Asking about Bird Flu

1. What virus is responsible for Bird flu?

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

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

2. Why do we call the virus H5N1?

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

3. Why must we worry about Bird flu?

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

4. How can H5N1 virus infect humans?

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

5. How can we treat Bird flu?

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

6. Which vaccines are currently being tested?

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

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

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

8. What were the results of the tests?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tamiflu-the only drug to stop bird flu

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

Treatment of bird flu

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

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

Tamiflu dosage

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

Conclusion

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

Bird Flu -- How the Nightmare Begins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As contagious between human beings as ordinary flu.

As lethal to human beings as A/H5N1.

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

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

Soon those viruses are spreading through the pig.

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

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

Pim takes the virus home to his father, Yu.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Awe And Horror Created By H5N1 Bird Flu Virus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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