Sunday, March 16, 2008

Bird Flu In Britain - We Are All Going To Die

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

Time for panic or at least so it would seem.

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

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

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

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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

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

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Friday, January 18, 2008

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

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