Are you concerned about the Avian Flu Pandemic

[Newcomer]

[Californee Girl]

The conspiracy theorist in me wants to panick, but overall Im still saying its all scare tactics.

[Mibrew]

Nearly all of the people infected with the disease more than 100, including some 60 who died got the sickness directly from birds. There has been very little transmission between people, a requirement for an epidemic.

Health officials have warned for years that a virulent avian flu could kill millions of people. Now, post-Katrina, U.S. politicians are expressing alarm.

Senate Democrats were expected today to introduce legislation calling for the creation of a flu pandemic coordinator within the White House and a federal buy-back program for unused flu vaccines, The New York Times reported.

Ya, I know.....Democrats http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/wink3.gif http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/laugh.gif

[oakhurstleaf]

I was just born yesterday and know nothing about the Avian Flu and have not gathered from this thread how the virus is spread to humans.

How does one acquire the virus "directly" from a bird? Is it airborne or bloodborne? Do we need a mosquito to give it to us? Or do we have to have a bird sneeze on us?

Right now, I'm not the least bit concerned...but maybe with more information, I might be. Or I might not be.

Thanks.

Alice

[rimalicious]

My understanding was that as of yet there has been zero human to human transmission, but once there is we are in trouble.

[Mibrew]

exactly Rima

[John @ 3300ft.]

From what I've read in this months National Geographic, and other sources,
just about all the flu strains start out in Asia where ignorant people live in intimate contact with farm animals, pigs, chickens, ducks, etc. Some actually bring them inside their homes at night. Their hygene knowledge and practice is minimal.

Usually the flu virus strains pass from wild birds to domestic birds then pigs, then the Asian farmer living in pig feces.

This Avian(bird) Flu strain appears to have jumped species directly to Humans which makes it much more deadly, since we haven't developed the normal immune response that we get through the usual chain of mutation/transmission. Basically what that means is the virus is completely new to a Human victim, and their immune system goes into overdrive trying to kill the virus, but ends up destroying the lungs and other organs instead.

The people who have gotten the bird flu were in close physical contact with domesticated birds/droppings. Butchers and Children who are frequently used to tend the ducks and chickens, have been the victims.

Another major problem with the spread of the disease is caused by the practice of live poultry markets in Asia. Where sick birds come in close contact to healthy ones, and when the farmer takes the unsold live birds back home, he spreads the sickness to his village.

There has been human to human transmission of this virus. It just has not mutated yet to one that easily passes into the lungs through the air from coughs, etc. When/if that occurs, then the Pandemic begins.

[John @ 3300ft.]

Originally posted by oakhurstleaf:
How does one acquire the virus "directly" from a bird? Is it airborne or bloodborne? Do we need a mosquito to give it to us? Or do we have to have a bird sneeze on us?

Imagine if you will...
In Asia, a young child feeds & tends the ducks or chickens, they have no shoes on. They step in droppings. They may have an open wound on their foot, touch their feet and stick their fingers in their mouth, and pick their nose. This way the virus enters through the digestive,circulatory,and respiratory systems.

The droppings dry up and get ground up into dust that is inhaled into the lungs or nasal membranes, then it enters through the respiratory system.

Someone butchering a live bird gets infected blood/secretions into a cut on their finger, then the virus enters the circulatory system.

[beautiful_mess38]

I have kids of course I'm worried. This country is preoccupied with other things right now. They forgot about supplioing us with the meds we need to fight this thing, like tamiflu.