Bird Flu Kits

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

Is A Bird Flu Vaccine Really Effective

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

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

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/

Why is Avian Bird Flu so Dangerous?

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

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

Is There Any Vaccination For Fighting Bird Flu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How Far The Medicines For Bird Flu Will Protect You?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 - The basic facts.

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.
Tens of Thousands of Articles and Resources can be found at;
http://www.articlepro.co.uk

This article is available for re-print
This Article and Author Bio: MUST be kept entire and in place without alteration, either in part or in full.

What Are the Symptoms of Bird Flu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bird flu can also cause:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Has the Bird Flu Virus Outbreak Begun?

The bird flu virus has been scaring the wits out of health officials for the past couple of years. The first H5N1 strain developed way back during 1997 at Hong Kong. The first development wasn't given much of a concern.

Eventually the virus popped back out during 2003. It has first greatly affected a whole number of birds. The birds that became infected died really fast after showing signs of symptoms. The virus also spread quickly towards other flocks as well, causing them to die to.

The people who have had lots of exposure with this infected domesticated birds, naturally became the first human casualties. In fact, the infected have reached 140 in five years time in the Far eats. Eventually killing more than 50 people infected.

What is scaring the scientists now are the recent developments of the bird flu in Turkey. They fear that the virus may have already mutated and the transmission from one human to the other has now been possible. This is because in the span of a week, 15 people were reported to be infected already.

That development definitely scared the officials in Europe. It should also be causing major concern to other countries as well. Neighboring countries are becoming stricter on trucks that are coming from Turkey. The vehicles that pass by are being sprayed with disinfectant.

France has already released a budget to buy vaccines, antiviral and face masks.

However all these preparation being done may still not be that be helpful. The best way to prevent the pandemic from happening is to learn how to isolate the infected area. This is important because the virus may still escape via a human transport or a bird that may cause more contamination.

To calm people down, the number of 15 within a week is not much for concern. If the number reaches more than a 100, it shall be a cause for concern.

There are also many critics about the current medication available to help against bird flu. They say that the medication may not really be helpful and stockpiling it is just a waste of money.

The vaccine as of now may still be imperfect, but it does help a person a better chance to get through with the flu.

As of the moment, since we have no idea if this virus could become the next pandemic or just a big bust. What's important is that we try to live a healthier lifestyle. Maybe that's what this virus is all about anyway. It's just telling us that maybe we should change our lifestyle into a healthier one.

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

Bird Flu ? Waiting In The Wings

Avian influenza is spreading at an alarming rate and if it continues its flight soon it would turn into another pandemic.

Starting in the mid-2003 in South-East Asia, the pathogenic avian flu is the largest and most severe form bird flu going by the number of countries it has affected. The H5N1 virus that typically affects the bird populace has proved lethal. So far it has caused the death or destruction of an estimated 150 million birds in countries like Vietnam, Japan, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao People?s Democratic Republic, Indonesia, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkey, Romania and Malaysia. There are unconfirmed reports of bird flu from India and France also.

The H5N1 virus is also of serious concern for human health. It has been found to be highly contagious form of virus and can easily transmit to humans through the contact of excretal or nasal secretions from infected birds. If not detected and treated early, the bird flu can prove fatal. And if precautionary measures are not taken at the earliest, it could change into a form that is highly infectious and could easily spread from person to person. Such a change could mark the start of flu pandemic. Already, a number of countries have reported confirmed human cases and even deaths due to avian influenza and this number is constantly on the rise.

Bird Flu Prevention

?Prevention is the best cure? goes the famous adage. The precautionary measures initiated in anticipation go a long way in curbing aggravation.

Firstly, the poultry farm owners must send random samples of their birds for thorough examination to the nearest veterinary/avian lab. All the infected birds must be immediately culled and the others properly vaccinated. The workers at the poultry farms must cover themselves properly so as to avoid a direct contact with the infected secretions from birds.

It is perfectly safe to eat poultry products provided the food is thoroughly and properly cooked. It is believed that the avian influenza virus cannot survive temperatures above 700 C. Juices from raw poultry and poultry products should not be allowed during food preparation to touch or mix with items eaten raw. One must wash his hands properly with soap and hot water after coming in contact with the poultry products.

Bird Flu Treatment

Though vaccines are available to counter seasonal influenza but no such shot has been developed till date against the H5N1 virus.

Only two drugs are found to be effective against the deadly avian flu ? Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir). These drugs are effective only if taken within 48 hours of occurrence of first symptoms. The inhibitive factors regarding bird flu treatment seem to be the prohibitive costs and the limited production of these drugs.

For convenience, the patients can buy Tamiflu online only after proper diagnosis and prescription for the drug.

The bird flu is certainly a potential pandemic threat and must be addressed globally on humanitarian basis.

Andrew Taylor 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 etc.Please send your feedback at andrewtlr@gmail.com

Tips If Traveling To An Area With Bird Flu

Considering the areas most impacted by bird flu are in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, it is advisable to stay clear of these regions. However, circumstances may arise that necessitates travel. In which case, you need to know how to protect yourself in these areas from contracting bird flu.

In general, basic hygiene can prevent a wide array of infectious diseases. For this reason, frequent hand washing is advised to eliminate bacteria and viral components from one's hands.

More specifically, travelers should avoid any contact with poultry, including those held for agricultural use or wild birds. Any area potentially contaminated with bird feces should also be avoided. Currently, bird flu is only being transmitted from poultry to humans and not from human contact; therefore, you should assume every bird you see is potentially infected, as that very well may be the case.

You should also take special care not to ingest undercooked poultry, poultry products, or dishes made with poultry blood, as the virus may still be active in such dishes.

You also need to avoid contact with sick people or people that are exposed to poultry. This may seem excessive, but the bird flu virus is expected to mutate and be transmitted through human contact. If this were to occur, you could easily catch the disease from someone else. It is better to be cautious and alive than the alternative. Likewise, you may also consider avoiding crowds, as densely populated areas are an ideal breeding ground to spread disease.

If, during your travels, you become severely ill, you may contact a United States Embassy for guidance in seeking treatment and notifying family and friends. Depending on your location, medical care may be limited. Use caution in securing treatment.

Special concern has been shown in visiting Singapore and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve; however, it has been made very clear that Singapore is free from bird flu. Two entities, AVA and NParks, have continual surveillance projects of the reserve and take blood samples from the birds on a regular basis to ensure infection has not occurred. On the same token, it is unlikely a human would become infected by a wild bird, as direct handling is almost impossible. Most of the cases reported have been contracted from chickens or domestic birds. The primary way a human would be infected from a wild bird is through contact with bodily secretions and feces.

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.

Key Differences Between Bird Flu And Other Flu Types

There are three types of influenza viruses: A, B, and C. Of these, type A is further classified into subtypes, H and N. Type A affects people and numerous animals, while B and C typically affect humans only. Each type varies in severity, with A being the most dangerous, then B, and C being the least severe.

Bird flu is of the A type of influenza virus, one of more severe types. While several subtypes and strains exist, H5N1 is the most widely known and feared form of bird flu.

One of the primary differences of bird flu and the other types of the influenza virus is the way it is transmitted. Other strains of the flu virus, common among humans, are passed from human to human through saliva and mucus. This is done through sneezing, coughing, or breathing on or near someone. H5N1, on the other hand, is only transmitted from poultry to humans, and is done so through direct contact with the animals or their feces.

Another difference between the regular flu virus and H5N1 is the availability of a vaccine. The regular flu has been an irritant to people for some time. As a result, steps were taken long ago to challenge the virus and lessen the impact it had on people. Every year, people go in droves to receive a flu vaccine to avoid the virus. However, a vaccine has not been developed for the mutated form of bird flu that is to come. The reason for this is multifaceted. One reason is the lengthy development process. H5N1 has been a serious threat to humans for less than two years, since the outbreak of the virus began in Vietnam in January of 2004. Therefore, there has not been significant time to research and create a vaccine for the virus. Also, little purpose lies in creating a vaccine for the current strain of H5N1, as the real threat will come when the virus mutates. A vaccine that is developed now will be useless when mutation occurs, at which point a vaccine will really be needed. So, the virus must first be allowed to mutate and only then can an effective vaccine be developed.

The other variation between bird flu and other flu strains is the severity of the symptoms. While symptoms of sneezing, coughing, sore throat and fever are similar, the symptoms easily become severe in cases of bird flu.

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

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.