The Best Way To Avoid The Dangers Of Bird Flu (Avian)
Look After Your Health. The threat of a Bird Flu Pandemic. The
threat to the world from Bird Flu is more serious now, than it
was when I wrote my first article on the subject in May, 2005.
entitled "Will Avian Flu Become Pandemic" since then it has
spread to numerous other countries, but, thankfully at this
stage it has not, as yet, mutated to a strain that can transfer
from Human to Human.
It is so easy for this virus to mutate, it can happen as simply
as a person catching Bird Flu from poultry or birds, when that
person, has already caught one of the more common strains of
Influenza. This could enable the Bird Flu virus to then cause a
pandemic outbreak of this deadly disease throughout the world.
History of the Bird Flu and its Spread.
It first started in South Korea at a chicken farm in 2003, a
couple of months or so later, it was detected in Vietnam, then
an outbreak was found in chickens in Indonesia, Thailand
confirms the death of a six year old boy, this was the first
known death from Bird Flu. China also has problems and Malaysia
has found the virus in chickens, near the Thailand border.
This year, 2005, Bird Flu has been found in ducks in the
Philippines, Japan has had an outbreak in chickens, then it was
also found in Russia. In October, 2005 it was discovered in
Turkey and Romania, so you can see that it is spreading across
the globe, slowly but surely. The very latest is that it has now
been discovered in Greece.
It is spread at this stage by birds, mainly migratory birds that
fly north or south from the Asian region, where they can take it
to Russia and Europe, or in the other direction, south to
Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region.
The European Union has warned that there should not be any
panic, though it has told the 25 nations that make up the Union
to start stockpiling supplies of anti viral drugs. It has been
confirmed in nearly all cases the strain of virus is the highly
virulent and lethal H5N1.
In London, it has been confirmed that Britain is at risk and
they have suggested that all people that could be vulnerable,
should consider having normal Flu injections. The United States
Senate, on September 29, 2005, voted to provide almost $US4
billion to purchase a stockpile of the two anti viral drugs.
Future Prospects
Professor Ian Frazer of Brisbane, Australia, who with his
research team, after many years of heartache, trials and
tribulations, have announced that they have now perfected a
vaccine that will prevent Cervical Cancer and this vaccine
should be available in 2006, this is a world breakthrough and a
historic discovery, he now is thinking of turning his talents to
the H5N1 virus, he and many of his colleagues are convinced that
it is only a matter of time before this virus will start
attacking humans and cause a pandemic.
It has been estimated that the death toll throughout the world,
if this pandemic should start, could be as high as 40 million
people. Currently, humans are catching the virus from birds that
have the infection, through their saliva or faeces, which when
dry can be inhaled by humans. The authorities state emphatically
that it can not be transmitted through eating poultry.
What Can You Do
It is recommended by a number of authorities that you should
consider having the normal human flu vaccine.
There are two drugs available that can help, but are in short
supply, also they are quite expensive, Tamiflu and Relenza, very
recent reports, even suggest that they might not be good enough
to help if the situation becomes pandemic, because they have not
yet been tested. We can but hope that they are more efficient
than the predictions.
Take all the sensible normal precautions. There are a lot of you
out there that are bird lovers, myself included, but remember
that birds can carry the virus in their gut, without any ill
effect to themselves, so, don't get up too close and personal
with birds, never mind how much you love them.
Your Immune System, this is your natural defence against all
illnesses and diseases. Try to ensure that you Immune System is
functioning as efficiently as possible. Make sure that what you
eat and drink is natural and as nutritious as you can make it.
More information is available from my website.