bird flu

[glasgowchick]

Hi one and all, have any of you heard of this bird flu that is apparently heading our way, I heard on the radio tonight that this epidemic could take over 1 million lives across the world. I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news but this is a real concern for me and would like to know if you know anything about it..thanks..

 

[Kowalski]

The situation is monitored closely by the WHO. At present, it is only infecting humans in close contact with birds, poultry. But if the virus mutates, and and is able to jump from human to human, then a global pandemic will happen. Most scientists believe that it is a case of not if, but when.

It is perhaps the greatest threat of mass death facing the human world at the moment. I've been aware of the potential problem for well over a year, The strain is H51N. Your right to be worried.

Cheers

K

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Last I heard, it has claimed a few lives in Asia. I think its another way the earth is dealing with the mass-over population.

 

[glasgowchick]

Thankyou Kowalski, yes it is very frightening, where is this flu coming from, do you know ? and is it really possible for humans to catch it from the birds,..have you any idea how humans would catch it..

 

[Faint]

Scary stuff. Here is a link for more info:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/

 

[glasgowchick]

Oh and are there anyway of isolating it...thanks

 

[glasgowchick]

Scary stuff. Here is a link for more info:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/

Thanks faint, I will have a look ..Im worried about My kids, more so my son who has a low immunity...

 

[Kowalski]

At the present, it is confined to SE Asia, people infected have been in direct contact with Infected chickens, like famers, and I believe they drink chicken blood in the villages. If, as expected, the strain mutates , it does this in a host bird which may have another strain of flu virus, the two viruses merge, and you may have a virus which can then jump from person to person, usually airborne, one sneeze can contain millions of the virus. Actually, a virus is pretty interesting thing, one scientist described a virus as being neither dead or alive. It is simply some strands of dna/rna in a protein shell. What is does in the body, is latch onto to attacking cells, from the immune system, and then it shoves it own dna/rna into your cell, causing it to produce more of the virus and so on.

Check out the link for the latest.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/09/20/MTFH19822_2005-09-20_05-56-51_SCH016489.html

cheers

K

 

[Kowalski]

There are anti-viral drugs on the market, the Govs are trying to stockpile the stuff, but you need to take it at the first signs of infection. If a mass outbreak occurs, getting to see a doctor in time could be a real problem. I'm going to try and get some from somewhere, better safe than sorry. This potential disaster should be taken very seriously by everybody.

Cheers

K

 

[Kowalski]

Oh and are there anyway of isolating it...thanks

None at all, it would take days only to spread around the globe.

K

 

[Darkdale]

why do people continue to worry about stuff they ain't got no control over? Chances are good that Bird Flu will not become a problem, but it could. But if you want to be reasonable about your fears, you should only be afraid of things that are likely and this isn't likely to be anything we need to be afraid of.

 

[Faint]

None at all, it would take days only to spread around the globe.

K

True. Less than a century ago we had a similar influenza pandemic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu
This killed at least 25 million, and back then, we weren't as densely populated as we are now. I imagine this would spread like wild fire if it wasn't contained.
Could it be contained though? Do you think we could quarantine a whole country?

 

[Kowalski]

True. Less than a century ago we had a similar influenza pandemic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_flu
This killed at least 25 million, and back then, we weren't as densely populated as we are now. I imagine this would spread like wild fire if it wasn't contained.


It's simply not possible, if you read the link I posted, the guy who was in charge of controlling Sars said that Sars was easy to contain. Not so the Flu, once it breaks out there will be no stopping it. The only way you could stop it would be for every country to close its borders totally, and that won't work or prove to possible in todays global economy. People are moving around the globe more than ever, so where they go, the virus goes.

Cheers

K

 

[Faint]

why do people continue to worry about stuff they ain't got no control over? Chances are good that Bird Flu will not become a problem, but it could. But if you want to be reasonable about your fears, you should only be afraid of things that are likely and this isn't likely to be anything we need to be afraid of.

Little things that are neglected might become big things, Dark. I agree there's no point in worrying about something inevitable, but it would be good for world nations to monitor and prepare against this type of thing. The WHO and CDC both consider the possibility of mutation "likely" and are closely watching the situation.

Please see my previous link/post about the "Spanish Flu". It could happen again. But in the meantime, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

 

[Faint]

It's simply not possible, if you read the link I posted, the guy who was in charge of controlling Sars said that Sars was easy to contain. Not so the Flu, once it breaks out there will be no stopping it. The only way you could stop it would be for every country to close its borders totally, and that won't work or prove to possible in todays global economy. People are moving around the globe more than ever, so where they go, the virus goes.

Unfortunately, I agree. There are just too many entrances and exists to cover. Stephen King's The Stand comes to mind.

 

[Kowalski]

Absolutely, I know it's not a good thing to be worried about something that might never happen, but it pays to be concerned, Five years ago, I had a really bad bout of Flu, to the point where I thought I was going to die, so, I'm a more than a little scared.

Cheers

K

 

[glasgowchick]

None at all, it would take days only to spread around the globe.

K

Thanks for all the info..Yes I think your right, everybody has to take this seriously..Im going to do some more reading on it, thankyou for the site.

 

[glasgowchick]

Absolutely, I know it's not a good thing to be worried about something that might never happen, but it pays to be concerned, Five years ago, I had a really bad bout of Flu, to the point where I thought I was going to die, so, I'm a more than a little scared.

Cheers

K

You Know something, all the years that I have had a heavy cold, I always thought it was the "flu ", I have had one flu in my entire life and that was end of December 1999 right through to start of January 200..I have never felt so bad in all my life, that was enough to frighten me and I never would like to feel like that again..

 

[glasgowchick]

why do people continue to worry about stuff they ain't got no control over? Chances are good that Bird Flu will not become a problem, but it could. But if you want to be reasonable about your fears, you should only be afraid of things that are likely and this isn't likely to be anything we need to be afraid of.

I guess my problem, is that I suffer anxiety and panick attacks..I can't help the way I am, I worry too much at the best of times..Yes I agree we shouldn't worry as much about things out of our control but if I didn't then that just wouldn't be me..

 

[Kowalski]

You Know something, all the years that I have had a heavy cold, I always thought it was the "flu ", I have had one flu in my entire life and that was end of December 1999 right through to start of January 200..I have never felt so bad in all my life, that was enough to frighten me and I never would like to feel like that again..

Flu is extremely dangerous for many reasons, I know a guy here whose heart was so damaged by Flu, that he ended up having a transplant. Flu can damage all the vital organs as well as severly weaken the immune system allowing secondary infections to get a hold, especially pneumonia.

K