Avian Flu Virus
About the Avian Flu Virus
The current Asian outbreak of avian flu, also known as bird flu, is associated with the influenza A strain H5N1 flu virus. Although not the same as the Spanish flu virus that claimed 20 million to 50 million lives worldwide in the 1918 outbreak, the current avian flu strain does share many characteristics with the 1918 strain. Both scientists and governments around the world are studying this threat very closely and some have warned of the potential for another pandemic outbreak. Initial studies have shown that Tamiflu may be effective in helping to fight the effects of this flu virus if the medication is taken very early after flu symptoms appear.
Oseltamivir, sold under the brand name Tamiflu, is one of several antiviral medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment and prevention of influenza. Flu shots are still the best way to prevent someone from developing the flu, but as of this writing no vaccine is available to protect humans from the avian H5N1 influenza virus. According to the CDC, development of a vaccine has begun.
Tamiflu, which is generically known as oseltamivir, is part of a family of flu fighting medicines called neuraminidase inhibitors. Tamilflu is used in the treatment of viral infections caused by the influenza A and influenza B viruses. This treatment has shown to be effective in fighting these viruses if treatment starts within two days of the onset of flu symptoms. Tamiflu works by blocking the advance of the viral infection and thus giving the body's immune system a better chance for fighting the virus. Tamiflu can help you get back to being healthy fast
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http://www.consumersdiscountrx.com/thaparm/products/tamiflu
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.
o 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.
o The first case of infected humans was reported on 1997 at Hong Kong. 6 of the 17 people infected died.
o It once reemerged on 2003 at Vietnam infecting three people. All of which died.
o 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.
o On July 2004 fresh outbreaks once again happened at China and Thailand.
o 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.
o 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%.
o 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.
o 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.
o Cambodia is hit with the first human bird flu victim, making surveillance at the country stricter.
o There have been isolated cases of human to human transfer on Vietnam and Thailand during the period of March 2005.
o Eight more people have been detected infected on April 2005 at Vietnam.
o 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.
o The first infected victim was reported on Indonesia on July 2005 and 2 more died at Vietnam.
o 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.
o 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.
o As of October and November 2005 the H5N1 strain has been found at Turkey and Kuwait respectively.
o 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.
How Bird Flu Respirators Should Be Used
There are two kinds of bird flu wear protection that a person who will come into contact with infected poultry or just poultry or an infected person. The person should consider wearing either a bird flu respirator or a bird flu mask.
A bird flu masks only helps prevent particles or droplets to be discharged in the environment the wearer is in. The mask is not generally used to filter efficiently or to seal the face tightly. A bird flu respirator is what is considered helpful in reducing the wearer's chances of exposure to airborne particles such as bird flu. A bird flu mask is often confused like a bird flu respirator because both look alike.
The bird flu mask or respirator should be used by people who think they will come in contact with persons or birds infected with the H5N1 strain. The people who use this should just consider it to be one way of being hygienic way of prevention.
A patient who thinks he or she has been feeling symptoms and knows has been in contact with infected birds should wear a bird flu mask as well. People who often travel a lot, especially to those infected places should also consider bringing a bird flu respirator.
If a bird flu respirator is not present, the bird flu mask will have to do. The mask or the respirator should also be fitted in properly to make it work. However, wearing the mask is still not a guaranteed way you won't contact the viral disease.
The only time a person working closely with infected birds or persons or just birds is when they are away from the contaminated or possible contaminated area. Then after removing the equipment, remember to thoroughly wash your hands. Then dispose the equipment immediately after going on a safer area. The effectiveness of the respirator last only for 8 hours.
When buying the bird flu mask or respirator, it always has directions or instructions how to properly use it. Always remember when transporting the equipment to protect it from any kind of damage.
The bird flu respirator should be sealing the face very tightly. If the breathing becomes difficult, the respirator might have been damaged. If it is, go to a safe place and change the respirator.
The right way to wear it to know how effective it is, is to fit it snuggly in the face, the metal strip should be atop and the colored part outside. The mask should be firmly placed by positioning the strings right. The metallic strip should be molded at the nose's bridge.
A bird flu mask or respirator is only a part to help prevent the further damaging of implications of bird flu. It is not a sure fire way to prevent the outbreak, but it is a way to reduce the potential damage.
Bird Flu and the Environment – The Un-Investigated Link
The question seemed straight forward.
"In human medicine, most people would agree that a person gets sick with a cold or with the flu when their immune system is suppressed. Has anyone considered what is suppressing the immune system of the people and chickens in Vietnam, making them more susceptible to deadly effects of H5N1? Has anyone investigated what is suppressing the immune system of migratory birds?" The question was posed to Dr. Alex Thiermann, President of the OIE, the World Organization for Animal Health at the First Bird Flu Summit held in Washington, DC, February 27-28, 2006. His response, "No one is looking at this, in fact, no one has even thought about it" was echoed by the reporters and scientists during the ensuing coffee break.
An investigation into the immunosuppressive effects of environmental chemicals--with a particular focus on dioxin--may shed light into the seemingly scattered and disconnected outbreaks of bird flu around globe. The association between dioxin and influenza may even explain the increased number of deaths in China, Vietnam, and in particular, Indonesia.
Dioxin: The most toxic chemical on earth
Dioxin is a general term that describes a complex family of more than 400 chemicals. An unintentional waste product, dioxin is formed during industrial processes which combine chlorine with an organic substance, such as wood, pulp or paper, in the presence of heat. Production facilities that manufacture pesticides smelt copper and bleach paper all release of dioxins as by-products. Additionally, dioxin can enter the environment through the incineration of plastics, particularly those that burn municipal and medical waste.
A highly persistent chemical, dioxin can take more than 15 years to degrade to half its original concentration. If released into the local water supplies--for example, ponds and rivers--it can accumulate in fish. If not immediately absorbed by aquatic life, the remaining dioxin is rapidly deposited into the sediment. It will remain there, virtually forever, unless it moves up the food chain through grasses and frogs, becoming particularly toxic to humans and waterfowl.
Dioxin has been shown to disrupt the immune system at exposures as low as 1.0 ppt. This is the equivalent of a single drop of liquid placed in the center car a ten-kilometer (6.2 miles) long cargo train.(1) Because chemicals are usually a mixture of toxic and non-toxic compounds, a score for each chemical is developed called its Toxic Equivalency (TEQ). The TEQ of any chemical is established by comparing it to TCDD, the most toxic form dioxin in the world.
Dioxin combined with influenza viruses: Serious consequences
A definite link exists between dioxin exposure and the effect of influenza viruses on the immune system, a connection that has been studied using laboratory mice.
Research has clearly demonstrated that two types of white blood cells, Natural Killer (NK) and CD8+ cells, are exquisitely sensitive to extremely small concentrations of TCDD. Studies have shown that if mice are subjected to 100-1,000 ppt of TCDD prior to being exposed to common influenza A viruses, the number of mice that died was significantly higher than the number of control mice that were not pre-exposed to this dioxin.(2) In another study, when mice were subjected to a mere 10 ppt of TCDD one week before they were exposed to influenza A viruses, the mortality rate among the mice doubled. Researchers noted that this was the "smallest toxic dose of dioxin ever demonstrated" to inhibit the ability of the immune system to ward off the flu.(3)
In a third study, fluid extracted directly from the lungs of deceased mice demonstrated that the increased mortality seen in TCDD-exposed mice was due to the intense inflammatory action of dioxin. Death was not due to viral infection alone.(4) In other words, the combination of influenza viruses and dioxin caused so much inflammation in the lungs--due to a massive cytokine storm--that normal lung tissue was destroyed, leading to death of most of the mice.
Dioxin in Vietnam
The volume of herbicides sprayed during the U.S. conflict in Vietnam between 1961 and 1971 has been estimated that more than 19 million liters. The highest concentrations were deposited over the Mekong Delta in what is now southern Vietnam. The containers with dioxin were known as Agent Orange, identified by orange striped barrels. More than 30 years later, this persistent chemical remains in the soil and food of local residents, continuing to cause serious health problems.
Absent ongoing aerial spraying, dioxin's primary route for entering the body is through food grown on toxic soils. Canadian researchers found that dioxin levels in soil samples throughout different regions of southern Vietnam to be as high as 898 ppt. The most extreme levels of contamination-in the area of Bien Hung Lake-were measured to be greater than 1.1 million ppt.(5)
In 2002, levels of dioxin were measured in 16 different food samples were collected from local markets around the Bien Hung Lake in southern Vietnam. The preliminary results were startling. Three of the specimens contained dioxin levels that were so extraordinarily high they were sent to a second, independent laboratory for additional analysis. The second lab confirmed the disturbing results. In the final report, chemical contaminants and large concentrations dioxin, up to 536 ppt, were detected in all 16 food samples. To put these elevated levels in perspective, the usual dioxin level found in food is less than 0.1 ppt.(6)
Dioxin, influenza and humans: a connection?
In May 2006, Indonesia reported a cluster of human bird flu cases that involved eight family members, seven of whom died. All but one person in the family appeared to have contracted the virus from another family member. This became the first reported incidence of H5N1 spreading from one person to another, and then another. Alarmed officials feared that the bird flu virus had acquired characteristics that would soon allow easy passage from human-to-human.
The members of the deceased family lived in a small village in Karo district located in the Indonesian province of North Sumatra. The Karo highland borders on Lake Toba, the world's largest volcanic lake. The largest lake in Southeast Asia, Toba has been deteriorating since 1998, defenseless against Indorayon, a paper, pulp and rayon manufacturer owned by multinational companies and funded by the World Bank. Untill it was shut down, Indorayon was the largest polluter of Lake Toba in the past decade, dumping tons of chlorine and dioxin into the waters.
Interestingly, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of individuals with H5N1 influenza have not been sick enough to require medical care, as confirmed by Dick Thompson, spokesperson for the WHO in March, 2005.(7) However, between 2003 and April, 11, 2007, there have been 291 cases and 171 deaths, with 61% of the deaths in Vietnam and Indonesia. An investigation, perhaps including a fat biopsy, should be undertaken to determine if those who died had significantly higher concentrations of dioxin in their body than those who have been exposed to H5N1 and remained well or fully recovered.
What can be done?
A global pandemic is brewing, but not because a virus may "jump species" and rapidly circumnavigate the globe, wiping out everyone in its wake. It appears that only those most at risk will be affected. But critically important information is missing: What is each person's individual level of risk? Beyond spending billions on global bureaucratic preparedness, true prevention is in order through developing tests and detoxification methods for humans.
Instead of funding the development a vaccine that as a marginal chance of being effective, billions of dollars would be better spent funding international environmental clean up programs. Legislative initiatives that put enforcement teeth into international treaties that are already on the books may be the best way of aborting disaster.
_________________________________________________
(1) Quynh, Hoang Trong, MD, et al. "Long-term consequences of Vietnam War," Nordic News Network, Report to the Environmental Conference on Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
(2) Burleson, G. R., et al. "Effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on influenza virus host resistance in mice," Toxicological Sciences, 29 (1996): 40-47
(3) Burleson, G. R., et al. "Effect of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on influenza virus host resistance in mice," Toxicological Sciences, 29 (1996): 40-47.
(4) Luebke, R. W, et al. "Mortality in dioxin-exposed mice infected with influenza: mitochondrial toxicity (Reye's-like syndrome) versus enhanced inflammation as the mode of action," Toxicological Sciences 69 (2002): 109-116.
(5) Schecter, A., Quynh, H. T., Pavuk, M., Papke, O., Malisch, R., Constable, J. D. "Food as a source of dioxin exposure in the residents of Bien Hoa City, Vietnam," Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 45 (2003): 781-788. PMID: 12915779.
(6) Schecter A., et al. "Food as a source of dioxin exposure in the residents of Bien Hoa City, Vietnam," Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 45 (2003): 781-788. PMID: 12915779.
(7) 23 Roos, Robert. "Relatives of avian flu patients have asymptomatic cases," CIDRAP News, 9 March 2005.
Bird Flu: Human Infection
Bird flu is a disease caused by a specific type of avian (bird) influenza virus, the so-called H5N1 virus. This virus was first discovered in birds in China in 1997, and since then has infected 125 people in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia, killing 64 of them. It is spread by infected migratory birds (including wild ducks and geese) to domestic poultry (primarily chickens, ducks, and turkeys), and then to humans.
Some infected people have developed abnormal clotting profiles resulting in excessive bleeding—which was a frequent clinical symptom in the deadly so-called Spanish influenza of 1918-19, which killed more than 100 million people worldwide. Indeed, bird flu shares a number of disturbing characteristics with the 1918-19 influenza virus. These two viruses have, in fact, recently been shown to be similar genetically. And in a recent laboratory experiment with mice, the 1918-19 virus was found to produce 39,000 times more viruses four days after infection than the regular seasonal human flu strain. The 1918-19 virus killed 100 percent of the mice that were infected with it, compared to none of the mice infected with the regular flu strain. With a current “case fatality rate,” or death rate of approximately 50 percent in humans, bird flu is obviously also a very deadly disease.
There are only a few reports in the medical literature describing the clinical features of bird flu in humans. The clinical spectrum of H5N1 infection ranges from asymptomatic infection—where the person doesn’t even know he or she is infected—to fatal pneumonia and multiple organ failure. Some infected individuals develop liver or kidney dysfunction, and there were two children who died from the virus that came to medical attention because of diarrhea and seizures related to encephalitis (infection of the brain). However, the most common presentation is one of fever, cough, and trouble breathing. Approximately 70 percent of patients also have diarrhea, and a few patients have had only gastrointestinal symptoms (such as stomach ache, vomiting, and diarrhea) and no breathing problems.
Deaths have generally been in normally healthy people. The first report in the medical literature of deaths from bird flu was on 12 patients living in Hong Kong. Their median age was nine years, with a range of one to 60 years. All presented with fever, and eight had symptoms or signs of upper-respiratory infections (five had clinical and X-ray evidence of pneumonia when first diagnosed). Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, including stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, were present in eight patients. There were a total of five deaths (one died with Reye’s syndrome, which is associated with taking aspirin in children).
In a study of 10 patients in Vietnam with laboratory-confirmed avian influenza (H5N1), the mean age of the patients was 13.7 years. For eight of the patients, there was a clear history of either direct handling of poultry (chickens or ducks) or exposure to sick poultry in the week before the onset of illness. All presented in January 2004 with cough, shortness of breath, and fever, and seven had diarrhea; none had myalgia (muscle aches)—which is often found in the regular seasonal flu. Notably, oseltamivir (Tamiflu) was administered to five patients, four of whom died (treatment was probably started too late for the medication to be effective—it must be given within 48 hours after onset of symptoms to be effective). In total, eight of the patients died, for an 80 percent case fatality rate or death rate.
As is apparent from the descriptions above, the presenting symptoms of individuals with bird flu are very similar to the symptoms of the normal seasonal flu. Infections caused by either the bird-flu virus (H5N1) or the seasonal influenza virus can be completely asymptomatic—that is, cause no symptoms at all. Fever, cough, malaise (feeling ill), and gastrointestinal symptoms are common to both infections. Excessive bleeding occurs only with bird flu, but currently this symptom doesn’t appear to be common. Difficulty breathing is more common with severe cases of bird flu, not seasonal flu. Runny nose and sneezing are found only with colds (or allergies).
The cough in either type of infection is what is referred to in medicine as “nonproductive”—meaning there is no sputum brought up when coughing, or if any sputum is brought up, it is white in color. This type of cough is characteristic of upper respiratory viral infections. As either type of infection progresses or worsens, tissues may be damaged, disrupting the normal structure and function of the infected cells. This in turn may allow bacteria to grow and also cause damage. When this happens following a viral infection, it is referred to as a “secondary” bacterial infection. When this occurs, the color of the sputum characteristically turns yellow or green. If this happens, antibiotics are indicated to treat the bacterial infection. (Antibiotics are not indicated in the treatment of viral infections, because they don’t work.)
It is safe to assume that during a bird-flu pandemic, most individuals who become infected with the bird-flu virus will either be asymptomatic—having no symptoms—or their illness will not be severe enough to require hospitalization. The small percentage who do become seriously ill will have to be hospitalized, and treated with either of the two antiviral agents available, oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza). A smaller subset of that group will develop life-threatening complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which requires treatment with a mechanical ventilator, a respirator.
Some individuals may develop other serious complications such as liver failure, kidney failure, neurological problems—such as seizures, paralysis, psychiatric problems such as delirium or psychosis, or bleeding problems. However, it is reasonable to predict that most people infected with the virus will not die and will not have significant residual symptoms, although a small percentage will.
Bradford Frank, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A.
The Frank Group
P.O. Box 138
Lakewood, NY 14750
[http://www.AvoidBirdFlu.com]
Why We Should Be Worried About The Bird Flu
Is the Bird Flu Virus for real? Or is it something the media has blown up once again. Does the bird flu virus really possess a threat to us humans?
The bird flu virus is the current virus that has been scaring people away from eating at KFC. People might think that the bird flu virus might cause them to die.
What the media is doing, is only trying to scare a lot of people from the bird flu virus. This is maybe because of the pandemic that we have experienced before from other flu that have killed millions.
The most famous of all the flu is the pandemic that happened during 1918-19. The Spanish flu killed more people than World War 1. 500 million became ill of this virus and around 40 million died.
That's why for every new flu virus that's been arising, people get worried right away. Scientist will try to prevent viruses from getting a lot worse like the 1918-19 pandemic. The media on the other hand serves to inform the people of the potential threat.
Another thing to worry about is that 36,000 people die everyday of ordinary influenza virus in the United States alone. Can you imagine how much worse a pandemic can cause?
Also every 3 to 4 times in a century there will always be a chance that a flu pandemic may hit. What if the bird flu virus is already among them? That's why people form the media and scientist grow deeply worried.
The flu can basically achieve these things because it has the ability to mutate. It can change quickly and outwit the vaccines that have been created for previous flu strains. Then they take the immune system by storm.
The flu can also grab the genetic material of other viruses and also jump from one species to another. There are times where the transfer needs to be done via an intermediary. Such as the West Nile Fever, this needs a mosquito to be transferred.
The viruses that have transferred from animals to people are not something new. This has been happening since the 1980's. The new virus that ahs been scaring people of that comes from animals is the bird flu.
Bird flu's symptoms usually start out quite simple and the infected person might think that it's just an ordinary flu. The infected person will experience muscle aches, sore throats, colds and cough. However, it may lead to the immediate death of the infected person.
Currently, people who have died form bird flu are still not abundant to call it a pandemic or worry about an outbreak. What worries the health officials is the possibility it becomes an outbreak when it mutates and can transfer from one person to the other.
That's why its better the media and the health officials worry about this thing a whole lot before we get another pandemic like that of the Spanish Flu.
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