persons wherever practical. Larger distances are more effective.

Visiting of, or other contact with, unwell people should be avoided wherever practicable.

Avoid meeting people face to face, use the telephone, video conferencing and the internet to conduct business as much as possible, even when participants are in the same building.

Avoid handshaking and any other greeting which involves person to person contact.

Avoid any unnecessary travel and cancel or postpone non-essential meetings, gatherings, workshops and training sessions.

If possible, arrange for employees to work from home or work variable hours to avoid crowding at the workplace.

Practice 'ghost' shift changes wherever possible, with the shift going off duty leaving the workplace before the new shift enters. If possible, leave an interval before re-occupation of the workplace. If possible, thoroughly ventilate the workplace between shifts by opening doors and windows or turning up the air-conditioning.

Avoid public transport. Walk, cycle, drive a car or go early or late to avoid rush hour crowding on public transport

Bring lunch and eat at desk or away from others. Avoid the cafeteria and crowded restaurants. Consider introducing staggered lunchtimes so numbers of people in the lunch room are reduced.

Do not congregate in tearooms or other areas where people socialise. Do what needs to be done and then leave the area.

If a face-to-face meeting with people is unavoidable, minimise the meeting time, choose a large meeting room and sit at least one meter away from each other if possible, avoid shaking hands or hugging. Consider holding meetings in the open air.

Set up systems where clients and customers can pre-order, request information via phone, email, fax and have the order or information ready for fast pick-up or delivery.

Encourage staff to avoid recreational or other leisure classes, meetings etc. where they might come into contact with infectious people.

If the company does not utilise business internet banking, set it up and begin the migration immediately.

Encourage staff to apply for and use personal internet banking. This will allow them to avoid making unnecessary trips to the bank.

Try using conference calling equipment instead of face to face meetings. Get people comfortable with using it now and they'll be 'ready trained' when the need to make conference calls instead of meeting becomes serious.

You can find more ideas to help you prepare your business for a pandemic outbreak of Bird Flu by visiting Bird Flu Manual Online. Start your preparations and training now before it's too late.

Nigel Thomas is a veteran business continuity professional. He is also the operator of Bird Flu Manual Online, a reference and resource mine designed to help you get your business prepared for Bird Flu. Learn how to conduct a risk assessment or how to increase your staff awareness. No login required.

Take Steps To Curb Growth Of Bird Flu Virus

2008-03-05T21:53:00.000-08:00

In the recent years, Avian Bird Flu has come out as one of the most deadly diseases, troubling the domesticated birds in large. Till date no vaccination or medication is ready against this life threatening viral disease. Scientists from all over the world are working in direction of formulating a flu vaccination. The vaccination if developed would be very effective against any of the strains of the bird flu virus.

Through various studies it has been found that there are various strains and subtypes of these deadly viruses which are solely responsible for causing a havoc in healths of the birds. All the viruses differ from each other. They vary in their genetic composition and thus cause varying effects after multiplying in the host body. Some of them show minute symptoms like high fever, vomiting and nausea while the others can cause organ failure or even the death of the host body.

These viruses are found to mutate very rapidly and thereby take the shape of more deadly and harmful viruses. Generally bird flu virus does not infect the human body. But H5N1 is a kind of virus that is known to exist in the mucous membranes of the human body. This is responsible for making humans the victim of bird flu.

The bird flu virus is carried by the wild and the migratory birds like water fowl and ducks. But these carriers are not at all affected by this harmful virus. Strange but its true. The mutation rate of this virus is very fast. They can mutate in seconds to give rise to a new form of virus, which can be even more deadlier than its parent cells.

Prevention is always better than cure. That is, taking a few steps you can fight against the bird flu and prevent it from spreading further. Of them the most easiest one is to maintain cleanliness in your surrounding areas. Even proper cooking of chicken can kill the virus causing bird flu.

To read more articles on bird flu, bird flu virus and bird flu vaccine visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

The author writes articles on different topics. To get more bird flu articles visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

Scientists finally create an effective vaccine against Bird flu virus

2008-03-04T21:17:00.000-08:00

So far, the public health authorities have been in a continuous alert due to the presence of H5N1, the bird flu virus which affected Asia and infected about 100 humans in the past 18 months, half of the victims not surviving the virus attack. Scientists worry about a possible global pandemic, and so they have been trying to develop an effective vaccine against H5N1. Until now millions of birds were slaughtered in Asia in the attempt of stopping the virus from transmitting itself to animals and humans.

After a long wait, yesterday, a federal health spokesman said that the scientists have finally created an effective vaccine against a strain of the flu virus that is considered to be a possible spark for the beginning of a global pandemic.

The vaccine has been tested on 133 volunteers within a study conducted by US universities, and has proved to be efficient, providing a powerful weapon against the flu virus.

The study has been conducted at the University of Maryland at Baltimore, the University of Rochester in New York and the University of California at Los Angeles.

The conclusions of the study were that two doses of the vaccine are enough to produce the right immunization to neutralize the virus.

Also, a British company is working to produce an effective bird flu vaccine.

The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony S. Fauci declared to be very enthusiastic about the new vaccine and its immunizing properties, also declaring that he considers the tests to be a key step in the world's attempt to stop a possible global pandemic.

Another scientist, Michael T. Osterholm of the University of Minnesota was very relieved when hearing about the success registered by the new vaccine when tested, and declare that he was worried about the fact that two doses of the vaccine might not have been working, that constituting a real problem for the researchers.

More testing will be needed before the vaccine will be ready to be mass produced, and also a method of distributing large quantities will have to be designed.

Scientists are positive that in case of a global pandemic a lot of people will be left unvaccinated due to the existent lacks in the health system, because it is not easy to produce and distribute the vaccine effectively in a short time.

So, if you want to find out more about bird flu treatment or even about bird flu info please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/

Is a bird flu vaccine really effective?

2008-03-04T21:16:00.000-08:00

Bird flu is still a hot subject at the World Health Organization meetings, due to the fact that is still considered a threat for humanity.

Scientists believe that the H5N1 virus could mutate and then transmit from human to human causing a global pandemic, for which humanity is not yet prepared.

We have not developed a drug or a vaccine that might kill this evil virus, and so we are exposed to it. Lately there have been debates about the usefulness of the annual flu vaccines. Some scientists declare that if you get annually a flu vaccine, you are making yourself more susceptible to the flu in subsequent years, by weakening your immune system, instead of enforcing it.

Dr. Haim Danenberg of Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem says that one who did not get annual flu shots is possible to poses a better immune system then the annually vaccinated ones.

Some even say that flu vaccines create a pattern of dependence and once you begin taking them you will need to take them every year because your immune system gets weaker every year.

Phyllis Balch, an author of herbs and health does not recommend flu shots and suggests that the solution of getting rid of flu is by strengthening the immune system.

Every year a new strain of virus develops and we can not be sure that the flu shot we took will match for this new virus too, and the antibody response will only be protective if we are luckily enough to get infected with the right virus.

A study from Netherlands made on elderly people concluded that flu shots only give you one percent lower chance of getting the flu after all, so we ask ourselves why doctors and governments make all this propaganda for flu shots if they are only1% helpful.

In the case of bird flu things might not be like this, because if a virus strain is isolated and used to manufacture a bird flu vaccine, it may turn out to be more effective than 1%. Studies have not concluded yet.

It seems that flu shots contain toxic substances too, like mercury which is connected with the Alzheimer disease and could contribute to a mercury poisoning.

There is a law that indemnifies vaccine manufacturers from the harm caused by their products in case of a viral pandemic, even if the vaccine kills people.

You could find more about this law at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:s.01873:

So, the vaccine producers are protected in case of a mass murder, and they even get money for it (they sell their vaccine to health authorities). This proves that vaccines are not safe and that is why the vaccine companies have assured their legal protection.

Before getting a shot, people should first find out mere about the side effects given by the vaccines and to reconsider whether they want to risk taking it or try a different solution like the real anti-viral medicines.

So, if you want to find out more about bird flu prevention or even about symptoms of bird flu please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/

Is A Bird Flu Vaccine Really Effective

2008-03-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

Bird flu is still a hot subject at the World Health Organization meetings, due to the fact that is still considered a threat for humanity.

Scientists believe that the H5N1 virus could mutate and then transmit from human to human causing a global pandemic, for which humanity is not yet prepared.

Dr. Haim Danenberg of Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem says that one who did not get annual flu shots is possible to poses a better immune system then the annually vaccinated ones.

Some even say that flu vaccines create a pattern of dependence and once you begin taking them you will need to take them every year because your immune system gets weaker every year.

Phyllis Balch, an author of herbs and health does not recommend flu shots and suggests that the solution of getting rid of flu is by strengthening the immune system.

It seems that flu shots contain toxic substances too, like mercury which is connected with the Alzheimer disease and could contribute to a mercury poisoning.

There is a law that indemnifies vaccine manufacturers from the harm caused by their products in case of a viral pandemic, even if the vaccine kills people.

You could find more about this law at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:s.01873:

So, if you want to find out more about bird flu prevention or even about symptoms of bird flu please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com

Bird Flu Vaccine is Almost Ready to Go on the Market

2008-03-02T21:42:00.002-08:00

A spokesman of World Health Organization announced that scientists have finally created a possible effective flu vaccine.

Clinical tests have been carried out with a flu vaccine made by Sanofi Pasteur. The conclusions were that there are needed two shots of the vaccine, administered four weeks apart, to immunize at least 50% of human organisms.

The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony S. Fauci declared to be very enthusiastic about the new vaccine and its immunizing properties, also saying that he considers the tests to be a key step in the world's attempt to stop a possible global pandemic.

Currently the US government stockpiled only four million doses of the H5N1 vaccine, but this quantity is not enough to cover up all the people in case a pandemic starts.

A solution for stretching vaccine stores are administering along with the vaccine an immunity boosting substance (an adjuvant), and so, this will reduce the amount of the vaccine needed for immunizing the human body, and will improve the vaccine's effects.

Now, there are made clinical tests with adjuvant substances to see how the immune response to the vaccine is.

John Treanor, MD, director of the vaccine and treatment evaluation unit at the University of Rochester in New York, said that when it was discovered that it will be needed a higher dose of H5N1 vaccine to stimulate the wanted immunity, than a regular flu shot no one was taken by surprise, scientists suspecting this when first testing the vaccine.

The high-dose of bird flu vaccine stimulated a kind of antibody response that was known to have protected people in 1997 during an outbreak of H5N1 virus in Hong Kong.

Scientists do not know whether this vaccine will be effective in case of a human to human transmission of the virus and they are not willing to expose any study volunteers to potentially lethal bird flu.

In the process of developing much faster new bird flu vaccines, the US government is supporting the producers to move from growing vaccine virus in chicken eggs, to faster cell-culture techniques.

It is very important that producers accelerate the manufacture of new vaccines, because the H5N1 virus is fast mutating to more aggressive forms that might cause a human pandemic.

One good news is the governments are considering stockpiling H5N1 vaccine and that scientists are ready to create new improved vaccines in case of a development of the virus.

So, if you want to find out more about bird flu vaccine or even about asian bird flu please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/

General Information on Bird Flu

2008-03-02T21:42:00.001-08:00

Bird flu is a disease caused by type "A" influenza viruses.

Wild birds are a natural reservoir of type A of flu virus, but they are not affected by it. They can infect domestic birds such as chicken or turkey, which get ill and die.

Birds get infected if they get in contact with secretions or excretions of the affected birds, with contaminated water or food and even with contaminated surfaces (dirt and cages). The avian influenza viruses can cause a mild form of the disease that does not kill the infected birds, and it only reduces the egg production, and a highly virulent form that can lead to death within 48 hours by multiple internal organ lesions.

Type A of influenza virus has many different subtypes due to changes in some proteins situated on the surface of the A virus. These changeable proteins are Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA). There exist 16 known HA subtypes and 9 NA subtypes of "A" virus, but there are possible many combinations between HA and NA proteins, leading to new subtypes. All these subtypes can now be found in birds.

Until 1997 nobody knew that the virus can affect humans, but it has happened to those who have been in close contact with infected poultry. Until now, no cases of human to human transmission of the infection were registered.

Human influenza viruses generally refer to those subtypes that can infect only humans. There are known to exist three "A" subtypes of human influenza viruses (H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2). There is the possibility that these subtypes to have came from birds originally and scientists worry about the possibility that the bird flu viruses to mutate and transmit from human to human.

Some symptoms of bird flu infection on humans are: fever, lethargy, sore throat, breathing problems, conjunctivitis, muscle aches and cough.

Studies suggest that antiviral drugs used against human influenza might be useful in treating bird flu infection in humans too, but this thing must be studied more.

The H5N1 virus is one of the most lethal subtypes of the influenza "A" virus. In the last few years, in Asia, H5N1 caused millions of deaths among domestic birds and hundreds among humans. People got infected because they got in close contact with the infected poultry and the contaminated surfaces, but otherwise H5N1 remains a rare disease in people and does not spread from human to human.

There was one case in Indonesia where a family member is suspected to have transmitted the illness to the other members, but this fact has not been sustained scientifically.

Scientists are concerned about a possible mutation of the virus, leading to a global pandemic, similar to the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919 when 40-50 million people died.

Doctors have discovered that H5N1 virus is resistant amantadine and rimantadine, two antiviral drugs used for treating human influenza. There remain oseltamavir and zanamavir to be tested.

A H5N1 vaccine is being tested and the results seem to be promising, this leading to an absolute control over the bird flu and even to its eradication.

So, if you want to find out more about bird flu treatment or even about bird flu info please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/

An Answer To All Your Questions On Bird Flu

2008-02-29T21:34:00.001-08:00

1. What is Bird Flu?

Bird flu is a virus infection that normally occurs in wild birds and pathologically in poultry, its forms causing mild symptoms or even death within 48 hours. It can also infect humans.

2. What virus is responsible for Bird flu?

There are many subtypes of influenza "A" virus, which affect in a different way poultry, causing mild or serious diseases to birds.

The most lethal subtype of influenza "A" virus is H5N1, also known to be very dangerous to humans.

3. How can birds get infected?

Wild birds are a reservoir of the virus and they spread the disease among the poultry which gets into close contact to contaminated dirt, water, food and wild bird excrements.

4. How can the infection spread within the country?

Contaminated vehicles, clothes, cages and shoes can carry the virus from place to place. Birds that roam freely and those sold in markets can also to that.

5. How can Bird flu infect humans?

Getting in close contact with an infected bird can lead to human contamination. People that take care or sell in markets such infected birds, like chicken, turkey and ducks, inhale particles from dried excrements, or feathers which are contaminated.

Eating cooked chicken is not dangerous because heat kills the H5N1 virus.

6. Why worry about Bird flu?

- H5N1 virus has caused by now millions of bird deaths, and hundreds of humans only in Asia;
- If the virus mutates it will spread from human to human, causing a global pandemic;
- Chicken industry will be seriously affected.

7. How can I know if I have Bird flu?

If you have been lately in close contact with one ore more infected birds, you could develop one or more of these symptoms: fever, lethargy, sore throat, muscle aches, cough, breathing problems, and multi-organ failure.

8. How does it manifest on birds?

Chicken are not as productive as before, they suffer muscle paralysis, diarrhea, they gasp for breath, and even die suddenly.

9. How can we treat bird flu?

Usually doctors use antiviral drugs for treatment, some are also used for prevention. Scientists are researching a vaccine against H5N1 virus and the results seem to be promising.

10. What measures does the Government take in case of Bird flu?

The government will prohibit selling chickens in the markets while there is a threat of bird flu; will advise people to stay away from any kind of birds; will ask farmers to report any suspect deaths observed on poultry.

So, if you want to find out more about symptoms of bird flu or even about bird flu prevention please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com

Asking about Bird Flu

2008-02-27T21:38:00.000-08:00

1. What virus is responsible for Bird flu?

There are many subtypes of influenza "A" virus, which affect in a different way poultry, causing mild or serious diseases to birds.

The most lethal subtype of influenza "A" virus is H5N1, also known to be very dangerous to humans.

2. Why do we call the virus H5N1?

On the surface of the virus are some proteins called Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA). Hemagglutinin allows the virus to initiate the infecting process and Neuraminidase prevents the newly formed virus from exiting the host cell. There exist 16 known HA subtypes and 9 NA subtypes of influenza virus. The H5N1 virus has in its structure hemagglutinin type 5 and neuraminidase type 1.

3. Why must we worry about Bird flu?

4. How can H5N1 virus infect humans?

Getting in close contact with an infected bird can lead to human contamination. People that take care, or sell in markets such infected birds, like chicken, turkey and ducks, inhale particles from dried excrements, or feathers which are contaminated.

5. How can we treat Bird flu?

Untill now doctors have used antiviral drugs obtaining good results, and they are waiting for the accreditation of a H5N1 vaccine.

6. Which vaccines are currently being tested?

The Sanofi Pasteur vaccine (Swiftwater, PA) and the Chiron vaccine (Emeryville, CA), both made out of inactivated H5N1 viruses are being tested by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

7. How did they obtain the H5N1 virus to create a vaccine?

Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, applied the reverse genetics technique to create this H5N1 reference virus, and then gave it to Sanofi Pasteur and Chiron to test it.

8. What were the results of the tests?

There was a promising result proving that a double dose of 90-?g each can stimulate the right immune response for the H5N1 virus.

9. Can an under study vaccine give me the flu?

No, because these vaccines are made out of inactivated H5N1 viruses.

10. What other studies concerning Bird flu are being made?

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases are testing if the intradermal dose may be as immunizing as a larger dose administered intramuscularly and if adjuvants like Aluminum hydroxide and MF59 help in any way.

11. What measures will the Government take in case of Bird Flu infections?

The government will prohibit selling chickens in the markets while there is a threat of bird flu and also will suspend the imports of chicken from the infected countries; will advise people to stay away from any kind of birds; will ask farmers to report any suspect deaths observed on poultry.

So, if you want to find out more about asian bird flu or even about bird flu vaccine please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com

The Bird Flu: Protecting Yourself

2008-02-27T21:36:00.000-08:00

The bird flu is another name for the Avian flu, which is a flu that could wipe out large amounts of people around the world. This flu is quite unique over the other types of flu that are usually the ones that people get. This flu, which currently has not made the leap that it must make in order to be deadly, can be something of a large worry to those that are ill. You see, the bird flu is one of the most deadly flues in animals. To this point, the mortality rate of any animal that has gotten the bird flu has been 100 percent. The fear is that if the bird flu makes its move so that it can move from one person to the next person that these high rates of mortality will happen in the human population too.

The question is, then, what can you do to help protect yourself about the bird flu, or any flu for that matter? You should use the same approach for all flu type illness. Although the bird flu has only killed a handful of people around the world, the standard types of flu that are out there every year kill some 130,000 Americans each year. Here are some things you can do to help improve your lifestyle so that you can avoid the bird flu.

* Use good sanitary cleanliness. For example, wash your hands before touching your eyes, mouth and before eating. Teaching children how to prevent germs from moving from one person to the next is also quite important. * Use an air purifier. These units can help to pull out the bacteria and other germs lurking in the air that ends up leading to these conditions. * Stay in touch, but stay home. Those that stay home from school and work when they are ill are less likely to spread the condition to others.

All of these things, as well as common sense, can help you to avoid the bird flu or any other flu that will make you ill.

Kerry Rodden is an expert on air purifiers, and has written many articles on air purifiers, fans, vacuum cleaners, air fresheners and a lot more.

You can read more of Kerry's articles about air purifiers at http://www.lowplaces.net

Tamiflu- the most preferred drug for bird flu

2008-02-26T21:21:00.001-08:00

Bird flu might have disappeared from the news recently but the likelihood of a human pandemic has not retreated along with media interest in the story. Avian influenza or bird flu is more like a viral infection. The beginning of bird flu starts with symptoms like coughing, nose and throat infection accompanied with high fever and irritating aches and pains. Bird flu clearly differentiate itself from a minor viral infection through its area of influence hence the medication and plan of treatment is totally different.

H5n1 is the active strain that causes avian influenza or bird flu. It is commonly present in the gut of the wild migratory birds but due to their natural resistance it does not have any effect on them. When wild and domestic stocks mix the strain passes over to domestic poultry, it turns fatal. This has been clearly indicated by recent large scale outbreaks in china and other south East Asian countries.

Some of the suggested ways to take care of, while suffering from influenza are: taking a proper rest, consuming a lot of fluids which ultimately help us avoid dehydration and taking pain relievers to get a temporary relief from the effects of flu. To give relief from influenza tamiflu was introduced. Tami flu (oseltamivir phosphate) attacks the influenza virus and stops it from spreading inside your body is an FDA approved anti-flu drug providing a healthier and safer life to the majority of people suffering from influenza.

Tami flu belongs to the family of medicines called neuraminidase inhibitors. These medications help in attacking the influenza virus and prevent it from spreading inside your body. Some of the most noted and effective drugs against bird flu are amantadine, relenza, rimantadine and tamiflu. Out of all these tamiflu has been acclaimed as the number one doctor prescribed flu medicine in the last flu season. Due to its unbeatable results and performance tamiflu continues to be the only preferred medicine for the treatment of bird flu.

Roche, the maker of tamiflu confirms that oral anti-influenza drug tamiflu (oseltamivir) could be effective in the treatment and post-contact prevention of avian influenza that is circulating in the Far East therefore tamiflu and bird flu are associated with each other. Tamiflu helps in reducing common flu and bird flu symptoms such as weakness, headache, fever, cough, and sore throat by 1 day. Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate) has also been shown to prevent influenza infection if you have come into close contact with someone who has the flu. Tamiflu, one of the most sought after drug for treating flu is the only antiviral drug available in the United States for both the treatment and prevention of the most common strains of influenza types A and B.

The flu drug belongs to the latest breed of the neuraminidase inhibitor (NI) class of medicines designed specifically to prevent the influenza virus from spreading and infecting other cells. It is immensely effective against all common strains of influenza (types A and B). The medication targets one of two major surface structures on the influenza virus - the neuraminidase protein. The neuraminidase protein is virtually the same in all common strains of influenza. If neuraminidase is inhibited, the virus is not able to infect new cells.

Tamiflu dosage will be different for different patients. You're required to follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of tamiflu. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. For adults 75 milligrams (mg) two times a day for five days.

For children of 1 year of age or older the dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. It is usually between 30 and 75 mg two times a day for five days. For children up to 1 year of age, use and dose is determined by the doctor. For adults and for teenagers of 13 years of age or older the prescribed dose is 75 mg once a day for at least seven days. For children up to 13 years of age use and dose is determined by the doctor.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. More common side effects may include diarrhea; nausea and vomiting. These events were generally of mild to moderate degree and usually occurred on the first 2 days of administration. Other tamiflu side effects include abdominal or stomach pain; bloody nose or unexplained nosebleeds (occurs mainly in children); burning, dry or itching eyes, redness, pain, swelling of eye or eyelid, or excessive tearing (occurs mainly in children); cough; dizziness; ear disorder (occurs mainly in children); fatigue; headache; trouble in sleeping. Some side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.

Tamiflu has been tested in a pre-clinical setting against a wide range of influenza virus strains. Despite the lack of clinical data, these pre-clinical findings provide reassurance that tamiflu is the best medicine against bird flu.

The author is an amateur writer focusing primarily on health related topics or on the health related research findings. For more information on Tamiflu, visit http://www.arrestflu.com

All The Bird Flu Facts You Need To Know!

2008-02-25T22:35:00.000-08:00

By now everyone in the Western world is aware of the disease known as bird flu and all the bird flu facts associated with it. Everyone should also know the potential consequences involved with this virus if there was ever an outbreak in their town or city. Therefore in order to stop this from occurring people need to know every single bird flu fact there is available to them. There are surprisingly a lot of bird flu facts available and this article will endeavor to discuss most of them so that if ever the event of a bird flu outbreak, you will know what to do.

Bird Flu Fact Number One

The first bird flu fact is one that most people don't know about and it's this - the bird flu virus is not deadly to humans. So you're wondering "so why is it that so many people have died as a result of this virus". Well it's not the actual bird flu virus that affects humans, it's a strand of the virus that bird flu is able to mutate into and it's called the human influenza virus. Millions of people have died as a result of influenza outbreaks throughout history and this is the main reason why people are so scared of this virus. Fortunately we are now capable of stopping this infection before is causes serious harm or even death by the use of some powerful antiviral drugs that have been made available over the past few decades, however many third world countries don't have access to these drugs and as a result we hear about more and more casualties from bird flu.

Bird Flu Fact Number Two

There is in fact currently no cure for bird flu. This however doesn't mean we aren't close to one though. Scientists are currently testing a cure to the virus, which they say will be ready in the next five or so years. For now the only way to stop bird flu from affecting humans, is to destroy any poultry stock that has been infected by the virus. Many thousands of chickens have been destroyed over the past few years as a result of outbreaks and this can have a serious effect on third world countries.

Another bird flu fact that people don't know about is that there is a lot ways to prevent the influenza virus from entering a person's system. Right now there are things that people can do in case the unlikely event of a bird flu outbreak occurs close to home. There is a lot of equipment on the market that specializes in preventing viruses from entering a persons system. One of the cheapest and most affective pieces of equipment is the bird flu mask and can be found in both online and offline stores.

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

A Step By Step Guide On How To Prevent Bird Flu

2008-02-25T22:34:00.000-08:00

Bird Flu is one of the greatest threats to our modern civilization and if at all a pandemic strikes our planet earth, we are not at all prepared to face it. Bird flu spreads and multiplies in unhygienic conditions. In fact the carriers of this deadly virus are the wild birds, which remain unaffected by the outcome of the virus infiltration.

Bird flu is just an influenza virus. Generally this virus does not infect the humans. But a single strain of this virus, known as H5N1 can show infection symptoms in humans, dogs and pigs. Many of the viruses of this deadly disease has a common route to enter. They are found in our finger nails and enter through the mucous membrane of our nose and eyes.

However, the bird flu virus can be easily prevented. Some of the preventive measures are:

1.Maintaining proper personal hygiene. For that it is advisable that you wash your hands frequently, particularly while taking meals. And if you are looking for more safety use gloves while stepping out of your homes.

2.Apart from personal hygiene, proper sanitation is also very important. Unhygienic sanitation places are the best breeding grounds for the flu virus.

3.As it has been said earlier that the virus spreads through the mucous membranes so it is advisable for you to take some extra precautions. While traveling out in crowded places, make sure that you cover your eyes with a pair of goggles. And also try to cover your mouth and nose with the clinical masks available.

4.This is an advise both for the doctors and the general family members. While addressing a patient suffering from the virus, you should always cover your nose and mouth with a mask or an handkerchief. Because the mucous dropping by the patients carries the bird flu virus that might infect you.

5.There is some special care to take if you are a worker in a poultry farm. You need to protect all your body parts. So for that reason wear clinical masks and gloves for a complete protection. Keep separate clothes for the workplace and for home.

6.And if you find any bird suffering from the symptoms of the flu, you should immediately seclude it from the others. Do not allow the nasal discharge, fecal matter and the blood droplets of the infected chicken to come in contact with the healthy chickens.

7.There are certain vaccines for the bird flu disorder. But these vaccines sometimes fail to show positive results. So it is better to look for prevention than the cure.

8.While disposing the things used, like the gloves and the masks used while monitoring a bird or a human suffering from the virus, you should take some extra care. Dispose them as indicated on their manufacturing boxes.

9.The other natural way to prevent encounter with a flu virus is by improving your immune system. A strong immune system helps you fight this deadly virus. More over if you try to keep your general health fine, there are less chances of you being infected.

Preventing bird flu virus from spreading is not a difficult task. All you need to do is to be a little more careful about your surroundings and your health. An efficient immune and health system can fight any disease. The same is true with the prevention of the bird flu virus.

To read more articles on bird flu, bird flu prevention and bird flu vaccine visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

The author writes articles on different topics. To get more bird flu articles visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

Avian Bird Flu: How Far The Virus Can Effect Humans?

2008-02-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

The naturally occurring flu virus in the birds causes the Bird Flu in the avians. This disease is also termed as the Avian influenza. Usually the wild birds are the carriers of this deadly virus. Unbelievable but true, they themselves remain unaffected by them. This virus in turn spreads to the other domesticated birds like the chickens, turkeys and ducks, who are the ones that get affected. The virus after developing further in their body causes sickness and sometimes even death in the infected birds.

The symptoms after the infection of the flu virus ranges widely. The infected bird might suffer from some mild symptoms like low rate of egg production and even ruffled feathers. And the symptoms can be as severe as failure of the various organs of the bird resulting in the death of the bird within 48 hours of viral infection.

Humans are generally not infected by this virus. But still there have been several reported cases of human infection. A human can encounter this virus only if he is directly or indirectly in contact with the infected domesticated birds. Once a human being is infected he will show symptoms like high fever, sore throat, muscle cramps and cough. These are all the common symptoms that you come across in a flu. In the severe form of the disease, symptoms like Pneumonia, eye infections and various acute respiratory disorders can be seen. All the symptoms depend on the strain of virus with which the person is infected.

But these symptoms are not the final verdict on the confirmation of an infection by the virus. This is because all the symptoms that have been discussed above are the common symptoms for a typical flu and the various other viral infections. So in order to diagnose the viral presence properly, you need to have some pathological tests done. Within the first few days of the appearance of any of the symptoms, take a little swab of your nose or the throat to a laboratory for the required tests. In some cases a blood test may also be needed to be done.

There are many flu viruses that infect the birds and the humans. But only the H5N1 virus is the most deadly of them all, killing many at one go.

There is a general perception among the people that eating egg or chicken products can infect them with the virus. But this is not true. The bird flu virus is destroyed, if present in food product if they are properly cooked. Proper cooking also kills the other viruses and bacterias present in the food products.

Avian bird flu is not very contagious among the human. But if you remain in very close proximity with an infected person, there are chances that the virus passes on to you. The biggest concern with the bird flu virus is that, they mutate. Their mutation can be the only reason for it to take a shape of a pandemic.

Currently no vaccine is available for avian bird flu. There are only some preventive measures that you can follow to protect from this virus. Of them the most important is the maintenance of proper personal hygiene.

To read more articles on bird flu, bird flu virus and bird flu vaccine visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

The author writes articles on different topics. To get more bird flu articles visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

Dogs and Cats Killed in an Attempt to Thwart a Bird Flu Outbreak

2008-02-12T22:45:00.000-08:00

Officials began the slaughter on Tuesday. Park Kyung-hee, an Iksan city official, indicated the culling would include 677 dogs raised on a farm for their meat and 300 pigs. Numbers of other dogs and cats including pets to be exterminated were not estimated. The culling will go so far as to kill even the mice in the area.

The World Health Organization has confirmed 253 human cases of bird flu resulting in 153 deaths, a staggering 59% death toll. To date there has been no documented evidence to suggest that the H5N1 form of bird flu can be spread to humans by dogs, cats or pigs.

It is clear however that pig to human transmission of seasonal flu occurs and authorities are being cautious. Most animals that have become infected are believed to have acquired the virus by eating infected raw birds or poultry. Cats are known to be able to spread the infection to other cats and it is believed that at least some of the tiger deaths have been due to tiger to tiger transmission as well.

Kim Chang an official with the health ministry said that other Southeast Asian countries also cull dogs, pigs and cats, but just haven?t publicized it. Kim stated that all mammals are potentially a source of the virus and that South Korea was just trying to take all precautionary measures to contain the virus.

European countries have issued guidelines to pet owners in areas where exposure to bird flu may occur. Recommendations include keeping cats indoors and dogs on leash. Bird flu is known to be present in bird excrement and carcasses both of which should be avoided.

One of the often unappreciated dangers of the H5N1 version of avian influenza is its? ability to infect many non-avian species. This broad host spectrum is something that?s not common amongst flu viruses. Cats for example are usually not infected with influenza A viruses.

H5N1 has been associated with death in many mammalian species including, dogs, cats, pigs, ferrets, tigers, snow leopards and fox. According to the Center for Disease Control other mammals may be susceptible as well. The virus is continually evolving and appears to be expanding its? host range.

Studying the evolution of H5N1 Dr Kawaoka, of the University of Wisconsin, has found isolates of the virus from humans that have acquired two mutations that make them better suited to infecting humans. He said, ?We are watching this virus turn itself into a human pathogen.?

The tragic death of dogs and cats in Korea has stirred the hearts of many and made headlines. This drastic action serves as wakeup call to prepare and protect our loved ones including the furry ones. The time to act though is now as a much larger tragedy will ensue if the virus continues to evolve to a pandemic strain.

Tracy Ferea, Ph.D. is a published scientist whose research at Stanford focused on evolution of genomes. She writes for Bird Flu Smart, http://www.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 the level of preparedness http://birdflusmart.com/products.html

Bird Flu Virus Is Deadly

2008-02-12T22:44:00.000-08:00

Influenza viruses are classified into the A, B and C types. A type viruses are the most dangerous and they may affect both people and numerous animals simultaneously whereas B and C type viruses typically affect humans only and they are the least severe amongst the three. Of these, A type viruses are further sub-categorized into subtypes such as the H and N strains. Is bird flu virus deadly?

One of most severe of A type influenza viruses is the much feared bird flu virus with the deadly H5N1 strain being the most widely known and notoriously dangerous.

The bird flu virus is very much like other subtypes of influenza viruses. However, the primary difference between the bird flu viruses and other types of influenza viruses is the way it is being transmitted. Other strains of influenza viruses that are common among humans are passed from one person to another through microscopic droplets of saliva or mucus in the atmosphere, via direct contact either with the infected person or through sneezing and coughing.

On the other hand, the H5N1 strain is not transmitted through human contact. Instead, improper handling or ingestion of infected poultry, through either regular direct contact with potentially dangerous poultry or their feces will increase the possibility of contracting the disease. Another common way is to consume infected animals that are not cooked fully or thoroughly.

The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu virus was first identified in humans in 1997. Prior to this incident that happened in Hong Kong, there were no known cases of it infecting humans. Then, several major outbreaks occurred in 2004 and the following years whereby at least one hundred and fifty people died in neighboring Asian countries such as Cambodia, mainland China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam and Thailand. The virus subsequently surfaced in other parts of Asia and Europe, including some Middle East countries.

It is also believed that this particular virus was not always a threat to humans. Since the identification of the virus first in the early nineteenth century, it has mutated with our influenza viruses and transformed into different forms. It is the ongoing vitality of such mutation that causes fear and concern surrounding the H5N1 strain. This is because the virus has been persistently manipulating itself to survive in varying environments and relentlessly bypassing treatment techniques.

The great devastation of the H5N1 strain can be rapidly identified when a person becomes infected with the deadly bird flu virus. The strain will cause an exaggerated response to his cytokines, which are small proteins produced throughout the body in response to an immune stimulus that regulate the entire immune system. This increase creates an imbalance and instability to the system and gives a negative effect to the body as it indirectly lowers its resistance to the virus. In addition, it slows down other aspects of the immune system thus giving the virus the liberty to create rampancy within the body.

In many other sicknesses, antibiotics are administered to suppress the immune system and fight the infection. However, antibiotics are ineffective in treating a person infected with the H5N1 strain, as the virus is not bacterial in nature.

Although measures had been taken to challenge the virus and lessen the impact it had on people as well as to refrain the virus from becoming severe, a vaccine has yet to be developed for the long anticipated mutated forms of bird flu viruses that may cause a potential global pandemic. Besides not having significant time for researches, a vaccine that is created now will not be of use when mutation occurs, as the nature of the future virus is not known.

As such, the most effective way to avoid contacting the bird flu virus is prevention. Proper and good hygiene habits reduce the risk of the spread of the deadly bird flu virus. These include simple practices such as washing your hands thoroughly before preparing food and taking meals, utilizing hand sanitizer as well as avoiding unnecessary direct contact with sick people, especially those with flu-like symptoms. Until a new vaccine has been discovered, this may be the best way to lower our risk of becoming the next victims.

Ske Chay of www.mccbirds.com Providing useful information on bird flu virus at www.mccbirds.com/birdfluvirus

Overview On Bird Flu H5N1 Virus

2008-02-11T01:37:00.000-08:00

The bird flu viruses are mostly subtypes of Influenza Virus A. There are several H5 and H7 subtypes of the 'influenza A' virus that cause bird flu among the birds. The wild fowls are considered to be the reservoir of the bird flu virus since ages. The migratory birds carry the pathogens from place to place and in turn infect the local population of the birds causing wide spread deaths.

Till 1997, the virus was restricted to the arboreal species and pigs. They never infected humans. But, the deaths in Hong Kong and other parts of the south east Asian countries have raised alarm throughout the medical world. Though it was a known fact that bird flu viruses mutate to different kinds but this was the first time that the viruses adapted themselves to be strong enough to attack mammals including humans and dogs. This bird flu virus has been identified as the H5N1 virus, a subtype of the H5 viruses.

The complete name of this virus is HPAI A (H5N1) (highly pathogenic avian influenza virus). The present form of bird flu virus is a fast mutating virus and extremely pathogenic in form than the previous strains till date. The viruses are present in the respiratory system of many species of birds. So, the spread of the virus to any part of the world is inevitable. They are mostly carried by the migratory birds.

The H5N1 virus has mutated to a form that is capable of infesting the humans and some other mammals; and the impact could be fatal enough to kill the hosts. They generally attack the respiratory system and the symptoms are almost similar to normal flu. It has become a 'panzootic' virus which means it can attack any species.

The studies conducted on them show that they continually evolve through antigenic drift. They infect humans through direct contact with the infected birds or patients suffering from the bird flu. The infected birds pass the virus in the environment through their nasal secretion, saliva, feces and blood droplets. The virus moves into the human body through the nasal cavity or the mucous membrane of the eyes.

The virus H5N1 has really become a nightmare because of its kind to mutate very fast and the evolving status may take it to a very lethal form. The scientists working on bird flu are of the view that the consequence of the combination of this H5N1 virus with human flu virus may be so complicated that before anything would be thought, it would wipe out millions of lives.

Precaution is very important. So, if there is an outbreak in your area, be prepared to defy the bird flu virus with proper care and implement the methods instructed by the health department in your area.

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

The Latest Bird Flu Update Revealed

2008-02-11T01:36:00.000-08:00

Everyone is now aware of the threat of bird flu being upon us now. If you are unfamiliar with this particular virus then it can be summed up in one sentence, a form of influenza that affects bird species and has the potential to mutate into a virus harmful to humans. Basically it's the human influenza virus just in another form but still just as deadly. There are many things that people can so to avoid becoming infected by bird flu and one of these things is to constantly check for bird flu updates regularly.

There are many sites that offer an up to date bird flu update everyday. Most of these sites give information on the exact threat of the disease in certain countries. Make sure you get a bird flu update every week so that you can stay in touch with the happenings the current situation of the bird flu virus. Basically it's better to stay ahead of the rest of society so if the day comes that bird flu breaks out in your home town, you are already prepared for it and you and your family will be safe and secure.

Bird Flu Update One

Currently the happenings all over the world in reference to bird flu are as follows. An elderly Indonesian woman became the latest casualty of bird flu. This brings the number of deaths in the country from bird flu up to 54. Many experts believe things will start to get worse before they get better.

Bird Flu Update Two

A quiz was recently started in the USA to determine how well prepared people are for a possible bird flu breakout. $5.2 million was spent on preparing and sending out this quiz. This project is being looked over by Harvard researchers in accordance with the Federal Centers for Disease Control. It's unknown when the results will be ready for release.

Bird Flu Update Three

In more promising news a study has shown results that there perhaps is a cure for bird flu. In London Advanced X-ray technology has helped scientists spot a new target that drug designers might use to attack the dreaded bird flu virus. However scientists are still skeptical and believe we are at least a few years away from a complete cure for bird flu.

Make sure you always check weekly for the most recent bird flu update and remember to stay ahead of the news and most of all, always be prepared.

Tamiflu-the only drug to stop bird flu

2008-02-09T01:06:00.001-08:00

Bird flu or avian flu has been a great concern to the human population worldwide. We had so many reports of tragic deaths due to bird flu and shortage of limited drugs like Tamiflu all across the globe. Today we have Governments and the entire World Health Organization, Red Cross, and other international health organizations wanting to spend millions to eradicate the killer disease from the living planet.

Treatment of bird flu

Tamiflu is the main drug for the treatment of bird flu. Tamiflu can lessen the effects of bird flu and speed up recovery. Tamiflu can also minimize the effects of bird flu to the point that a patient may survive the virus when, without Tamiflu, the attack would have been fatal. Tamiflu is the only drug that is this effective against the bird flu virus.
To be as effective as possible, a course of Tamiflu should be started within 24 hours of bird flu being diagnosed. This point is very important; delays in starting treatment lessen the effectiveness of the drug.

There are a few other influenza antiviral medications such as amantadine, rimantadine, and zanamivir, which have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment and/or prevention of influenza including bird flu. Reports confirm that at times influenza virus strains can become resistant to one or more of these drugs, and thus the drugs may not always work. The bird flu influenza A (H5N1) viruses identified in human patients in Asia in 2004 and 2005 have been resistant to amantadine and rimantadine. Limited evidence suggests that some antiviral drugs, notably oseltamivir (commercially known as Tamiflu), can reduce the duration of viral replication and improve prospects of survival, provided they are administered within 48 hours following symptom onset.

Tamiflu dosage

In suspected cases, oseltamivir should be prescribed as soon as possible (ideally, within 48 hours following symptom onset) to maximize its therapeutic benefits. Currently recommended doses of oseltamivir for the treatment of influenza are contained in the product information at the manufacturer?s web site. The recommended dose of oseltamivir for the treatment of influenza, in adults and adolescents 13 years of age and older, is 150 mg per day, given as 75 mg twice a day for five days. Oseltamivir is not indicated for the treatment of children younger than one year of age. As the duration of viral replication may be prolonged in cases of H5N1 infection, clinicians should consider increasing the duration of treatment to seven to ten days in patients who are not showing a clinical response. In cases of severe infection with the H5N1 virus, clinicians may need to consider increasing the recommended daily dose or the duration of treatment, keeping in mind that doses above 300 mg per day are associated with increased side effects. In severely ill H5N1 patients or in H5N1 patients with severe gastrointestinal symptoms, drug absorption may be impaired.

Conclusion

Bird flu is not transmitted from one person to another. Individuals at risk are those are directly or indirectly exposed to sick chickens and other fowl. The government thereby advises travelers to countries affected with bird flu not to go to bird parks (aviaries), poultry farms or market where live poultry is sold. However, with the intervention of Tamiflu the infection toll of bird flu attacks have come down. The only reason of this is because Tamiflu treats flu at its source by attacking the virus that causes the flu, rather than simply masking symptoms.The author is an amateur writer focusing primarily on health related topics or on the health related research findings. For more information on Tamiflu, visit http://www.arrestflu.com

Bird Flu Threat Case In Europe

2008-02-07T22:29:00.001-08:00

Why the health authorities are too scary about this virus H5N1?

It reminds some of the health researchers and scientists about the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) that broke out in China in 1300 and quickly spread to Europe. The death toll soon was in millions.

The scientists fear that this virus H5N1 has similar potentialities. However, the beginning of the devastation created by this virus is humble. The total death toll since its emergence is just 200! For the present, the rate of annihilation is slightly over 50% of the total persons affected.

For the Bubonic Plague, the carriers were the rats. For the bird flu, it is birds. The rats traveled in boats that carried the cargo from one country to another. Birds do it without the services of boats or jets. They are capable of flying from one country to another and now they show their damage capacity.

Having suffered the devastating Plague, why Europe is now worried is...this bird flu virus mutates at a fast rate! It hardly takes few months to develop itself in to a new virus, and the medical research is unable to catch up the virus in this marathon.

The true nature of these viruses is nothing but a guessing game. H5N1 is a deadly virus, and wants the return of at least 50% of the human beings that it attacks!

So, the bird flu has become the prize-coverage and the news related to it is given in the front page columns. The researchers see the latent threat in those fast multiplying and dividing viruses of bird flu.

The African, European and Asian countries could be the hotbeds for this disease. Will the bird-flu dance the death dance here? Some of the countries are in the process of conducting the mock-exercises, to tackle the eventuality of bird-flu. Those who are not much informed about the sequences and consequences of this disease do collect some introductory information about these viruses.

The European countries are well versed in wars. After having suffered the death and devastation in two major World Wars, the health authorities of these nations are now tuning themselves to face this weaponless war!

This recent outbreak of the bird flu has taken the scientists and the researchers in Europe scurrying for the panic buttons. A decade ago, very few knew what this bird flu was. Now, the economists, scientists and the politicians are all worried about it. World Health Organization has given the top priority to devise ways and means to tackle this disease.

And finally, Bill Gates opens the gates to sanction additional grants in the cause of preventing the bird-flu!

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

All The Secrets You Need To Know About The Asian Bird Flu

2008-02-06T21:52:00.000-08:00

There is a deadly disease that has and still is sweeping nations across South East Asia. It's now beginning to be known as the Asian bird flu. So what is it and how does it affect people? Well the Asian bird flu is a virus that is spread by birds, hence the name bird flu. It's a type of influenza virus that can spread like wildfire when given the opportunity.

So you're wondering how Asian bird flu is contracted by humans if it's a strand of influenza that only affects birds? Well unfortunately, bird flu is like many other strands of influenza being that it has the potential to mutate into other strands when placed in the right environment. This of course has occurred many times and has resulted in catastrophic proportions on the human population.

Recent Breakouts Of The Asian Bird Flu

The most recent breakouts have occurred in South East Asia and more particularly Indonesia, where many people died in a very short period of time. Luckily modern medicine is far more adept at treating influenza viruses these days. If the same breakout had have happened back at the beginning of the 20th century many more people would have died and its potential to spread across countries would have been greater. This of course did happen several times nearly 100 years ago and many people lost their lives.

What Can We To Prevent Something Like The Asian Bird Flu From Occurring

Well first of all measurements are being taken to prevent poultry from becoming infected in the first place. Poultry farms are usually the beginning of any outbreak. Why? Well, poultry like chicken and ducks sometimes become infected by wild birds who of course contain an antibody that protects them from the Asian bird flu. This of course doesn't mean they still can't carry the virus and when a bird kept in captivity comes in contact with a carrying wild bird, it then becomes infected. That bird then passes it onto the rest of the birds on the farm and before you know it, there's an epidemic.

If this happens, there is usually a mass culling of poultry to prevent any chance of Asian bird flu spreading any further. Unfortunately in many cases, infected chicken is sold to consumers and that's where it can become a problem for people. The virus has the potential to mutate into a disease that harmful for humans and that can also be spread from human to human.

Can You List Symptoms Of Bird Flu Pandemic?

2008-02-05T22:10:00.001-08:00

Bird flu is creating a wide spread pandemic in the South East Asian countries. More so, the possibility of it being spread to other parts of the world cannot be neglected. The virus responsible for more than hundreds of deaths has been detected as the H5N1 virus, a subtype of Influenza-A virus. This has been the most deadly bird flu virus till date, since the bird flu generally doesn't attack human beings.

The reports of the symptoms of the avian flu have been submitted to WHO (World Health Organization) and CDC (Center Disease Control). They are similar to SARS but not completely similar. And the interesting fact is that the symptoms sometimes vary from person to person and its totally different in birds. The onset of the virus attack is mostly ignored. So You need to be extra cautious with it. For it never alarms before an outbreak. It's possible to reach any corner of the world since the migratory birds are main carriers of the pathogen.

Before the virus infests the humans, there is the possibility of it raging the poultry. If you observe any of the following symptoms among the poultry folks, there might be the possibility of the H5N1 virus being in action.

If the attack of the virus is less pathogenic then there will be no visible signs and the attack is not fatal enough. The high pathogenic attack has clear symptoms and is quite destructive:

1. Depression in some of the birds. 2. Cessation in laying eggs. 3. Loss of appetite and nervousness. 4. The combs and wattles turn blue in color due to altercation of blood circulation. 5. Coughing and frequent nasal discharge and diarrhea. 6. Sudden death of a number of them without any signs may also be the symptom of bird flu.

The reports based on the observations of the human beings attacked by bird flu have established that the human symptoms are somewhat similar to normal human flu but the impact is more rigorous. The symptoms of bird flu reported in humans are:

1) Sudden attack of suspicious coughing. Generally, we can trace why we catch a cold and cough when the reasons are like exposure to too much cold or taking lot of ice cream and alike. But, here it won't have such particular reason. 2) Mild fever prolonging for hours. 3) Having soreness of throat. 4) Gradual shift to pneumonia. 5) Feeling moderate or severe malaise and fatigue. 6) Muscle pain. 7) Sometimes, conjunctivitis may also occur. 8) Respiratory problems like difficulty in breathing. 9) Very frequent sneezing with lot of mucous coming out.

If you find some of these symptoms in you, don't waste time and visit a doctor, the sooner you start with the treatment, the faster you relieve! Don't break down if you have positive results. It's easy to treat. Thats why, be extra cautious of these symptoms.

To read more articles on bird flu, bird flu symptoms and bird flu vaccine visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

The author writes articles on different topics. To get more bird flu articles visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

Find Out THe Latest Bird Flu News

2008-02-04T21:52:00.001-08:00

In the wake of some of the most horrific bird flu pandemics in the history of civilization, news has spread from nation to nation like wildfire. People are starting to feel a sense of fear that maybe there is a possibility that an epidemic could occur in their town or city. The latest bird flu news has been that many countries in the region of South East Asia are still under risk of another outbreak. Many nations have taken the liberty of culling hundreds of thousands of birds so as to attempt to put a stop to this deadly virus.

Some other bird flu news comes out of Africa where in Nigeria 700,000 birds have been culled since the latest outbreak earlier this year. The cost of undertaking such a massive termination of poultry has reportedly cost the country nearly 4.5 million, making it one of the most expensive culls in history. Many experts believe that the termination of this many birds was in fact unnecessary and in doing so could actually cause more problems for the country in terms of increased food shortages in the already poverty-stricken nation.

Previous bird flu news has been that Indonesia says it will separate poultry farms from residential areas as a move to prevent anymore dangerous outbreaks in the future. Many people say that this will not fully remove the threat of further epidemics in the country as the poor nation struggles through yet another tough disease stricken year. It's estimated that many more Indonesian's will loose their lives in over the next few years as a result of bird flu despite attempts to bring the virus under control.

In more lightened news of bird flu, the European Union has recently begun efforts to supply many countries who are suffering endemics, fresh medical supplies as a attempt to end one of the longest standing influenza epidemics the world has ever seen. Many people are skeptical at this attempt and believe that an even larger effort must be taken if humanity id ever going to be free of this devastating disease.

Other bird flu news is that experts are suggesting that China is the country at most risk of the next bird flu epidemic and says that more caution should be taken when introducing poultry to consumers from now on. Many Asian countries export chicken and other poultry products back and forth and China accepts many nation's chicken do to it's high demand to feed the most populated country in the world.

Please stay in touch as we bring you more bird flu news in the coming weeks. We hope this information has enlightened you a little on this horrifying subject and perhaps changed your view on recent events.

Bird Flu - 2 Million Deaths In The US Alone

2008-02-03T22:13:00.000-08:00

If you were fortunate enough to be able to watch the Horizon program on UK TV the other night and you are in the AT RISK category for catching bird flu, then you must be very worried. It's no longer a case of IF bird flu will arrive but WHEN. This program made very traumatic viewing.

The program made sobering viewing with its apocalyptic vision of how the Avian bird flu virus could get a grip on the worlds human population. It was horrendous watching the evidence of a bird flu expert who uses sophisticated computer programs to track the progress of the virus.

He was showing a map of the USA on a screen and the green dots which represented the poulation of the US over period of just 88 days turned red showing cases of life threatening influenza. I could not sleep because the image of that map was going through my mind. Governments and experts around the world are at present taking the threat of Bird Flu VERY seriously. Having crossed the species from birds to humans, this particular flu virus is EXTREMELY potent. One thing that is frightening about it is that it does not just select the old and weak as targets but also the young and healthy.

One of the most chilling things that was highlighted in the TV program was the fact that the spread of the virus will be VERY rapid and in many cases fatal because insufficient planning will allow it to cross borders and attack the planet extremely quickly. They showed an example of how the scientists say the disease is about to progress. In the illustration it started in a small village in Asia where a slaughtered bird infects just one villager, then another complete village as a visitor takes the disease with him.

The next bit is FACT. The US government believe that there will be 2 million deaths in America alone. In the UK the government's Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan paints a scenario of up to 3/4 million British deaths. It is believed that hospitals and emergency services will be under exteme strain and this is the point where it gets really scary. Because there is a shortage of vaccine, they will have to make qualitative decisions over who gets the vaccine.

The difference between this and normal flu cases is that with normal flu the elderly and vulnerable are innoculated. In the case of a bird flu epidemic, due to the shortage off vaccine, it will be the young and the commercially important people who will get the vaccine. Even babies may not be protected.

There are some very serious questions which need answering sooner rather than later because the quicker the global population realise that this is about to become a reality and not a vague possibility the better. The TV program was a timely warning of what is coming to a town,city or village near you soon and I urge you to be prepared. Find out more about the Bird Flu Virus from our site at http://www.askabouthealth.com/Is_Bird_Flu_The_Next_Plague.html

Ask About Health pride themselves in researching to the highest degree on any health matter which may affect the population on a major scale. They have featured 2 major diseases in Bird Flu and MRSA. To get the complete facts on the chilling facts of Bird Flu which most governments are keeping quiet about, go to http://www.askabouthealth.com/Is_Bird_Flu_The_Next_Plague.htm

Why is Avian Bird Flu so Dangerous?

2008-02-01T22:27:00.001-08:00

It is common for people to contract flu once in a blue moon. Some people can even get down with flu several times a year. But when we talk about avian bird flu, it is a totally different story. Nobody should get infected by bird flu virus at any cost. And if one does get infected, it is a serious issue and needs to be address immediately. That is because avian bird flu is so deadly it can even result in death in not treated immediately. That is how dangerous this virus can be.

Avian flu, unlike other common flu, can infect anyone, even those who are very healthy. A common flu is less dangerous, and can be easily cured. On the contrary, death rate for avian bird flu is very high for every age group. Even those in the twenties or thirties, who are healthy and immune to common flu, can experience high death rates in the face of avian flu. Hence we can see that no matter how healthy or how strong one immune system can be, it cannot fight against avian bird flu.

Precisely because the avian flu virus is so lethal, it is of serious matter for the medical field to find a way to fight against this virus as soon as possible. Statistics have shown that the fatality rate is estimated to be about 50 percent, and this is a number that gives the influenza experts lots of stress and headaches as to how to solve this problem.

Till now, the good thing is that the flu virus is mainly confined to birds, but has started to show sign of infecting other animals such as pigs. Almost all the human infected have come in contact with infected birds through the process of rearing, cooking, eating, or feeding the birds. What influenza experts is very concern now is whether avian bird flu can spread from human to human, as this will be a very disastrous thing to happen. If this happens, this would kick start the development of a bird flu pandemic.

There is very little for us, the common people, to do much. But at the very least, we should prepare ourselves for bird flu pandemic, and learn about ways to avoid and reduce the chance of getting avian bird flu. If everyone of us are well aware of bird flu preparation measures, we can work in an united effort to prevent a bird flu pandemic from happening.

Click for more top and latest info on avian bird flu or visit http://hair-loss.greenhealthinformation.com

Is There Any Vaccination For Fighting Bird Flu?

2008-02-01T01:03:00.000-08:00

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.
The author writes about a number of different topics. For more information on bird flu vaccination visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/ and also visit the article pages: http://www.isitbirdflu.com/bird-flu-vaccine/ and http://www.isitbirdflu.com/bird-flu-virus/

Is There Any Vaccination For Fighting Bird Flu

2008-01-30T22:16:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-30T22:15:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-29T22:03:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-28T22:20:00.001-08:00

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?

2008-01-28T22:19:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-28T22:17:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-27T22:35:00.002-08:00

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

2008-01-27T22:35:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-27T22:33:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-24T22:40:00.001-08:00

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.

Bird Flu -- How the Nightmare Begins

2008-01-24T22:39:00.001-08:00

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!

2008-01-24T22:38:00.001-08:00

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!

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

2008-01-23T23:00:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-22T22:57:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-20T22:32:00.002-08:00

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

2008-01-20T22:32:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-18T22:09:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-17T22:26:00.002-08:00

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

2008-01-17T22:26:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-17T00:21:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-13T22:46:00.001-08:00

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?

2008-01-13T22:45:00.001-08:00

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.

Many Bird Flu articles are available at Bird Flu website & http://www.isitbirdflu.com/ To get more bird flu articles visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/

What is Bird flu?

2008-01-11T21:51:00.002-08:00

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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subhash kumar

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

2008-01-11T21:51:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-10T22:55:00.002-08:00

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?

2008-01-10T22:55:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-10T00:06:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-10T00:05:00.000-08:00

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

The Problems We May Still Face Even Though A Bird Flu Vaccine Is Introduced

2008-01-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

The bird flu virus undergoes constant changes as it mutates genetically. This makes identification of one particular virus type as the culprit absolutely impossible. For the same reason any pharmaceutical preparation targeting one particular type of virus would be useless in case flu is caused by a changed virus derived from the old known one.

WHO leads a Global Influenza Surveillance Network with 110 influenza centers in 83 countries and four WHO Collaborating Centers. Representative samples of patients having bird flu like symptoms are collected and investigated for bird flu viruses. The latest strains circulating across the world are identified and recommendations are made about the flu vaccine's composition. This is done in February and September every year.

After the WHO gives guidelines for the strains to be put into the vaccine from the selection of the strains to be used in the vaccine, all the way to the final vaccine, is a lengthy process that may take up to 6-8 months. Production of the new vaccine strain starts immediately after the WHO announces the strains. The strains then undergo quality testing. Then only all the three different strains, two influenza A and one influenza B strain, are mixed into a single vaccine. It is now that the vaccine is packaged and shipped for sale and administration.

The bird flu vaccine has its own side effects too. Usually the injection site shows some redness and swelling; fever, vomiting, headache, sore throat and minute physical discomforts are also noticed in about 5% of the cases.

Currently the total production capacity of the world is about 300 million influenza vaccines per year. And the world population is about 6.5 billion! So it is quite apparent that in the case of a pandemic not everyone can be vaccinated unless we either stockpile vaccine or produce it at war footing; the former being not possible since the composition of vaccine keeps changing every year and would not be possible in the near future. For these reasons if a pandemic occurs, then for a few starting months we won't have bird flu vaccines at our disposal and our only saving grace would be non-medicinal measures.

Even for the amount of vaccine that is available, it would need the world's healthcare system to have a well defined distribution plan and an extremely reliable supply chain system, in order to cope with demands. Such level of distribution and administration of the vaccines is simply not feasible today.

It is clear by now that the stock of vaccines produced every year gets wasted if the flu virus changes, which it does from year to year. But still these drugs are manufactured so as to test and demonstrate the technological capability of the system which is in place. WHO reports that the usage of antiviral drugs and vaccination are the most effective measures against a bird flu threat. But then again it is quite evident that only the vaccination cannot help the 6.5 billion population of earth. It is just one of the desperate measures we can rely upon. Alongside we will have to keep upgrading public knowledge about the preventive measures, keep taking all the precautions to curtail the spread of influenza and keep researching for better ways to fight the virus.

Clive Jenkins recommends the Bird Flu Helpsite which will provide you with comprehensive information on all aspects of the Bird Flu Virus. To find articles, tips and free advice check out the site here:
http://www.birdfluhelpsite.com

The Importance Of A Bird Flu Mask

2008-01-07T22:16:00.000-08:00

Though the avian influenza virus is hosted by birds, some particular subtype might affect other mammals too, including humans. In a direct manner the virus is contacted from infected birds, mostly domestic poultry but sometimes wild birds also can infect hunters, tribal people, etc. In an indirect manner the infection can enter the human system via edibles infected with the virus, polluted water, objects, air, food, etc. by the bodily secretions or excretions of infected birds. The flu virus being airborne, the contamination in the air could be reasonably high, in cases of epidemic or pandemic proportions. Infected people carry the flu virus with them wherever they travel and spread it in air and on objects they touch via their nasal secretions and bodily discharges.

Personal Protective Equipment or PPE as they are called are equipments designed for health professionals to use if they are working in contaminated environments. Nose and mouth respirators or 'Masks' are the ones most widely used. Bird flu masks are very specific pertaining to the fact that the bird flu virus is microscopic and is not easily filtered out from the environment using conventional filters.

These masks are designed on the guidelines given by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Based on filtering efficiency, the filters used in the masks fall under 3 categories, namely Type 95, Type 99 and Type 100. The proportions of microscopic (0.3 micron wide) particles filtered out by these filters are 95%, 99% and 99.7%, respectively. Also the filters are categorized based on filter efficiency degradation and are hence labeled as, N (non-resistant to oil), R (oil resistant) and P (oil proof). Each individual mask is tested in laboratory settings before being approved for sale. But N95 ones are disposable and cannot be cleaned.

The most common ones are N-95 filtering respirators which have been approved by NIOSH (also called as Filtering Facepieces) as being effective drastically cutting down exposure risks to airborne viruses like SARS or Avian Influenza. The usage of masks is recommended to people working in high contamination situations, like health care workers attending to patients, or field workers involved in destroying the infection sources, etc.

Another set of very powerful, protective masks are Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs). They are more effective than N-95 masks in offering better protection. These are used by persons who cannot wear N-95 masks, like people with facial hair. This battery operated mask has a face piece with breathing tube and filters.

Even though any mask is not a guarantee against influenza infection, they dramatically cut down the chances of infection from airborne viruses. It remains to be said however, that the capabilities of the masks degrade over time from usage. Aerosols, if present in the working environments, degrade the filters even more. Hence, bird flu masks should not be used with 100% reliance, but only as one of the preventive tool. More so, there are guidelines that need to be adhered to while (re)using such PPE. It is hence clear that the best defense does not lie in any amount of measures taken but rather in the knowledge with which they are implemented

Understanding The Avian Bird Flu Virus And A Look Into Its History

2008-01-07T22:15:00.000-08:00

Avian bird flu, a viral disease, also termed as bird flu, avian influenza, type A flu or genus. This flu is a kind of influenza hosted by birds but can affect other animals and particularly humans also. The virus in general is the influenza virus 'A' but is a bit different every time the flu breaks out, because of the evolutionary changes it keeps undergoing. New viruses keep getting formed because of genetic mutation and are named using a H number and an N number, which denote different pathogenic profiles. Some of those ones which for sure affect human populace and did so in the past are, H1N1 (Spanish flu, 1918-19) H2N2 (Asian flu, 1957-58), H3N2 (Hong Kong flu, 1968-69), etc. Some of those identified are extinct now because of the constant mutations taking place in the structure of the virus which self destructs its capabilities to infect humans anymore. Also new viruses have come up and currently the major pandemic (epidemic over a wide geographical area) threat is from H5N1 virus.

It was first discovered in Italy in 1878 and was even called fowl plague because of the enormity of its effect in chicken livestock. It was however only in 1955 when avian flu was confirmed to be caused by influenza A viruses. Wild fowl is the natural carrier of the virus, though it is not affected by the virus and is only a transmitter to birds, pigs, horses, etc. The bodies (intestines to be more specific) of gulls, waterfowls and shorebirds are said to be "natural reservoirs" of the disease. Their bodies have long adapted to the problem and have developed internal antibodies to combat the virus. The adaptation, however, does not extend to other species. Hence domestic birds are the most affected and other animals and humans are only marginally affected, in numbers. The bird flu virus causes two forms of influenzas, namely, a low pathogenic form which shows only nominal symptoms and a high pathogenic form which affects internal organs and might prove 100% fatal in 48 hours.

The disease is contagious and spreads through air and in manure. The transmission occurs from air, contaminated water, equipments especially those used in animal farms, clothing, etc. At high temperatures the virus gets destroyed, like in prolonged summers, cooking, steaming, fires, etc. but survives for long periods in cold weather. The bird flu virus starts showing its effects in 3 to 5 days, and can be fatal if highly pathogenic. Hundreds and millions of birds get killed every year, since the most commonly practiced way of eliminating the virus is to slaughter the infected animals.

It has a long history of affecting human population in epidemic form. Those subtypes which infect humans are called human influenza virus. The only known ones are H1N1, H1N2 and H3N2, with H5N1 having a potential threat. The symptoms shown in humans are same as those from other influenza, namely, fever, cough, muscle fatigue, conjunctivitis and sometimes breathing problems and fatal pneumonia. Detection of the avian bird flu virus in the human body can be done using general influenza virus tests, but this might be unreliable. The most reliable test till date is microneutralization but is a complicated test and can be performed only in highly professional laboratories. Normal antiviral drugs work against the human influenza virus but other specific drugs for specific new viruses are being developed.

As far as humans are concerned, the bird flu virus has substantial risk of an influenza epidemic in near future. A primary concern is the rapid spreading of the virus

Bird Flu: The World Beware

2008-01-06T22:15:00.001-08:00

Avian influenza virus or which is more commonly known as bird flu is a virus that stems from an infection from wild birds. These particular birds generally carry the virus but are somehow immune to the effects of it. Domesticated birds like ducks, chickens and turkeys however are not and herein lies the problem for humans.

The bird flu virus is passed on from chicken to chicken through their saliva and feces. This can happen when flocks of chicken or other domestic birds interact with the local native birds like wild ducks, turkeys etc. This can have a catastrophic effect on a flock of poultry and many farmers have had to terminate whole flocks resulting in huge losses for them overall.

So how does the bird flu virus get passed onto humans? Well usually the avian influenza virus is found chiefly in birds, however infections can also be found in humans. The risk however is very low for most people because the virus does not generally effect humans. However many cases have surfaced around the globe of people becoming infected by poultry such as in recent times.

Another concern is that the human strain of influenza originated from bird flu, therefore some scientists believe that there is a chance that one day the bird flu virus could transform into a strand that may be deadly to us humans. This could then cause a major outbreak around the world. After a recent breakout in Asia, people are becoming more and more wary about the fact that there is a possibility of a breakout occurring in their local area. This is unlikely to occur but it is important to remember that such events do happen and one of the best things to do now is to learn everything there is to know about bird flu and other strain of influenza

Many people believe this may happen sooner rather than later and are now getting ready for this to occur. There are many products being sold today to help protect people from becoming infected if an outbreak occurs. One way to reduce the likelihood of picking up a strain of influenza like bird flu would be to increase your body's immune system so that it becomes stronger and is able to fight off infection easier. This is a surefire way to keep you and your family safe from not only bird flu, but many other unwanted viruses.

Dane Stanton is the owner of ParrotTrainingReview.com which is an extensive review of the top parrot training courses on the internet. Find which course is best for you and your parrot! http://www.BirdFluReview.com

Some Knowledge About Bird Flu

2008-01-06T22:14:00.001-08:00

What is Bird Flu?

Avian influenza (also known as bird flu) is a type of influenza virulent in birds. It was first identified in Italy in the early 1900s and is now known to exist worldwide.

What are the Symptoms?

Flu can cause fever, chills, headache, dry cough, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, and muscle aches. Unlike other common respiratory infections such as the common cold, influenza can cause extreme fatigue lasting several days to more than a week. Although nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can sometimes accompany influenza infection, especially in children, gastrointestinal symptoms are rarely prominent. The illness that people often call "stomach flu" is not influenza.

*Spread from person to person.

Influenza is spread easily from person to person primarily when an infected person coughs or sneezes. After a person has been infected with the virus, symptoms usually appear within 2 to 4 days. The infection is considered often contagious for another 3 to 4 days after symptoms appear. Because of this, people used to think the flu was caused by the "influence of the stars and planets." In the 1500s, the Italians called the disease "influenza," their word for influence. Each year, an estimated 10 to 20 percent of the population contracts influenza.

Treating flu with drugs.

Antibiotics are not effective against flu viruses. However, there are two drugs-- amantadine and rimantadine--that can be used to treat some types of influenza infection. When taken within 48 hours after the onset of illness, these drugs can reduce the duration of fever and other symptoms and allows flu sufferers to return to their daily routines more quickly. Both of these drugs are only available by prescription.

Rimantadine is a derivative of the drug amantadine. Amantadine, however, is more likely to cause side effects such as lightheadedness and inability to sleep more often than does rimantadine.

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Bird Flu Pandemic

2008-01-04T22:26:00.000-08:00

Bird Flu Pandemic What is a pandemic? Defined by Dictionary.com a pandemic is:

Widespread, general. Medicine. Epidemic over a wide geographic area and affecting a large proportion of the population: pandemic influenza. Are Pandemics Common?

On average mass epidemics occur every 20-30 years. It has been over 40 years since the last one.

If the Avian Influenza Virus mutates to a strand that is easily transmitted to humans it could kill millions.

In order for it to become a pandemic strain, it would have to adapt to become highly infectious to humans by injecting itself into a human virus.

Can it be Controlled? By changing traditional farming practices in Asia where animals and humans chares unsanitory quarters the likelihood of a spread would decrease.

Other facts: Over the last year, the virus has killed 32 vietnamese, 12 Thais, and one Cambodian.

The virus also hasbeen found in other animals such as tigers and cats.

For more information go to What is Bird Flu?

Why We Cannot Depend on a Vaccine to Save Us From Bird Flu

2008-01-03T22:10:00.001-08:00

With current vaccine technology a vaccine cannot save us from a pandemic of contagious bird flu.

Although criticized as fearmongering, the ABC made for TV movie First Contact: Bird Flu in America was overly optimistic. Neither us nor the French nor anybody else is going to development and manufacture a vaccine within two months using the technology of the past 50 years.

First, work on a highly targeted vaccine against a specific strain of contagious bird flu cannot even begin until that specific strain of bird flu comes into existence.

Researchers are working on vaccines against current strains of H5N1, and these may have some effect on curbing a contagious strain, because they'd be similar, but not the same.

After getting samples of the contagious form of H5N1, the virus makers begin creating the vaccine from dead viruses. It must be tested for safety and approved for use in humans. This takes time.

After the vaccine is ready, doses of it must be produced. Each dose of the vaccine is grown inside one egg.

The entire process takes 6 to 8 months to produce ordinary winter flu shots. And we know from 2004 that sometimes batches of vaccine are contaminated, and there's a shortage of the ordinary flu vaccine.

Bird flu will create other problems. It's believed that people will need two doses of a vaccine against it for full protection. Therefore, to vaccinate everyone in the United States will require 600 million eggs.

Where will all those eggs come from? The world is destroying chickens by the millions now, to control the spread of H5N1 in the chickens. It could take months to come up with enough eggs to grow the vaccine doses in sufficient quantity to stop the spread of the pandemic just in the United States.

And of course the rest of the world will also be clamoring for the vaccine, and overseas companies will also be manufacturing it, using up all the eggs they have available.

Therefore, Health and Human Services head Michael Leavitt has said it would be six months before an effective and precisely target bird flu vaccine would be ready after the pandemic began.

And remember that the 1918 flu spread throughout the world and killed from 20 to 100 million people in the days before jets connected countries and four-lane highways connected cities within countries. People travel much more and much farther and much more quickly now than in 1918.

And yet the worst of the 1918 flu happened in just three months.

And remember also that H5N1 will remain a virus that mutates quickly. After it becomes highly contagious, it will not stop mutating.

By the time we've designed and approved a vaccine against the original contagious form of the virus, there'll be slightly different strains infecting people.

Six months later, the H5N1 virus will be much different than it was at the beginning of the pandemic.

Producing and distributing to millions of frightened people a vaccine that's precisely targeted toward the virus killing people right now is like shooting at a moving target.

Only we cannot guess where the target is going to go to next.

And it's moving faster than we can re-aim.

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

How to Protect the Mentally Challenged From Bird Flu

2008-01-03T22:08:00.000-08:00

A bird flu pandemic is going to be a great disruption and test of humanity, but even more so to people who are mentally challenged, whether mentally retarded (MR) or who have psychiatric mental/emotional disorders.

Of course, all the physical ways of protecting ourselves from bird flu by remaining as isolated as possible, not physically touching people unless necessary, wearing Nanomasks and so on, apply to the mentally challenged as well as to everybody else.

Their extra risk comes from the impaired ability to adjust to a world where the bird flu virus is killing millions around the world, and the many consequences of that.

They may not understand that they should not go out, should not visit with friends, should not attend any adult day care, cannot go to work at their sheltered workshop and so on. Or that food can no longer be cooked but must come out of a can. Or that the lights may not work again for months. Or that the grocery store where they work is closed or that their job coach died from the flu. Or that batteries should be saved to operate the portable radio rather than a video game.

They may require patience and retraining in learning how to use a manual can opener, wash their bodies from a bucket or to keep a Nanomask snugly on their face at all time when out in public.

Schizoprenics may easily over-react to a bird flu pandemic. Imagine it's the end of the world, incorporate it into their own mental fantasies etc.

Paranoids may make the best adjustment to the realities of a bird flu pandemic. Although the bird flu virus is not out to get them personally, it is out to get all of us. During a bird flu pandemic, avoidance techniques are practical.

Depressed people will require close observation, since a bird flu pandemic will only encourage this emotion. Many people around the world will be feeling event-linked depression over the state of the world and grief for deceased friends and family.

Everybody will be feeling stressed out, so people who're already having problems coping emotionally will be all the more likely to look for a way out through suicide. Those who make the threat or attempt in an effort to get further help may not fully understand that a fully equiped ambulance and trained Emergency Medical Technicians are not a quick phone call to 911 away.

In their emotional state they may not understand that the local hospital and medical personnel are already too overloaded with bird flu patients. The extra help they need and want may simply not be there.

That leaves you to give them the emotional attention the need.

One major challenge during a serious and protracted pandemic will be obtaining prescription drugs. Check with their doctor about stockpiling an extra month or two of their medicine, in the event of a pandemic or other emergency.

You should also check with their doctor about care through the pandemic. Do they plan to stay available? They're first trained as regular physicians, so it is possible they would be pressed into service at a local hospital tending flu patients? Do they have any back up?

Check with their medical provider, but I suggest giving them some useful task that is not critical but which is important enough for them to understand they are contributing to the household during a situation that is difficult for everybody. Make it their job to put the tubs outside at night to catch any rainfall, or to help with the cooking, or to keep the dog chained in the backyard.

As much as possible, keep their minds on accomplishing the small but useful day to day tasks that survival depends on.

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

Bird Flu and Terrorism

2008-01-02T22:07:00.001-08:00

Bird flu won't stop terrorists, and a serious pandemic may encourage them to strike.

Therefore, one more problem which policy makers in the world must watch out for is maintaining security. This will be hard enough when police, security guards and soldiers are sick and dying in large numbers.

Of course, terrorists are not immune to bird flu, and some will no doubt become sick and die just as everyone else. But since we cannot count on bird flu incapacitating all of them, we must prepare to guard against attacks.

Many terrorists do prefer to meticulously plan and prepare for their attacks. During a pandemic society will not be on a regular basis, and therefore it'll be harder to make detailed plans that assume society will maintain its established order. However, the relative chaos and anarchy will make it easier to carry out small scale but strategically targeted bombings.

In some countries, there may be so much anti-government sentiment and activity that terrorism will be unnecessary. Terrorists looking to attack the established order may find that bombs just aren't necessary -- there're too many demonstrators and rioters in the streets already. One bomb more or less won't make any difference.

It's possible that in prodominately Islamic countries those that preach a return to an extreme interpretation of the Koran and sharia as a way to avoid Allah's wrath in the form of bird flu will find a ready audience of the fearful and grief-stricken.

It's also possible that in many countries those that are able to use the bird flu pandemic to seize power from the government will be opportunists and strong-arm criminal dictators who have no sincere interest in rule by Islamic law. They will impose rule by force upon a population decimated by bird flu and looking for a way to return to normal.

Terrorists may take advantage of U.S. disorganization and law enforcement personnel shortages to enter the country from either the northern or southern borders.

As ordinary citizens, we cannot guard nuclear power plants or similar targets, but we can help maintain order in our own neighborhoods, and look for danger in the form of both criminals and terrorists.

Terrorists who really analyze the world situation may well conclude that it's important to strike at the United States while we are distracted and weakened by the bird flu pandemic.

Our main world rival, China, will be weakened even more so. It's quite possible that in China there'll be widespread violence in the countryside against the government, and conflicts between regions. It is possible it could break up into different countries.

It's possible that a great ally of terrorism, North Korea, could see a political change. North Koreans have withstood massive starvation in the past twenty years. Will they also passively accept widespread death by bird flu?

Iran's mullahtocracy could be overturned by its dissatisfied citizens. Though the House of Saud may be overturned by Islamic fanatics.

A bird flu pandemic could be a bad time to be the government -- in many countries around the world. Yet the United States, although facing violence and chaos, has the best chance of emerging from the pandemic politically intact. And although we'd be economically weakened, we'd be in relatively better shape than the rest of the world, similar to our situation at the end of World War 2 -- which terrorists would hate.

Governments around the world recognize the potential for a serious bird flu pandemic to drive them from power, which is why they are working so hard despite political differences to contain the virus.

However, terrorists have no such interest in maintaining the present order. Therefore, we must assume they may take advantage of the situation. They may get little or no publicity while the world is preoccupied with millions of bird flu deaths, but they may be able to damage needed infrastructure.

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

How Public Contact Employees Can Protect Themselves From Bird Flu

2008-01-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

The best way to protect yourself from bird flu during a pandemic is to avoid all contact with other people.

However, this is impossible for people who must continue to report to a place of employment. Work will be especially dangerous if your job is to meet and deal with the public.

However, most people will want to continue to bring in a paycheck, so we'll be torn between the desire to ensure our safety by remaining home and the need to bring in money to pay the bills and buy whatever food may be available.

First of all, a lot of business that is currently done in person could be handled over the telephone. Employers should encourage customers to use the telephone or online services as much as possible. This will also protect the customer from possible exposure to bird flu.

But whether you are a cashier at a fast food restaurant, a cable TV installer or a welfare caseworker with clients who can't keep their telephone service on, you will still have to deal with some people face to face.

If allowed, wear a Nanomask at all times. Although many employers may object in the beginning of a bird flu pandemic, by the time millions are dying they should recognize that it should actually reassure customers that you are looking after their safety as well as your own. After all, after a customer with bird flu infects you, you could pass it on to the next customer in line.

If customers must do any writing or signing, leave pens out in their area. Do not give them yours. Do not touch the pens they have touched. If you must, wash your hands afterward.

Unfortunately, you may have to touch paperwork or, of course, their money. Cash money actually carries a lot of germs even now. We just rarely think about the hygiene implications of handling money given to us by other people. So if possible, employers should encourage customers to pay by credit or debit card. Employees don't need to handle the physical cards, just get the numbers and other necessary information from the customer.

Wear rubber or plastic gloves if you have to handle papers or cash handed to you by customers.

If possible, put a barrier of transparent plexiglass between you and the other person. This will help protect your from their germs if they cough or sneeze.

Fast food restaurants should encourage customers to use the drive-through facilities and discourage eating inside.

Keep a bottle of a germicidal hand lotion by your side and put some on your hands between each customer.

Give everyone coming into your business access to a bottle of germicidal hand lotion and encourage them to use it on their hands before touching anything.

Again, while many such measures would be perceived as offensive to customers during normal periods, a bird flu pandemic is not a normal period and they should understand that when everyone is in great danger from infection, every measure you take to protect yourself, also helps protect them as well.

Of course, during a bird flu pandemic the riskiest public contact job will be providing medical care to bird flu patients.

I can't give advice on that score, except to say please follow all rules and regulations to reduce your exposure to bird flu and to reduce the chances of you infecting other patients. And remember that barrier nursing and diligent hygienic procedures protect you as well as your patients.

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

How to Protect Yourself From the Emotional Dark Side of Preparing for a Bird Flu Pandemic

2007-12-30T21:31:00.000-08:00

I believe that a bird flu pandemic is quite possible and that people should prepare for it.

I devote a lot of time to thinking and writing about how to protect yourself and your family from bird flu.

I believe that my motivation -- and the motivation of others sounding the alarm and the many people around the world who are working to prepare for a contagious form of bird flu is positive. We want to make sure that a bird flu pandemic kills as few people as possible.

However, people are people and few of us are 100% saints.

Therefore, although it dismays me, it doesn't surprise me that some people display a less pleasant side of human nature.

None of us are immune. I'll admit that I have a list of people whom I'd like to die from bird flu. I mean, I don't really want anybody to die, but if SOMEBODY has to -- let it be them. A few on my list are in my personal life.

Others I'd really like to see die from bird flu are all the enemies of freedom. That's all terrorists and those supporting and encouraging them. Not to mention dictators who threaten world peace such as the head of North Korea. And although he's not as dangerous, I'd be happy to see Fidel Castro go.

However, I realize that if a bird flu pandemic actually happens, the virus doesn't care anything about the nature of its victims. H5N1 would just as soon infect an innocent baby as a terrorist planning to set off a nuclear bomb. And the children of Iran would be far more at risk than its fanatically dangerous president.

Yet I know that there're many people who love to read post-apocolyptic science fiction because they love to fantasize about solving the problems of today by starting over. Some of them believe they'd be better off by living in a world where might made right. And I remember one feminist SF fan telling me that she enjoyed imagining that if the world had to stay over from scratch that women could make sure the patriarchy was eliminated.

I was not surprised to read in a bird flu forum recently that the poster believed that it was good that bird flu would eliminate a lot of people, because the world was overpopulated.

A professor nicknamed Dr. Doom recently acquired some notoriety by expressing much the same sentiment in a speech to some scientists. According to him, people are no better than bacteria. He actually said that he hoped a terrorist would spread Ebola to kill 90% of the human race. But "bird flu would work too." The audience actually applauded him.

One problem here is that we are concerned for ourselves and our loved ones, and the other 6.5 billion people are meaningless to us. However, most everybody is loved and valued by their own friends and family. It's easy to kill off 5 or 6 billion faceless numbers, but people who have faces, personalities and emotions -- especially children -- that's a lot different.

It's also easy to believe that you are one of the protected ones who will survive the bird flu pandemic. Yet Americans are no more virus-proof than Vietnamese children. If the Earth wants to get rid of people, why not you too?

Then there're the religious crazies. When bird flu was first found in Israel, an extremist Jew said that was God's punishment for removing the settlers from the Palestinian territories and a Palestinian Muslim cleric said it was God's punishment of Israel for being Jewish.

Since bird flu has so far infected countries and people who are: Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, officially atheistic, unofficially Taoist and Christian -- I don't think the virus cares about religion.

So all I ask -- and I know that when emotions, especially fear, run high this is difficult -- is to recognize the more hateful emotions within you, and then remember that our real enemy is the H5N1 virus.

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

Bird Flu and Illegal Immigration

2007-12-27T22:04:00.000-08:00

A bird flu pandemic will change many things around the world, and one thing that the United States government must consider in its bird flu plans is the effect of illegal immigration.

When people are dying right and left, it's only human nature that people want to blame somebody for their problems. Therefore, a bird flu pandemic will likely spark ethnic violence around the globe. This most likely place for this to happen in the U.S. is in the southwestern states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas where there is a high concentration of Hispanics, some of whom entered the U.S. illegally.

We do have plans in place to monitor and screen passengers coming into the U.S. through international jet travel, and this is good. We will likely try to keep obviously sick people from even boarding planes headed for U.S. destinations. We plan to monitor passengers during the flight (because during a long Asia to U.S. flight infected people can go from nonsymptomatic to coughing and sneezing), and we plan to isolate sick passengers and quarantine the rest of the passengers and crew.

That's all well and good, but what about the many thousands of people who daily cross our border without even permission, let alone observation for good health?

Mexicans are no more likely than anybody else to be infected with bird flu, but during a pandemic no less likely either.

It's also possible that Mexican hospitals and clinics will be overwhelmed by flu patients, and so some will head for the U.S. for treatment, in the mistaken belief that U.S. hospitals and clinics will be better prepared to treat flu patients.

However, it is true that it will be difficult for anybody with bird flu to cross the desert. It'll be difficult enough for them to breathe. However, it's possible that their relatives may try to reach the U.S. in the belief they can buy Tamiflu here to save their ill family member.

We are unlikely to have enough Tamiflu to treat more than a small percentage of influenza patients, and treatment must begin within 2 days of symptoms, so it's not practical for Mexicans to get Tamiflu by going to the U.S. for sick family members, but that may not keep them from trying.

In any case, there's the risk that illegal immigrants will be blamed for further spreading bird flu into the U.S.

Another border issue is simple security. Most illegal immigrants coming from Mexico are Mexicans who want to make money in the U.S. Some are non-Mexicans who just want to work in the U.S.

Some are no doubt terrorists who want to destroy the United States. During a bird flu pandemic, more terrorists may plan to come into the United States to take advantage of pandemic-related problems.

It's also possible that Mexican gangs who now smuggle marijuana, cocaine and other drugs into the U.S. may switch to smuggling fake drugs. They'll find a large market for counterfeit or poorly made Tamiflu.

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

How to Protect Senior Citizens From Bird Flu

2007-12-26T22:08:00.001-08:00

Senior citizens are at high risk of catching bird flu during a pandemic because their immune systems are weaker due to their age.

While it's true that not many bird flu victims of the current strain of H5N1 have been elderly, that's probably because it's in countries where the life expectancy is lower than in developed countries, so there just aren't as many elderly people. Plus, they are not as likely to have direct contact with living or uncooked chickens.

However, once bird flu becomes contagious, we can expect that elderly will be just as at risk for catching the virus if exposed to it, and more at risk of dying from it or associated infections and consequences.

Regular flu shots may protect seniors to the extent that the shots keep them from becoming sick and weakened from catching ordinary flu. The flu shots themselves are for the 3 most common strains of ordinary flu going around, not for bird flu.

Eventually there will be a bird flu vaccine, but it will not be exactly targeted toward the contagious strain of H5N1. That means it will provide only partial protection from the contagious strain. Since seniors have weakened immune systems, they will have less ability to benefit from the cross-immunity.

Therefore, the main strategy to protect seniors from bird flu is still social isolation -- to stay away from as many people as possible to avoid exposure to the virus.

Just as children should be kept out of day care centers and schools during a bird flu pandemic, seniors should stay away from adult day care centers.

Of course, many seniors are socially isolated anyway, which is normally not good, but it could save their life during a bird flu pandemic.

Of course, family members should look in on their senior relatives, but this contact should be limited, and children should be kept at home, since they can easily transmit infection.

A big risk to seniors will be not getting professional care and medicine for their other medical problems. A bird flu pandemic will not make heart attacks, high blood pressure or strokes disappear, but will severely strain the ability of hospitals and clinics to care for anybody except flu victims.

So seniors should try to make some arrangements with their care providers for emergency service in the event of a pandemic. Also, they should arrange for the stockpiling of their regular prescription medicines, since they may be unable to obtain them at their usual drugstore after the transportation system is disrupted.

Nursing homes will be of particular concern, since residents of them will be particularly weak and at risk from infectious diseases. Nursing home staff should be particularly careful to clean their hands thoroughly when going from resident to resident. All staff and visitors should wash their hands and rub alcohol lotion on them frequently.

In fact, frequent hand washing is one of the best ways for everyone to protect themselves from contagious flu. So make sure everybody in your family of all ages washes their hands well and frequently.

It's also important that nursing home staff members who have sick families members or who feel sick themselves stay home, to avoid bringing bird flu to the nursing home. Unfortunately, staffing shortages will probably be a problem simply because of the staff themselves becoming sick, dying or just plain hiding out at home.

Seniors may object to anything new, but they should be encouraged to take any supplements that can increase the strength of their immune systems: Vitamin C, zinc, selenium, Omega-3, beta carotene and others.

And of course, consult with their doctor, especially regarding chronic medical conditions.

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

How to Protect Yourself From Bird Flu and Other Infections by Washing Your Hands -- the Right Way

2007-12-25T22:34:00.000-08:00

OK, so I sound like your mother -- I accept that. Only I'm worse than your mother, because I want you to wash your hands more often than your mother did.

And for a longer time and more thoroughly.

If and when bird flu mutates into a virus that's contagious between people, we can expect it to spread as easily as ordinary influenza, and the same way ordinary flu does

Ordinary flu (and colds too) spreads primarily in two ways: contact spread and airborne spread.

Airborne spread means that somebody sheds virus by coughing or sneezing, and the small droplets containing the virus hang in the air, and you breath them in. They can hang there for fifteen minutes or more before drifting to the ground.

Experts disagree about whether contact spread or airborne spread causes more new infections of colds and flu.

It's a fact that you can dramatically reduce your chances of catching bird flu, ordinary flu, colds and other commons infections such as caliciviruses which causes nausea (stomach flu) by washing your hands to eliminate the risk of contact spread.

It's true washing your hands won't help you if a bird flu patient sneezes into your face, so avoid that!

Contact spread means the passing along of germs by simple touch. Influenza viruses can live outside a human body for hours. H5N1 bird flu can possibly survive on the outside for days.

So it's entirely possible that one of your co-workers can be infected but not even know it yet. They work at a computer keyboard. They shed some H5N1 viruses onto the keys. You sit down at the keyboard several hours later and do some work. You don't know it, but bird flu is on your hands.

Now, at this stage, the H5N1 is harmless. It cannot pass through the skin of your hands. That's the good news.

The bad news is that most of us touch our hands to our faces every 30 seconds or so. You put your hand on your chin to think. You scratch your nose. You rub your eyes. You chew your fingernail.

That's when the bird flu virus can infect you. It goes from your hands into your body through your mouth, nose and eyes. Then infects your respiratory tract and in a few days you're coughing.

That's why it's so important to wash your hands often in the best of times, more often during ordinary cold and flu season, and compulsively during a bird flu pandemic.

You may think there's no need for this article. Think again. Researchers once ran an experiment in the public restrooms of Grand Central Station. They installed cameras to observe how many people washed their hands after doing their business. They observed hundreds of men and women of every social class, economic class, race and ethnicity -- from the homeless to the wealthy.

60% failed to wash their hands at all!

Under 10% washed their hands thoroughly.

Almost nobody washed their hands thoroughly and then avoided touching the rest room surfaces before leaving.

You should wash your hands after using the bathroom and before meals, as your mother taught you. You should also wash your hands occasionally during the day. Especially after shaking hands with someone (when it's polite to do so, of course), after you've been handling anybody else's things (such as using someone else's pens or computer keyboard), after you've coughed or sneezed, after preparing dishes while cooking -- and even more often during the regular flu and cold season and throughout a bird flu pandemic.

Don't become as crazy as Howard Hughes in old age, but do wash your hands often, the proper way.

Use soap and water. Water should be a comfortable temperature. When it's too cold it won't dissolve the soap as easily. Too hot and of course it'll burn you.

Lather up well and rub the soap all over your hands and fingers, including under your fingernails, for twenty to thirty seconds. Rinse. Repeat.

In public restrooms, don't touch any surfaces with your now clean hands. Turn off faucet with paper towel. Push door open with paper towel.

In some places (such as where I work), there's no soap available, only a lotion of the germicide triclosan.

Scientists disagree about using triclosan. Some believe it's a harmful chemical. Some believe it encourages resistance to germicides in the germs. Some believe it upset the balance of natural germs on our skin.

If you have a choice, scrub your hands thoroughly with soap and water. If you have no choice, just use the triclosan. Chances are you won't even notice.

Some of the same arguments apply to germicide hands lotions made from isopropyl alcohol, which you find stores full of during the Fall beginning of flu season. Except that some people say that when the alcohol evaporates it dries the skin of your hands creating small cracks that allow more dirt inside your skin.

Therefore, I use my hand lotion of isopropyl alcohol only when I feel my hands are so dirty that I want some extra protection besides a thorough scrubbing of soap and water. Hey, sometimes that happens after I use the toilet.

And during a bird flu pandemic -- I'm applying that germicide hand lotion ten times a day, cracks in the skin or no cracks in the skin. Especially if I've touched anyone or handled any objects that may have been exposed to anybody else.

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

Bird Flu Facts

2007-12-23T21:56:00.000-08:00

Only recently has the bird flu become such a widely publicized illness. Yet, in that time, it has raised fear in many and left everyone with unanswered questions regarding it's transmission, symptoms and treatment. Bird flu is believed to be spread through an infected bird's saliva, nasal extract and/or feces. Otherwise healthy birds may contract the illness by either coming into direct contact with an infected bird or through contact with a contaminated surface. Due in large part that the infected birds are migratory, there is growing concern that the bird flu may spread worldwide.

Humans can contract bird flu directly from an infected bird, but few cases have ever been noted on possible human to human infection. This does not mean that it is or is not possible, but rather that the exact ways of transmission are not yet all known. The current method of bird flu prevention is to eliminate the infected animals upon the determination that they are infected. In some instances, animals that are thought to be infected may also be destroyed on a precautionary basis. This is done in order to protect fellow animals and to prevent the public from contracting the illness as well.

Symptoms of bird flu may include those much like a common cold, which could make them difficult to diagnose. A fever, cough, sore throat, achy muscles, breathing problems and even possible pneumonia are among the symptoms thought to indicate a bird flu infection. Although no experts know for certain, these are the potential warning signs. The reason that so much uncertainty surrounds this ailment is because it is not yet fully understood and has not yet been thoroughly studied. As to whether it will continue to spread or will ever become the widespread illness that everyone fears is not known. The infected individual's immune system will have a large impact on the severity of their illness.

Treatment of bird flu infection usually includes prescription medication and the survival rate is 50% for those individuals that become infected. Once infected, the bird flu virus is believed to travel through the body quickly. This means that the onset of symptoms could be prompt and would call for quick action from the infected individual.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or a doctor's recommendation. If any or all of the above symptoms occur, individuals should consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

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Here's The Truth On The Bird Flu Virus

2007-12-21T21:17:00.001-08:00

Bird Flu is its common name, which is a specific strain of an influenza virus. Scientists have dubbed this flu: H5N1. The origin of this flu began in birds, and ONLY birds have been hit hard by this so far. Millions of birds have perished because of this disease starting in China, then onto Southeast Asia, Russia, Africa and Europe. The spread of this flu is a result of birds migrating to those areas of the world. The governments of those regions have slaughtered hundreds of thousands of birds in an effort to prevent the spread of the Bird Flu Virus.

The only way a human can get the Bird Flu Virus (as it stands right now) is if they have come in close, physical contact with an infected bird. A person CANNOT get it from another human. When was the last time you came in close, physical contact with a live bird? Let alone, a bird that is infected with H5N1. In the last 10 years, only 207 people worldwide have been infected with the Bird Flu Virus. Sadly, 115 of those infected have died. Let's look at these figures for a moment, 207 people in the entire world, out of a population of more than Six Point Five BILLION people on earth. More people within a 100-mile radius of you had a car accident today, than the entire amount of those infected with the Bird Flu Virus. It's a very good bet that you aren't freaked out about wadding up your car anytime soon. So why is everyone freaking out over the Bird Flu Virus?

The top disease experts in the world have stated that it takes weeks and months for a flu-like virus to spread. Scientists are way ahead of the curve when it comes to prevention of even the worst-case scenario. Like the one that ABC-TV tried to shove down our throat with it's.. "We're All Gonna Die"... movie called: "Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America" portraying a bird flu pandemic rampaging across the United States.

If the Bird Flu Virus does make a jump into the human population, the first thing our government would do, is to contain the outbreak. By that, I DON'T mean that you should make a run to your local Home Depot and buy rolls and rolls of plastic to seal up your house. (remember the Anthrax scare, a few years ago?) And then start eating handfuls of Tamiflu: The #1 doctor-prescribed flu medicine What they would suggest is that you stay home and take an antibiotic, so that you wouldn't spread your flu to other people you come in contact with. Pretty much like you have done most of your life, get the flu, stay home and take medicine until you are better.

Quarantines, vaccine shortages, mass graves, mass hysteria and our elected officials hiding in a bunker, as a result of someone that fondled a sick chicken. It isn't gonna happen. However, if you are obsessed with Bird Flu Virus, the website listed below contains a library of free information on this topic. You just might find the exact details about H5N1 that you've been looking for.

Bird Flu Virus 411 - http://www.birdfluvirus411.com is a website with a wealth of information for treatment of the bird flu virus, bird flu virus and Tamiflu links, bird flu RSS feeds, bird flu virus articles, and more!

Worried About Bird Flu? Pest Birds Cause More Problems Than You May Know

2007-12-20T23:24:00.000-08:00

Birds are beautiful, wild creatures of nature and most reside in rural environments that provide natural shelters for them. However, some bird species have successfully adapted to our urban environment. The pigeon, starling and house sparrow -- among others -- thrive in our buildings and on our food. Their adaptation to our communities has brought them into close proximity to humans, often conflicting with us in our cities and suburbs. Although there are many different problems associated with pest birds, they can generally be grouped into two main categories: damage and disease.

How Pest Birds Harbor and Spread Disease

Headlines scream of late about the spread of bird flu, encephalitis, salmonella and among other diseases, raising the public's awareness about the role pest birds play in the spread of disease. Yet, there are still many who underestimate the health risks associated with birds.

Birds are a perfect mechanism for spreading disease as they travel great distances, harbor a variety of parasites and can host internally a plethora of infectious diseases. While in general human interaction with most bird species is minimal, as more birds like pigeons, sparrows, starlings and gulls, become urbanized and we develop further into the suburbs (their natural habitat), they come into contact with humans more frequently, thus increasing the potential for the spread of diseases.

Diseases are carried by birds in several ways: 1) they are contained inside the bird and passed on through defecation, 2) they are present in the bird's nesting materials or droppings, and spread wherever these materials are left, and 3) the disease is inside a parasite the bird hosts.

The most common way a disease is transferred from bird to human is when a diseased bird directly defecates into a human food or water source. In the summer of 93, New York faced a health crisis when several hundred people came down with a mysterious ailment. The illness was traced to seagull droppings in an old city reservoir. Even if the feces are not dropped directly onto exposed food or water, airborne spores from drying feces in air ducts and vents or anywhere nearby can settle on exposed food and transfer disease. Several thousand cases of food poisoning (salmonella) every year can be attributed to this disease transmission route.

As bird droppings and/or the contaminated soil it rests on dries or is disturbed, microscopic pieces break off and become airborne. The airborne particles can contain dormant fungi and/or bacteria. When breathed into the lungs, the warm, moist lung lining provides a breeding ground for the infectious agents. Generally this infection lasts a few days, is flu-like in nature and the body's defenses contain the invaders before minor symptoms appear. However, in some cases, major infections cause long term disability and, in the extreme cases, death. An example of this occurred after the Northridge earthquake, when several thousand people came down with flu-like respiratory symptoms called Valley Fever, caused by breathing in dust and airborne debris filled with histoplasmosis spores and related fungal agents stirred up by the earthquake. It is important to note there is no known medical cure for internal fungal infections.

Direct contact with feces can also cause infections, such as when fecal dust or droppings get inside a wound or cut. The wound site becomes red, puffy and pus-filled. Antibiotics are often needed to cure the infection. In some rare cases, infection of the blood (septis) or internal infection can also occur, causing serious illness or death. Proper attire must always be worn around bird droppings, and special care used when cleaning a bird site or installing bird control products. If a cut or injury occurs, thoroughly wash and disinfect the wound and cover with a sterile bandage to minimize risk of infection.

Parasites harbored by pest birds like ticks, fleas, mites and mosquitoes, etc., are a key component in the spread of infectious diseases. Parasites transfer diseases by biting an infected animal and sucking in blood containing the germ, then passes the germ along when it bites its next victim. Over forty types of parasites often live either on birds, in their nests or in places they roost. They are responsible for the transmission of several hundred viral and bacterial agents including: plague, encephalitis, pox and meningitis. Paradoxically, this threat can be aggravated when bird control products are installed if the installer does not thoroughly clean and disinfect the site with a hospital-grade disinfectant to eradicate the parasites. If they do not clean the site when the birds are excluded, mites, fleas, ticks, etc., will seek a new host, often the human inhabitants in the area. Therefore, a proper bird control project will always include parasite extermination and thorough cleaning of the entire site.

Damage Caused by Pest Birds

Pest birds are responsible for tens of millions of dollars of damage every year to buildings, machinery, automobiles, roofs, ventilation systems and much more. Accumulated bird droppings and nesting materials cause a host of physical problems, sometimes very serious in nature, if not corrected immediately. Besides the liability concern of people slipping and falling on droppings that gather on walkways, bird droppings and nesting materials are responsible for a host of other types of property and structural damage as well.
Bird droppings are very acidic in composition and "eat" away at many substrates, especially tar-based roofing materials. Piled bird droppings on roofs can wear through many types of material, eventually causing leaks. The life expectancy of a composite roof can be cut in half by just a light, but continuous, application of bird droppings. Pigeon, starling and sparrow nests are often built in rain gutters, drains and the corners of roofs where drains are located. Each year buildings of all types experience damage and occasionally, in extreme cases, roof collapses, when drainage systems are blocked with bird nests and droppings and standing water rises to a level the roof cannot support.

Bird droppings and nesting materials frequently cause damage to air conditioning equipment, machinery, siding, insulation, etc. Besides damaging equipment, people around these areas are exposed to a potentially dangerous health-risk any time they work on or around the machinery. Nesting materials are often very flammable due to their construction of straw, twigs and dried droppings and when birds build their nests near air conditioning units and other machinery there is a definite risk of fire. Most bird droppings, especially pigeon and sea gull, fade automobile and other paint finishes by eating into the protective coating and the paint itself. The longer the droppings are allowed to sit on the paint, the more damage is done.

Chimneys and ventilation systems are favorite nesting spots for some birds and can potentially spread diseases through the air duct system, as well as blocking airflow. This can have horrible consequences like in 1995 when a family of five in Cleveland was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning when their fireplace exhaust was blocked by bird nests.

Attics of houses, apartments, and other buildings are favorite nesting places for many birds, especially pigeons. They enter through openings broken or never sealed off in the first place, and set up home in these protected areas, building nests and defecating. These areas have little or no exposure to sunlight or airflow, magnifying the potential spread of disease since bacteria harbored in the birds' excrement and nesting materials thrive under these conditions. Damage to the structure, insulation and any items stored in the vicinity can be costly, and often the foul odors that develop can be overwhelming. More than once the weight of droppings from a large number of resident birds has become so great that the ceiling has actually collapsed. In addition, droppings and nesting materials on or around a building send a message to neighbors that building is not properly maintained.

How to Handle Pest Bird Problems

First and foremost, bird infestations should be taken seriously, but not irrationally. When evaluating a health risk potential, look for the following: droppings or nesting materials inside air vents, birds around food or water containers/areas, or large amounts of droppings in enclosed areas. These are the types of situations where disease can spread. Remember, pigeons walking around a park bench is not necessarily cause for panic, but twenty birds living inside an attic could pose a health and damage concern requiring action.

Second, permanent barriers that actually deter birds from remaining at the site should be installed to keep birds from returning to the area. Examples of these products would be: bird netting, bird spikes, post & wire products, etc. Audio/ visual products such as screech owls, balloons, and audible sound products (not ultrasonic -- birds hear the same way humans do) can be effective against certain species (but not pigeons!) that are not nesting at the site. There are a number of companies and websites out there that specialize in bird control products such as Bird Barrier America, BirdSpikes.net and BirdBusters to name a few.

Third, when cleaning the site and installing bird control products, the proper precautions must be taken. Respirators, goggles and protective clothing should always be used when cleaning up bird sites, particularly in enclosed areas out of the sun with large amounts of droppings and nesting material.

Finally, once the birds are removed it is crucial to exterminate all the ectoparasites and thoroughly disinfect the site to prevent the migration of bacteria and parasites. Then you can be sure they will not move to a new host, like other animals in the area or even humans, once the birds are gone.

Bird control is something that should be planned in the budget if possible by building managers, as are other types of pest control. Generally, the earlier a problem is detected, the easier it is to solve, since the birds have not had a lot of time to become committed to the site. Control methods are available on the market that are effective and affordable, and installing them generally saves you time and money long-term, as it reduces the clean-up time and associated replacement costs which can mount quickly when a number of birds are present. Companies like Bird Barrier offer toll free phone consultations at (800) 503-5444 and have certified bird control product installers across the nation to assist in solving any bird problem.

With over 10 years of experience researching and documenting bird control problems and solutions, Monique Thorsell is considered an expert consultant for companies in the bird control industry like Bird Barrier America, Bird Busters and others.

Are Dogs Safe From the Bird Flu?

2007-12-19T22:03:00.000-08:00

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu or H5N1, is a viral disease that most commonly affects birds. It has appeared from time to time in regions around the world. It can spread easily among wild birds, but can also infect domestic birds including chickens, turkeys, ducks, and can also affect humans and other mammals. There is a rising concern that the H5N1 virus could cause a flu pandememic.

The CDC says that dogs are not usually susceptilbe to avian influenza viruses. However, the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus that emerged in Asia in 2003 has been documented to infect other carnivore species (e.g. cats, tigers, leopards, stone martens). This has raised concern that this strain of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus may be capable of infecting dogs. An unpublished report from 2005 by The National Institute of Animal Health in Bangkok indicated that dogs could be infected with the virus, but the associated disease was not detected. Researchers tested 629 village dogs and 111 cats in the Suphan Buri district of central Thailand. Out of these, 160 dogs and 8 cats had antibodies to H5N1, indicating that they were infected with the virus or had been infected in the past.

There were news reports of a stray dog dying from bird flu (H5N1)in Azerbaiijan in March. This was the first reported death of a dog from the virus. So far, this appears to be an isolated case. The World Health Organization(WHO) states on it's website that a better understanding of the situation in animals is, however, urgently needed.

So far, there is not enough information available about H5N1 in dogs to know how infection would occur. Most human cases have come from contact with infected poultry or feces. Affected cats in Europe appear to have become infected by eating infected poultry or wild birds. It is possible dogs could be infected the same way.

If H5N1 is found in your area, (at this time H5N1 has not been found in North America), it may be a good idea to keep your dog indoors unless restrained, to prevent contact with infected birds and their feces. If you have a hunting dog, you may want to reconsider using it for retrieving downed birds. Report to the local veterinary authority any evidence of significant bird mortality, both wild and domestic. If your dog shows breathing problems or nasal discharge, consult a veterinarian. Wash animal blankets with soap or any other commercial detergent.

An equine virus has recently shown up in dogs in the U.S. It is believed that the equine influenza virus mutated to produce the canine influenza virus. This may be a slighlty higher risk for dogs than avian influenza. This inter-species re-assortment is not uncommon for type A influenza viruses. It is unclear when this transition occurred.

Symptoms of canine influenza can be similar to kennel cough and include: a persistant, soft, moist cough, and a thick nasal discharge. More severe cases may include high fevers, pneumonia, and difficulty breathing, which can also be caused by a secondary bacterial infection.

If your dog exhibits any of these symtpoms, consult your veterinarian.

So far, there has been no indication of transmission from dog to human. There is no vaccine available at this time. Treatment is usually limited to IV fluids to help keep your dog hydrated or antibiotics to help control the infection.

For more information concerning the Canine Influenza, and Avian Influenza check out:

www.avma.org/

www.cdc.gov/

So, is your dog safe from the bird flu? No one seems to have a solid answer one way or another at this time. A little caution may be warranted, but the choice is yours: Would you rather your prized hunting dog stay home under the bed rather than risk catching the bird flu, or be out leading the hunt, doing what he loves? The best advise we have right now is always pay close attention to your dogs health. If your dog shows signs of ill health, consult your veterinarian. This will ensure you have a healthy, happy companion for years to come.

Andrew Saari contributes articles to several websites. For the latest on dog health visit http://www.quickdogtraining.com

How to Avoid Catching Bird Flu While Traveling

2007-12-18T21:59:00.001-08:00

International travel has always had its special health challenges, but until recently most travelers were not afraid of anything worse than diarrhea.

Bird flu's changed that.

The bird flu H5N1 virus has now been found from Indonesia to Scotland and in six countries in Africa. So anybody traveling in the Eastern Hemisphere must consider their risk of catching bird flu.

Besides, it's expected to arrive in North America by this fall or even sooner, via migratory birds or bird smugglers. From there it'll no doubt reach Central and South America.

Bird flu hasn't been reported in Antarctica yet, but I would still advise you not to have close personal contact with the penguins.

You don't want to bring any H5N1 bird flu viruses home with you in your lungs. Although most advice focuses on chickens and other poultry, I think you should also avoid pigs, since then can have bird flu also.

Stay away from markets where chickens, ducks, geese and pigs are sold live.

Stay away from markets where chicken, duck, geese and pork meat are sold. Don't buy raw chicken, duck, geese or pork, even from supermarkets.

Stay away from farms where chickens, ducks, geese and pigs are raised.

In many poor countries, chickens walk freely around villages foraging for food. Try to stay away from them as much as possible.

(There is a certain charm in such areas, I understand. I once visited a rural Thai house where the only door was not attached to the doorframe -- but at night laid sidewides across the width of the opening to prevent chickens from wandering into the house at night. However, suffering from jet lag as I was, the loud crowing of the roosters at 2:00 AM kept me away. Don't let anybody tell you they wait for dawn!)

Don't attend cockfights. The sharp spurs spatter the audience with chicken blood.

Avoid zoos. If you must go in, avoid open bird exhibits. Keep your distance from any displays of ducks, swans etc.

If you are backpacking or trekking through the woods, avoid wild birds and their excrement.

Don't eat any raw or red chicken meat. Make sure it is thoroughly cooked. Cut it open with a knife before to make sure before you take a bite.

In my limited traveling experience in Asia, meat is very well done, perhaps as a sanitary custom to kill bacteria and parasites. However, Vietnam does have a national dish of raw duck blood soup. It's now discouraged by the government, but if you do happen to be offered it -- decline graciously.

Also, Laos and Lao people in northern Thailand eat a dish called lahp which is made from raw meat. That's usually beef but it can be pork or chicken. Politely decline all lahp unless it's beef or fish.

The same with eggs -- make sure all eggs you eat are well done. Do not order eggs "sunny side up." Do not eat if the yolks are runny. If you are heating a bowl of hot noodles, do not let them add a raw egg. Yes, the heat of the sauce hardened the eggs, but not the 70 degrees Celsius or 158 degrees Fahrenheit required to kill the bird flu virus.

Avoid people who are coughing and sneezing. Maybe they just have a cold. Maybe it's something worse.

If you happen to get sick, seek the best available medical care. The U.S. government is requiring its embassies and consulates to have a list of local medical care "resources," but I'm sure any decent hotel room clerk or taxi driver will know the best and nearest hospital or clinic. Chances are your medical insurance won't cover the cost, but check on that with the company before you leave home. If you live overseas there are health insurance plans available to expats. Look for them on Google.

Unfortunately, you can't avoid riding in airplanes. You're trapped in a small space along with many other people. You don't know what kind of germs they have. They may feel healthy and display no symptoms, because they've been infected with bird flu for less than a day.

The best advice I know of, is to suck on those zinc and Vitamin C lozenges that are sold to people with colds. They get zinc as close as possible to your mouth and nose. That's your best chance to trap any infections coming at you from the shared air of your jet cabin -- before they infect your lungs.

Take these sensible precautions and you have almost no chance of catching bird flu on your next vacation.

And if you do get diarrhea . . . I cleared that up in a few days by taking acidophilus capsules, bought at the local GNC.

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

Battle against Bird Flu- Are we Prepared

2007-12-17T22:07:00.000-08:00

Nature God is a whimsical God. At times it bestows all its boons on mankind and then there are times when it shows its harshest face. Since times immemorial man has been betraying nature and transforming it according to his own needs and requirements. Every time the human race tries to change the natural cycle there occurs devastation, a warning from the nature?s side. But man is even blessed with greatest gifts from the almighty in the shape of this Mother Nature. In case there occurs any trouble that is more because of his wrong deeds and ill doings. But he courageously faces the consequences and tries to find a solution to the existing problem.

This time the problem occurred with the chickens. The spread of this disease called Avian Flu or Bird Flu. At this time avian influenza (H5N1), is a disease of wild birds and domesticated poultry like farm chickens, ducks, and turkeys. Although millions of birds have been infected, only a very small number of people have been infected. Because all influenza viruses have the ability to change there is concern that the H5N1 virus could mutate and be spread easily and widely by humans. If that happens, it is possible that a pandemic or widespread outbreak of disease could occur. Viruses are masters of interspecies navigation. Mutating rapidly and often grabbing the genetic material of other viruses, they can jump from animals to humans with a quick flick of their DNA. Since the 1980s, the list of diseases that have hitchhiked directly from animals to people has grown rapidly ? hantavirus, SARS, monkey pox and, most recently, avian influenza, commonly called bird flu. With the exception of HIV/AIDS, perhaps none of these illnesses has more potential to create widespread harm than bird flu does.

In people, bird flu usually begins much like conventional influenza, with fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches, but bird flu can lead to life-threatening complications. Avian influenza is not easily passed from birds to humans. People may get avian influenza by touching an infected bird, fluid or surfaces contaminated with fluids from infected birds and then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth. People who could be at risk are those who travel to countries with outbreaks of avian influenza and have close contact with live or improperly cooked poultry while there. Individuals with avian influenza (H5N1) usually develop symptoms within 10 days of contact with infected birds. Symptoms are usually severe and include high fever, muscle aches, cough, mucus production and shortness of breath. Abdominal pain and diarrhea can also occur.

Influenza viruses survive by mutating constantly and if the bird flu virus mutates to an airborne human to human virus the consequences could be catastrophic. Due to the hazardous effects of this fatal disease it became a challenge for the pharmacologists and scientists to find a solution to this problem and that came with TAMIFLU. Right now, the primary treatment option is the flu drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu), a neuraminidase inhibitor that works by preventing the virus from escaping its host cell. It's not clear how effective Tamiflu will ultimately prove against (A) H5N 1. So, now no more fears regarding this disease. Buy chap, online tamiflu and get rid of all the troubles and fears. So today again the human race is prepared to fight against this precarious disease and maintain the continuity of human race.
For more informations Visit: http://www.checkflu.com/

Bird Flu - The basic facts.

2007-12-14T21:48:00.000-08:00

Could there ever be a Bird Flu Pandemic'
This is a crucial question being asked by Scientists around the Globe.
Regarding a Bird Flu Pandemic. No-one is really sure if a Pandemic will happen but there are relevant facts that "seem" to indicate a Bird Flu Pandemic is 'possible'.
To date, very few viruses like the Bird Flu have crossed from one species to another and infected Humans on a Pandemic scale.
Regarding those viruses that have crossed from one species to another, H5N1 strain of Bird-Flu has created the largest number of 'severe cases'.
Across Europe, the outbreak of this strain of Bird Flu has been held responsible for the death of 50% of those infected.
Horrifyingly, the majority of the reported cases have been children and the elderly.
To date, this deadly strain of Bird Flu has not spread from person-to-person in any great numbers, BUT all flu viruses CAN mutate!
If this happened and the deadly form of Bird Flu, H5N1 , was readily passed from Human-to-Human we would see a declaration of a Pandemic!
This is a fear long-held by Scientists, that a Flu Virus as deadly as the Bird Flu, strain H5N1, could readily pass from Human to Human.
It would be Globally devastating...

Recent History - Bird Flu.

During 1918 and 1919 around 50 million people from around the world died during a pandemic, which was named Spanish Flu.
Because victims drowned in their own 'fluids', Doctors mistakenly diagnosed a Respiratory Illness
Now we know it was a form of Bird Flu, which had mutated to humans. It was a variant strain of H1N1.
Today we are faced with a more aggressive strain of Bird Flu known as H5N1, which if it mutates to humans, has the potential to kill hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
To date there is no known vaccine. No known cure!
Scientists say that, if left uncontrolled, Bird Flu, strain H5N1, could wipe out more than half the worlds population!!
This current form of Bird-Flu could mutate at any time.
We have no remedy. It could become the most deadly viruses known to mankind.

Protection / Sensible Safe-Guards.

As with all infectious illnesses, Bird Flu in particular, basic precations are the first and most important 'line of defence'.
Avoid large crowds. Avoid all places where many people congregate and move on. Avoid Public Meetings.
This is, of course, impossible in the main because of the very nature of todays World.
Airports. Train Stations. Bus Stations. Surgeries. Schools. Offices with Air Conditioning.
The list is endless..
So that brings us neatly to the next level of precaution against contracting the Bird Flu.
The next, and most sensible precaution, is to wear Face Masks.
These are an imperative if one needs to be in a Public Area for whatever reason.
The W.H.O. made these following suggestions for the wearing of Face Masks to prevent being infected by H5N1 or Bird Flu.
1. When one comes into direct contact with infected animals or people, the wearing of a P3, or highest category filter, Face Mask is essential!
2. If, on examination, there is no apparent infection the wearing of a P2 Face Mask is recommended.
3. Unfortunatley the wearing of medical masks offer ONLY minimal protection agaist the Bird Flu so, therefore, are NOT recommended.
4. When one is wearing a mask as protection against Brid Flu, one must make sure the mask fits prefectly.
5. One must also be aware that the Bird Flu is a biologically active virus and can enter the body via contact of any sort with the skin or eyes etc so other means of protection must be employed to totally protect one against the invasion of the Brid Flu infection.

The Future - Bird Flu

Around the Globe, Countries, Institutions and Scientists of every 'ilk', are hunting down a Vaccine to prevent - then cure - the Bird Flu.
In the US, the NAIAD issued a very encouraging report on March 29th 2006 regarding a possible treatment for Bird Flu.
Clinical trials showed "" that high doses of an experimental H5N1 avian influenza vaccine can induce immune responses in healthy adults. Approximately half of those volunteers who received an initial and a booster dose of the highest dosage of the vaccine tested in the trial developed levels of infection-fighting antibodies that current tests predict would neutralize the Bird Flu virus. ""
This is a major step and ALL the study cases and notes are readily available should the need arise to fight a Global Pandemic of Bird Flu.
To reach this 'place', Countries around the Globe have contributed a variety of crucial resources and co-operated in a manner not known before.
'Red-Tape' has been cut to expedite the final solution for Bird Flu and, as a side effect, new channels have been found that will vastly speed up the exchange of information needed for a variety of Emergency Situations.
With this level of co-operation we can breathe slightly more easily today but we must never relax! The next Pandemic is just around the corner.

Thanks for finding my site and reading my article. If you want to learn more then keep looking around my site.

This Article was written by David Hill.
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Bird Flu- Hard to get, Harder to beat

2007-12-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

Going vegetarian these days fearing bird influenza? Ever wondered what exactly is this bird flu (derived from the word influenza). Bird flu or avian influenza is any virus adapted in humans from the bird species. The only known such virus are influenza A viruses, of which of which H5N1 is a subtype. Most people use the words ?avian flu? or ?bird flu? to mean H5N1.

Avian (or bird) flu is caused by influenza viruses that occur naturally among wild birds. The H5N1 variant is deadly to domestic fowl and can be transmitted from birds to humans. There is no human immunity and no vaccine is available.
As is explained it?s a three way process for a human to come in contact with a bird flu. First a wild bird is infected, which in turn infect the domestic fowls which we humans have chances of coming in contact with. But yes once we do get it, it can be fatal. This fear of acquiring bird flu sometimes gets the better of us intelligent beings. We have overrated a normal flu (cold, sore throat) to the levels of bird flu. Though the symptoms for them both are the same a bird flu symptoms are more severe and quick. It lasts longer and the body also feels lethargic and a sudden shot of body temperature leads to high fever.

But what if u does come in contact with the bird flu virus, what if u gets infected? There are no vaccines for this flu and antibiotics don?t work either. A medicine available on the net and with your doctors is oseltamivir, popularly branded as Tamiflu. Incase of an outbreak of the flu one must consult his doctor immediately and buy Tamiflu. It is advised to take Tamiflu within two days of coming in contact with the flu. One can also take Tamiflu for bird flu prevention if a family member already has been infected. Since the flu is infectious from human contact there is a chance of pandemic bird flu if the correct precautions are not heeded to. Various governments have stockpiled quantities of oseltamivir in preparation for a possible pandemic.
You can buy cheap Tamiflu online or get it from your doctor in case of a breakout of the flu.

Tamiflu is suitable for all adults and children above the age of one year. Tamiflu can have its own side effects as well, like nausea, dizziness, headache, stomach pain and vomiting.

It is always advised to consult your doctor before mistaking a common cold for bird flu and act accordingly. Even bird flu can be cured if dealt without haste and fear.

Bird Flu, your Cat, and You.

2007-12-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, caused by the H5N1 virus,(commonly called bird flu) has been detected in cats and other felidae (e.g. leopards and tigers) from time to time since the start of the present poultry avian influenza epidemic in 2003.

In 2004 researchers showed that cats can be infected with H5N1 virus and that the virus could not only cause severe disease (and death) in cats, but also that cats could transmit the virus to other cats.

On present evidence however, it is highly unlikely that cats play any major role in the natural transmission of H5N1 viruses. In other words, although susceptible to the virus, they are "accidental" hosts.

However, because cats can be susceptible to the H5N1 virus, it does mean that there is the potential for domestic cats to contract the disease and then to pass it on to other cats, other species, and perhaps humans.

How might cats become infected with the H5N1 virus? There are 2 main scenarios.

a) Eat infected poultry meat - hence the association between infected cats and outbreaks of bird flu in poultry.

b)Many migratory waterfowl are carriers of the H5N1 virus. These are unlikely to come into close contact with cats, but they intermingle with other bird types that might well come into close contact with cats.

Cats are not the only mammals that can be infected with the H5N1 influenza virus. Tigers, Leopards, Civets, dogs and pigs are all recorded as having been infected and there is little reason to suggest that other mammals could not be infected by the virus.

While this information is slightly unsettling, it needs to be put in context. Mammals (including humans) need to be exposed to massive amounts of virus to become infected. This is supported by the fact that most human deaths from H5N1 have occurred where those people have had prolonged exposure to poultry circulating the H5N1 virus.

In addition, infected mammals shed very small amounts of virus, thus further reducing the potential for transmitting the virus from mammal to mammal (e.g. from cat to human).

A few other things worth mentioning.

1) The H5N1 virus is quickly killed at 70C. Thus normal cooking of chicken meat will kill the virus.

2) Commercial poultry routinely slaughtered at an approved slaughter plant does not represent a health hazard. This means that 99.9% of dressed poultry available in all first world economies (and many developing economies) is perfectly safe to eat. Not eating chicken "because of bird flu" is a nonsensical, uninformed reaction.

3) Not every cat that develops the sniffles now has bird flu! However, if you are in an area that has had an H5N1 outbreak in poultry, then a sick cat should ring some alarm bells. 4) Practice normal good hygiene - wash your hands with soap and water after handling animals or cleaning out litter trays etc.

So while cats can become infected with the bird flu virus, the chances of them transmitting it to other animals or humans at the moment is very slim indeed. Unfortunately, Influenza viruses are constantly changing through mechanisms known as antigenic shift and antigenic drift, which means that what is true today may change in six months time.

Watch this space!

Dr Keith Perrett is a Veterinarian who has spent more than 20yrs trying to get pet owners to do what is right for their pets. See www.pet-health-for-humans.com

Bird Flu Stocks - Is the Opportunity Real?

2007-12-09T21:42:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems to be talking about the Avian Flu, otherwise known as the H5N1 virus. We believe the virus and danger is real, but are the investment opporunities for real?

Watching the public market clamor for "Bird Flu Stocks" reminds us of the "Internet Stock" bubble.

We challenge investors to carefully think about whether the bird flu is a great threat or just a great media story. With all the media coverage, would you be surprised to learn that in the entire world, the virus has only infected a total of 194 people and killed a total of 110 people?

The current strain of the virus is not spread among humans. Every person previously infected with the virus had direct contact with sick birds (mainly chickens). However, experts seem to agree that if the virus mutates into a contagious form, it is possible that it will kill millions of people.

Big problems always present tremendous investment opportunities. Investors in companies who develop the products and services that truly solve any large problem can make millions. In anticipation of large profits, it should come as no surprise that many investors have driven the market value of "bird flu stocks" to very high levels. The combined market value of these stocks now exceeds several billion dollars. Investors are assuming these companies will generate large profits.

Well, what if investors are wrong? What if the fancy solutions being touted by many of the bird flu stocks are not as important as we are led to believe?

Recently, a company in England announced that initial tests prove that a simple hand spray (which is already sold in major department stores) is more than 99.8% efficient in killing H5N1. The product was originally developed several years ago to prevent the spread of certain germs and is entirely safe for use by humans.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, avoiding close contact with others, covering your mouth and nose, cleaning your hands and avoiding to touch your eyes, nose or mouth - are the primary ways to prevent getting germs.

When you take a step back from all the hype, the reality is that simply wearing a medical mask and washing hands frequently, will virtually assure that a person will not get infected.

Sometimes, the simple answers provide the best solutions. If medical masks and soap are the most effective defense, what becomes of all these "bird flu stocks"?

Joel Arberman is the Managing Member of Stock Aware, LLC. We publish a free investment research and analysis newsletter and offer investor awareness services. Learn more at www.StockAware.com

Bird flu Pandemic across the World

2007-12-07T21:53:00.000-08:00

Today, people around the world have been witnessing a major health crisis and health professionals are working day and night to control the spread of avian flu. Several Asian countries have reported cases of avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu or avian flu, in their domestic and wild bird populations.
Avian influenza is an infection caused by avian flu viruses, which occur naturally among birds. They are of different subtypes like H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2 according to the protein type they combine with. But the identified subtype for the recent bird flu outbreak is H5N1; it has crossed the species barrier and has infected humans.
Avian flu is a communicable disease among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them. Influenza virus gets transmitted to the domesticated birds if direct contact is made with the infected fowl or poultry, or through their saliva, nasal secretion or feces, and sharing of same water or feed that have been contaminated with the virus. The current strain of H5N1 influenza is considered to be highly pathogenic. Laboratory studies have confirmed that isolates from this virus have a high pathogenicity and can cause severe disease in humans. The H5N1 virus has raised concerns about a potential human pandemic because:
* It is virulent
* It is being transmitted by migratory birds
* It can be transmitted from birds to mammals and humans, and
* Like other influenza viruses, it continues to evolve.
Symptoms of avian influenza in humans are fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases, and other severe and life-threatening complications. The fatality of the infection will depend mostly on the state of the immune system of an infected person.
It is very difficult to prepare a vaccine for a pandemic outbreak of influenza virus; and till-now a specific anti-avian influenza vaccine for humans is not readily available. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. have suggested that the anti-viral medication oseltamivir phosphate, with the brand name Tamiflu, may be effective in treating avian influenza.
With online buying option, you can buy Tamiflu online, as it is safe, time and money saving method. Online pharmacy will give you free online consultation and discount so that you can save up to $80 when you order this drug in bulk amount.
In spite of Tamiflu, U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an anti-viral drug amantadine for the treatment of H5N1 infection in adults. According to the research done by Dr. Thomas Jefferson, based at the Cochrane Vaccines Field in Italy, has shown that amantadine can prevent 61% of H5N1 cases and 25% of influenza-like illness.

There is no guarantee when the virus H5N1 becomes resistant to Tamiflu or some other anti-viral medicine. Therefore, additional studies and more research work are needed to determine the effectiveness of these medicines to safeguard the public health. Furthermore, outbreak of the flu can be prevented by quarantining the infected poultry farms and protecting the workers involved in culling process by providing proper clothing and equipment and a complete dose of anti-viral medicine.

SteveDcosta is an associated editor to the website http://www.checkflu.com, a Roche Tamiflu Online site, is committed to provide visitors with complete information on Roche Tamiflu, Treatment of Influenza, Tamiflu, Influenza, Avian Influenza, H5N1 Virus, Human Transmission, Bird Flu, Mutating Virus, Neuraminidase Inhibitors, Oseltamivir Phosphate, Treatment of Flu.Your feedback & comments will be highly appreciated at stevedcosta@gmail.com