How Bird Flu Is Manifested In Humans

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

Take Steps To Curb Growth Of Bird Flu Virus

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/

All The Bird Flu Facts You Need To Know!

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

Bird Flu Virus Is Deadly

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

Bird Flu Stocks - Is the Opportunity Real?

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 Vaccines: What Is Taking So Long?

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prevent the Spread Of Diseases Such As Bird Flu

Prevention of the spread of Bird Flu is the responsibility of everyone. It is known that bird feeders are a source of transmission of avian flu viruses and related diseases. Many communities have zoning laws which are meant to prevent people from feeding pigeons and seagulls. Bird droppings, when massed in open areas close to pedestrian walkways and windows provide ideal pathways for pathogens to spread not only from bird to bird, but from bird to humans. We therefore suggest that if you want to feed birds and provide for there needs you consider planting shrubs and trees that provide birds with sources of food that more mimics the natural environment. Plants such as viburnums are an excellent choice. They not only provide seeds that are available in the late winter, but also shelter.

In Hong Kong, the government has already started to prevent the spread of bird flu by telling citizens that wild pigeon droppings may help spread harmful germs, and that avoiding feeding them is the best way to minimize their congregation. Therefore any wild bird feeders in common areas at public rental housing estates and markets will be served a fine without any prior warnings.

Viburnums are the most attractive, versatile, adaptable shrubs for any landscape. They can be used as hedges or screens and in mixed perennial/shrub borders. They can also stand alone as specimen plants. They usually take the form of shrubs, but some species can become small ornamental trees. They range in size from the Dwarf American Cranberrybush at 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide, to the Siebold at over 15 feet tall. Viburnums are plants with year round interest. All Viburnums have profuse white to pink flowers in the spring. They have large, attractive and often textured leaves. Some viburnums have wonderfully fragrant flowers that are produced in snowball- shaped clusters in April. Their flower clusters can consist of pink buds, which develop into white flowers. Some fruits are red and turn black with age. Leaves are glossy, dark green and turn a burgundy color in the fall. Midsummer berries are an important food source for birds.Viburnums provide birds with feed and shelter in a natural manner. Birds will not feed in an area that masses birds and bird droppings. This is a more sanitary way to feed birds than with a bird feeder. Additionally you never forget to refill the viburnums as each year there will be a new crop of berries. Viburnums have colorful red to purple leaves. Some viburnums can become medium-size trees, especially if they are pruned. Viburnums excel as specimen plants or as anchors in mixed borders. You won't find a more versatile group of shrubs for hedges or for massing in groups, since viburnums hold their own in every season. Some viburnums, such as Prague viburnum 'Pragense', are evergreen. Others, such as leatherleaf viburnum, are semi-evergreen in colder climates, losing their leaves when temperatures dip below 10 degrees. The best feature of Viburnums is their adaptability. While they would prefer full sun and moderately watered, well-drained rich soils, they will grow very well in part shade in alkaline, clay soils. Diseases and pests rarely attack them. My kids have run over them with brush hogs and they survived. Their fibrous root system makes them transplant easily. If you are searching for a good-looking hardy shrub consider one of the many members of the Viburnum family.

Viburnums have long been popular garden plants, celebrated for their white, often fragrant spring flowers and their fall color. But it's the Asian viburnums that have so far ruled the roost. Perhaps the most widely appreciated viburnums are the Burkwood viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii), and the Korean spice viburnum (V. carlesii), both of which fill the air with an enchanting clove-like aroma in mid-spring. Also popular is the doublefile viburnum (V. plicatum f. tomentosum), valued for its layered habit, fall foliage, and clusters of red fruits. Viburnum acerifolium (Maple-leafed viburnum) Although I wouldn't garden without any of these, I have a special fondness for several of our very garden-worthy native viburnums. They may not provide the enticing flower fragrance of their Asian cousins, but I love them nonetheless--not only for their marvelous fall foliage color (championed by Darke) but also for their copious fruit displays, which attract birds to my garden in the fall and winter months. In addition, several are useful to today's water-wise gardeners or for tough urban conditions. They require only corrective pruning, and none commonly suffer from pests or diseases. Viburnums are considered moist woodland plants. In nature they are found along steam banks from Long Island to Florida. When you come to our 5275 West Swamp Rd. location ask us to show some in their native habitat that we found along our stream bank. These plants perform well under normal landscape conditions. I especially like the floral display in the spring and these viburnums that bear fruit in the fall. Winterthur has great red leaves and abundant fruit in the fall. This cultivar needs a cross pollinator such as viburnum nudum. Native Americans used Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum) for arrow shafts. There stems are long and strait. This plant will grow in places many plants struggle. So if you have had trouble with plants in a harsh location try this cultivar. Viburnums We raise over 12 types of Viburnums on our farms from seedlings to 5' shrubs. If you have poor soils due to compacting from construction, try viburnums. Being rugged and hardy, they perform where other plants fail. American Cranberry Bush KoreanSpice Blackhaw ArrowwoodViburnum Chicago Luster Dawn Summer Snowflake Shasta Winterthur Blue Muffin Burkwood Erie Tea Judd Korean Spice Praque Siebold You can see more of Bill's writing and tips at his web site http://www.seedlingsrus.com

Doctor Bill piles it high and deep with this unusal method to safeguard birds and man from the spread of bird flu.

Real Estate and Bird Flu

Could real estate values be sent to a sick bed by a bird flu epidemic? No one will know until or if it happens, but even a small epidemic could cause a panic.

Right now the news media is reporting the daily spread of bird flu in countries that are an ocean away. The disease has jumped from birds to animals and even to a few humans. Most of the infected people have died.

All those news stories have already placed a sliver of fear into the hearts of North American residents. How do you suppose the majority will react when the first case of bird flu hits the U.S.? I am afraid it won't be pretty.

Remember the near panic that occurred as we approached the year 2000. There were warnings of dire financial results and people were scared out of their wits. That may be just a small preview of what will happen when people believe the disease is about to sweep the nation. A disease that may have already killed tens of thousands in Europe and Asia before it hits here in full force.

Do you think Kentucky Fried Chicken stock will crash? How about Tyson Foods, the country's largest chicken processor? Their business will be in trouble when consumers stop buying chicken and they can no longer export poultry products.

Eggs could be selling for $10 dollars each... if you can find one. Any business having anything to do with fowl will be out of luck.

Tens of thousands of people could be thrown out of work. That will certainly have a ripple effect on real estate. People out of work can't buy homes, pay rent or keep up with mortgage payments.

If a bird flu epidemic proves to be as severe as some predict we could see hundreds of thousands of people dead or at least very seriously ill. That can't be good for the economy or real estate.

Fear could cause thousands of people to flee cities as they try to avoid being infected. There could be a lawless panic like we have never seen in the history of the U.S.

Maybe!

Please don't consider this a prediction of what is surely going to occur. We certainly hope that it won't. We have all heard disaster false alarms before.

Medical scientists are working feverishly to develop a vaccine to immunize people against the disease. We hope they make it in time, but even if they do there may not be enough manufacturing capacity to produce vaccine in the quantities needed to save more than two or three million. Government officials and the wealthy will surely be first in line.

Will banks close? Will the government cease to function? Will water and power utilities be unavailable? Will certain foreign countries be in a position to attack us in our weakened state? Will terror cells do all they can to spread the disease?

It has been reported that the military now has plans to quarantine the first area of the country to be hit by bird flu. No one will be able to get in or out.

Even if you were absolutely certain that a bird flu disaster was going to hit this country, what would you do? How would you cope with vacant property? Could you survive financially without the income from the notes you hold?

Some would recall that old saying "Fortunes are made when there is blood in the streets." Savvy investors buy property during bad times and turn a profit when good times return. Would you plan on buying property from distressed owners at the height of the bird flu disaster? With thousands dead it could be decades before demand for housing would catch up with the left over supply.

Should you sell everything now, buy gold coins and move to a remote area where there are few people and you can control your contact with birds and animals? You might regret that drastic action if the flu danger proves to be far overblown, like what happened with the arrival new millennium.

What can you do? First, be sure that every member of your family has their estate plan in order - including yours! After that, perhaps the only sensible solution is to do your best to protect the health of your family and hope for the best.

Investor Mark Walters is taking action to protect the health of his family and perhaps ward off bird flu. You can do the same with a guide you will find when you Click Here!

Global Spread Of Bird Flu

The H5N1 strain of bird flu virus is what scientists expect to be the next big worldwide pandemic to hit. What are scaring them more are the deadly effects it has had on some of the few human victims it has so far affected.

The H5N1 strain has so far hit a handful people in various areas of the world. The affected people were those that came in contact with infected birds. This article shows us the global affect of the H5N1 strain so far.

? The H5N1 strain attracted very little attention way back in 1997 at Guang Dong China. This is because it had affected very few geese and poultry at the time.

? The first case of infected humans was reported on 1997 at Hong Kong. 6 of the 17 people infected died.

? It once reemerged on 2003 at Vietnam infecting three people. All of which died.

? The outbreak became more prevalent during January 2004, affecting 10 Asian countries. It started out in Vietnam and Thailand, eventually finding its way to South Korea, Indonesia, Japan and China. Over 40 million domesticated birds were slaughtered to prevent affecting humans. During this time 23 people from Vietnam and Thailand died.

? On July 2004 fresh outbreaks once again happened at China and Thailand.

? During august 2004, Singapore banned poultry from Malaysia because a place in their country was infected again. The EU also banned all poultry products from Malaysia.

? During October 2004, scientist discovered that the H5N1 strain is deadlier than once believed. They found out that the mortality rate of those infected is around 100%.

? November 2004 a team was created to further study the effects it could cause on humans. The project was called the Influenza Genome Sequencing Project.

? January 2005, nearly 1.2 million poultry were killed at Vietnam because 33 out 64 cities and provinces have been hit by the H5N1 strain. The number of birds that died ranged up to 140 million.

? Cambodia is hit with the first human bird flu victim, making surveillance at the country stricter.

? There have been isolated cases of human to human transfer on Vietnam and Thailand during the period of March 2005.

? Eight more people have been detected infected on April 2005 at Vietnam.

? On May 2005, reports were given that 97 people were infected, 53 of whom died at Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. Vietnam being the country most hit with 76 infected and 37 deaths.

? The first infected victim was reported on Indonesia on July 2005 and 2 more died at Vietnam.

? The virus later spread during August 2005 reaching Kazakhstan, Mongolia and western Russia. During this period 38 people died at China from a swine virus. Making officials from WHO worried. This is because pigs are great breeding grounds for bird flu virus as well.

? September 2005 David Nabarro informed people that the outbreak of the H5N1 could kill 5 to 150 million people. He also said that the outbreak could start in Africa or the Middle East. As of yesterday, H5N1 has been found on Africa.

? As of October and November 2005 the H5N1 strain has been found at Turkey and Kuwait respectively.

? China reports its third death from the bird flu on December 2005.

The spread of the H5N1 strain as of now may seem slow. But we should really be thankful that this virus is not yet becoming a pandemic. Because in reality the world is not yet ready.

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

Bird Flu Spreading Rapidly In Europe ? EU Nations Take Precautions

H5N1 bird flu struck another country today as Hungary became the latest European nation to discover the deadly disease in migrating swans. Over the past seven days, H5N1 has been in seven new countries; five of them being in Europe. The results of this rapid spread are causing European nations to take a variety of actions to protect both their poultry industry and their citizens.

Yesterday, Albania banned the importation of poultry products from any country that is known to have had occurrences of H5N1. At the same time, Germany has ordered that domestic poultry be confined to indoor pens as of February 17. Today, France also ordered that all domestic poultry be kept in indoor pens, where it can not be exposed to migratory wild birds.

As of last week, Bulgaria banned the hunting of wild birds by sportsmen. Bulgaria discovered H5N1 is several dead swans found in the wetlands of the Danube River.

The spread of H5N1 is having immediate economic consequences. In Italy, where the disease was discovered over the weekend, sales of chicken dropped by 50% in the three days following the government announcement that the disease was present in the country. Layoffs have already started to occur.

On the other hand, Ireland is reporting that due to H5N1 in other areas of Europe, high demand for Irish beef and lamb is actually forcing prices higher.

The economic impacts of a full scale bird flu pandemic should not be underestimated. The Australian government is releasing a study today which estimates the cost to global economy from a pandemic could be as high as $4.4 Trillion dollars. This is significantly higher than previous estimates by the World Bank, but even the Australian numbers may be conservative.

The study estimated that in a worst case scenario, there would be 142 million deaths worldwide. Some scientists believe that the actual death count could be significantly higher; with up to 1 Billion people dying. Undeveloped third world nations would be significantly harder hit than other areas of the world.

The Australian estimates were put together by Professor Warwick McKibbin, one of the world's leading economic modelers and a member of the Australian Reserve Bank board, and Dr Alexandra Sidorenko, a health expert at the Australian National University. According to their study, the overall world economy could shrink by as much as 12.6% and would lead to a global depression.

The study, in combination with the rapid spread of the disease, is disturbing. It has been 38 years since the last pandemic flu outbreak. Since the 19th century, pandemics have occurred at maximum intervals of 40 years. This means that we are due. All of the flu pandemics that have occurred in that time frame have originated from China and Southeast Asia. This is exactly the point of origination for H5N1. And while a number of pharmaceutical companies are working on, and testing bird flu vaccines, there is a growing body of evidence that these may be ineffectual.

The bottom line is that there may not be enough time left to head off a bird flu pandemic. This means that individuals and companies need to start making their own preparations to deal with the bird flu. Yesterday, Health and Human Services Secretary, Mike Leavitt told reporters that he has been hammering home a message to the states that they can expect little or no assistance from the federal government in the event of a pandemic. This means that we are probably all on our own.

Jim Malmberg is the founder of fluFactor, a blog that is tracking the progression of human avian flu infections. fluFactor can be found at http://flufactor.blogspot.com

Bird Flu Spreading Rapidly In Europe ? EU Nations Take Precautions

H5N1 bird flu struck another country today as Hungary became the latest European nation to discover the deadly disease in migrating swans. Over the past seven days, H5N1 has been in seven new countries; five of them being in Europe. The results of this rapid spread are causing European nations to take a variety of actions to protect both their poultry industry and their citizens.

Yesterday, Albania banned the importation of poultry products from any country that is known to have had occurrences of H5N1. At the same time, Germany has ordered that domestic poultry be confined to indoor pens as of February 17. Today, France also ordered that all domestic poultry be kept in indoor pens, where it can not be exposed to migratory wild birds.

As of last week, Bulgaria banned the hunting of wild birds by sportsmen. Bulgaria discovered H5N1 is several dead swans found in the wetlands of the Danube River.

The spread of H5N1 is having immediate economic consequences. In Italy, where the disease was discovered over the weekend, sales of chicken dropped by 50% in the three days following the government announcement that the disease was present in the country. Layoffs have already started to occur.

On the other hand, Ireland is reporting that due to H5N1 in other areas of Europe, high demand for Irish beef and lamb is actually forcing prices higher.

The economic impacts of a full scale bird flu pandemic should not be underestimated. The Australian government is releasing a study today which estimates the cost to global economy from a pandemic could be as high as $4.4 Trillion dollars. This is significantly higher than previous estimates by the World Bank, but even the Australian numbers may be conservative.

The study estimated that in a worst case scenario, there would be 142 million deaths worldwide. Some scientists believe that the actual death count could be significantly higher; with up to 1 Billion people dying. Undeveloped third world nations would be significantly harder hit than other areas of the world.

The Australian estimates were put together by Professor Warwick McKibbin, one of the world's leading economic modelers and a member of the Australian Reserve Bank board, and Dr Alexandra Sidorenko, a health expert at the Australian National University. According to their study, the overall world economy could shrink by as much as 12.6% and would lead to a global depression.

The study, in combination with the rapid spread of the disease, is disturbing. It has been 38 years since the last pandemic flu outbreak. Since the 19th century, pandemics have occurred at maximum intervals of 40 years. This means that we are due. All of the flu pandemics that have occurred in that time frame have originated from China and Southeast Asia. This is exactly the point of origination for H5N1. And while a number of pharmaceutical companies are working on, and testing bird flu vaccines, there is a growing body of evidence that these may be ineffectual.

The bottom line is that there may not be enough time left to head off a bird flu pandemic. This means that individuals and companies need to start making their own preparations to deal with the bird flu. Yesterday, Health and Human Services Secretary, Mike Leavitt told reporters that he has been hammering home a message to the states that they can expect little or no assistance from the federal government in the event of a pandemic. This means that we are probably all on our own.

Jim Malmberg is the founder of fluFactor, a blog that is tracking the progression of human avian flu infections. fluFactor can be found at http://flufactor.blogspot.com

Bird Flu-worst-case Scenario

There has been a lot of buzz about bird flu or the avian influenza and how it could become a global pandemic. What would a pandemic really mean? The federal government just launched a 7 billion dollar program to help the prevention and out break of a bird flu pandemic. There have only been 83 deaths from avian flu worldwide since 2003. Health experts have not yet seen evidence of human to human transmission. So what does it mean? And why is everyone so worried about a pandemic?

This new strain of flu virus would be more resistant than other normal flu strains and if it turns into a form that passes easily from person to person, we would have little immunity to it. Millions could become ill and millions would die. Once it starts to spread it could move rapidly around the world infecting millions and affecting the lives of everyone. The World Bank, which has estimated that a bird flu pandemic lasting a year could, cost the global economy up to $800 billion. The economic toll on the world economy will be catastrophic. What is the worst-case scenario and how might it develop?

Here is how a bird flu pandemic might unfold:

Outbreaks of avian flu in birds continue in several additional countries outside of Southeast Asia including Russia, Africa and the Middle East

Human cases of bird flu increase

Health experts confirm first human-to-human transmissions

Flu screening is stepped up at airports around the world for passengers coming from infected countries

Health care workers show signs of increased exposure

Air travel spreads virus to all corners of the globe within 3 months

First confirmed human transmission cases appear in Europe Russia, and the United States

Outbreaks continue, becoming more widespread reaching epidemic status

Regional stockpiles of antivirals quickly dwindle, new high volume production and distribution is 6 months off

International flights are reduced or eliminated to help contain spread of the flu

Billions are lost on international commerce, affecting millions of jobs around the world

US imports from Asian factories halted as Asian workers fall ill, US inventories drop
International trade devastated

US economy feels effects of loss of productivity due to millions of workers out sick

Financial markets hit by panic selling, gold prices soar

Run on banks as investors convert to cash

Hospitals see surge in flu patients overwhelming staff and supplies, only those most likely to live given access to limited available ventilators

Healthcare workers and first responders out sick or stay home to care for ill family members

Public events are canceled and schools are closed

Government offices closed, non essential services shut down

Social services reduced or eliminated. Services still functioning are overwhelmed

Public transportation halted

Air traffic halted due to air traffic controllers, airport staff and flight crews out sick

Interstate commerce greatly reduced with truck drivers, warehouse and rail workers out sick

Food deliveries, gas deliveries, other essential supplies all reduced or eliminated

Grocery stores close due to shipments being eliminated

Food distribution chain from farm to stores breaks down

Travel restricted, quarantines mandatory, enforced by National Guard

Widespread looting and riots over food shortages and access to healthcare

Local, State police and National Guard overwhelmed

Social structure breaks down

Domestic violence increases as people are forced to stay home

Loss of workers affects all businesses across the economy, including finance, sanitation, utilities, internet, distribution, energy, retail, tourism and travel

Utility outages increase as coal shipments are reduced and minimum required staffs at power plants and water plants are out sick

Funeral homes are overwhelmed as bodies stack up

2nd wave of pandemic bird flu hits

Global economy will take years to recover from catastrophic losses and loss of trained employees who died

Does the above scare you? Think it won't happen? Well this is the exact scenario your local, state and federal governments are training and planning for. How would you survive? It has always been recommended to keep 3 days of supplies on hand to survive a natural disaster. We have seen how the federal government handles natural disasters. The above scenario isn?t for 3 days or 3 weeks. It might last up to 3 years.

How would you survive being housebound for several months? What if you couldn't go to work or to the grocery store? What if you had love ones that were sick? You need to stay informed about a possible bird flu pandemic and learn how to provide for yourself and your family. It may not happen in the near future but health experts agree it will happen. It is just a matter of time.

Visit the Bird Flu Index http://www.birdfluindex.com for comprenehsive information on bird flu and avian influenza pandemic information. Visit the Pandemic Zone http://pandemiczone.blogspot.com for breaking pandemic news.

The Basics Of Bird Flu

Bird flu or avian flu is an influenza virus type that normally infects birds. However, it can also infect other animals including pigs. Wild birds are natural hosts to the virus and normally don't get sick from it. But domestic animals such as chickens and turkeys could be severely affected. Humans, on the other hand, can be infected with influenza types A, B, and C.

Genetic changes and sharing can occur under certain circumstances. This could happen in crowded conditions where poultry, pigs, and people live in close quarters. This change could allow a virus to turn into more infectious to humans. This could also mean that the virus can more easily transmitted from person to person. This is precisely when a pandemic could break out.

The avian flu's jump to humans was first detected in 1997. Though there have been around 60 human deaths reported, they have been due to transmission from animals to humans. Migratory birds have been detected with the virus and these cannot be caught and killed - these birds have alreadd carried the virus to Europe and Africa. It is difficult to predict when the pandemic could break out - It all depends on when that genetic shift (from birds to humans) takes place.

For now, there has been no detection of this virus in the U.S. It is however possible for travelers to be infected, but most of cases in humans have been in those with closer contact to birds than a casual traveler has. Since the infection occurs via fecal-oral route, people are advised to reduce their risk while traveling by avoiding bird markets, zoos, and areas in parks, where there could be high concentrations of bird feces.

Countries that are the most vulnerable to this flu are Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, due to their high concentration of bird markets. Other areas include Thailand, China (south and north), Tibet, Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia.

Symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from typical flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches) to eye infections and pneumonia. If you feel you've been exposed, there are a couple of treatment recommendations available today that you may want to discuss with your doctor. Until these are tested in a pandemic, however, their true efficacy is unknown. There are currently no vaccines available, but many companies are working on them.

More information on Avian Flu and preventive measures can be had from Bird Flu Prevention

How The Bird Flu Virus Lives And Spreads

Bird flu is a serious and dangerous virus. With so much controversy over this deadly disease, it is a good idea to have some kind of idea what you are up against. Knowing how the virus lives and spreads makes it easier to protect yourself from infection.

First, it should be understood that bird flu is much like the other strains of influenza. Like the flu that goes around every year, bird flu is transmitted from the exchange of the virus through droplets of saliva, mucus, or other excretions. However, bird flu is not transmitted from human contact, but through the handling or ingestion of infected poultry. It is more common for people to be impacted by bird flu that handle birds for agricultural purposes or eat infected fowl that is not properly handled.

The virus lives within poultry and survives in the feces of the animal for several days, if not weeks. Therefore, regular contact with birds, especially in dense populations, increases the possibility of contracting the disease. To avoid infection, limit contact with potentially dangerous poultry.

It should also be clear that this particular virus was not always a threat to humans. Prior to 1997, there were no known cases of H5N1, the deadly strain of bird flu, infecting humans. Since the virus first came to pass in the early 1900's, it has mutated and transformed into a different form. This mutation is vital to the ongoing vitality of influenza and is the primary source for the concern surrounding H5N1. The virus continually manipulates itself to bypass treatment techniques and survive in varying environments.

Once the virus is transmitted to a person, it is incredibly interesting what takes place. There are two factors within the immune system that contribute to the devastation of the virus. First, the virus causes an exaggerated response in cytokines, hormones that regulate the immune system. This increase makes the immune system unstable and actually has a negative effect on the body itself, as well as making fighting infection difficult. Secondly, other aspects of the immune system are suppressed, allowing the virus to run rampant within the body.

Since the virus is not bacterial in nature, antibiotics are ineffective in treating the disease. In many illnesses, antibiotics are administered, which suppress the immune system and fight the infection; however, this is not an option due to the nature of bird flu; therefore, the most effective treatment is prevention.

Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Cohn's Disease. For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.