steffie

America has no vacine for the Avian Flu
President Bush just announced that the military will be in charge and quarantine cities / people

Just for kicks I called my Physician today asking about it, she told me that she is unable to get any kind of flu vacine at this time. She doesn't even know how many she will get this year. There is no Vacine available for the Avian Flu in the USA. Only in Europe -- Well I guess I am going into hypernation and come back out in March??

Read a full article here

Avian Flu


here is from today's Press Conference you can read it on Whitehouse.gov

Q Mr. President, you've been thinking a lot about pandemic flu and the risks in the United States if that should occur. I was wondering, Secretary Leavitt has said that first responders in the states and local governments are not prepared for something like that. To what extent are you concerned about that after Katrina and Rita? And is that one of the reasons you're interested in the idea of using defense assets to respond to something as broad and long-lasting as a flu might be?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Thank you for the question. I am concerned about avian flu. I am concerned about what an avian flu outbreak could mean for the United States and the world. I am -- I have thought through the scenarios of what an avian flu outbreak could mean. I tried to get a better handle on what the decision-making process would be by reading Mr. Barry's book on the influenza outbreak in 1918. I would recommend it.

The policy decisions for a President in dealing with an avian flu outbreak are difficult. One example: If we had an outbreak somewhere in the United States, do we not then quarantine that part of the country, and how do you then enforce a quarantine? When -- it's one thing to shut down airplanes; it's another thing to prevent people from coming in to get exposed to the avian flu. And who best to be able to effect a quarantine? One option is the use of a military that's able to plan and move.

And so that's why I put it on the table. I think it's an important debate for Congress to have. I noticed the other day, evidently, some governors didn't like it. I understand that. I was the commander-in-chief of the National Guard, and proudly so, and, frankly, I didn't want the President telling me how to be the commander-in-chief of the Texas Guard. But Congress needs to take a look at circumstances that may need to vest the capacity of the President to move beyond that debate. And one such catastrophe, or one such challenge could be an avian flu outbreak.

Secondly -- wait a minute, this is an important subject. Secondly, during my meetings at the United Nations, not only did I speak about it publicly, I spoke about it privately to as many leaders as I could find, about the need for there to be awareness, one, of the issue; and, two, reporting, rapid reporting to WHO, so that we can deal with a potential pandemic. The reporting needs to be not only on the birds that have fallen ill, but also on tracing the capacity of the virus to go from bird to person, to person. That's when it gets dangerous, when it goes bird-person-person. And we need to know on a real-time basis as quickly as possible, the facts, so that the scientific community, the world scientific community can analyze the facts and begin to deal with it.

Obviously, the best way to deal with a pandemic is to isolate it and keep it isolated in the region in which it begins. As you know, there's been a lot of reporting of different flocks that have fallen ill with the H5N1 virus. And we've also got some cases of the virus being transmitted to person, and we're watching very carefully.

Thirdly, the development of a vaccine -- I've spent time with Tony Fauci on the subject. Obviously, it would be helpful if we had a breakthrough in the capacity to develop a vaccine that would enable us to feel comfortable here at home that not only would first responders be able to be vaccinated, but as many Americans as possible, and people around the world. But, unfortunately, there is a -- we're just not that far down the manufacturing process. And there's a spray, as you know, that can maybe help arrest the spread of the disease, which is in relatively limited supply.

So one of the issues is how do we encourage the manufacturing capacity of the country, and maybe the world, to be prepared to deal with the outbreak of a pandemic. In other words, can we surge enough production to be able to help deal with the issue?

I take this issue very seriously, and I appreciate you bringing it to our attention. The people of the country ought to rest assured that we're doing everything we can: We're watching it, we're careful, we're in communications with the world. I'm not predicting an outbreak; I'm just suggesting to you that we better be thinking about it. And we are. And we're more than thinking about it; we're trying to put plans in place, and one of the plans -- back to where your original question came -- was, if we need to take some significant action, how best to do so. And I think the President ought to have all options on the table to understand what the consequences are, but -- all assets on the table -- not options -- assets on the table to be able to deal with something this significant.

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Partying since '96 and not going anywhere Anna's Dorm

NoCarrier

Welcome to the party pal.

Once the pandemic starts, it's going to take 3-4 months to get a sample (You just can't create a vaccine without the pandemic strain) and another 5-6 months to create 2-3 million of doses. Which will not be enough for the U.S. alone.

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After Shock Media

As far as I am aware nobody has a vaccine yet. You need the strain that has made that leap to people first in order to create one. Then even if and when a vaccine is made it will take not 1 but 2 doses to really work.

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EroticySteve

It's not comforting to realize that something as serious as this at a potentially global level is recieving less attention and regard than wars that many believe to be fruitless, pointless and worthless, much less expensive and harmful.

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steffie

They already have a vaccine in Europe and Asia but just not enough to cover everybody.. scary eh?

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Partying since '96 and not going anywhere Anna's Dorm

After Shock Media

Where do you get your info that they have an actual vaccine?

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wdsguy

I thought tamiflu would work for that?

After Shock Media

Tamiflu on assists fighting it after you have caught the bug and even it is not certain and it does not seem to be working on all strains.

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steffie

Medicalnewstoday.com

An H5 strain was also responsible for the 1997 outbreak of avian flu in Hong Kong which infected 18 people, of whom six died.The death rate of one third is equivalent to that for smallpox. 'It is a horrible thing,' Sir John said.

The result was a virus to which the human race had no immunity. Sir John said: 'The thing that has changed since 1968 is that today we have anti-viral drugs. The question is, are there sufficient to protect the population?'

Two anti-flu drugs have been licensed in the past five years - Relenza, made by GlaxoSmithKline, and Tamiflu, made by Roche. Neither drug can prevent the illness but research shows they can shorten its duration and lessen its severity, potentially saving lives.


This is from Britian - Remember the FDA won't even approve regular Flu Vaccine to come in from another country. How long do you think it would take to get this Vaccine into the USA??

The only reason I am bringing this subject up is simple. The President of the USA is "worried" fuck.. were screwed

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Partying since '96 and not going anywhere Anna's Dorm

steffie

Your are right, there is no "absolute" vaccine right now. Supposently China has something in the works, but its not 100%..

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Partying since '96 and not going anywhere Anna's Dorm

After Shock Media

Steffie you are aware anti-flu and vaccine are two seperate things right?
One fights it when you got it, the other makes you immune to catching it in the first place.

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tony286

again more fear mongering from the media
this is from the cdc:
What is the risk to humans from the H5N1 virus in Asia? Updated May 24

The H5N1 virus does not usually infect humans. In 1997, however, the first case of spread from a bird to a human was seen during an outbreak of bird flu in poultry in Hong Kong. The virus caused severe respiratory illness in 18 people, 6 of whom died. Since that time, there have been other cases of H5N1 infection among humans. Most recently, human cases of H5N1 infection have occurred in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia during large H5N1 outbreaks in poultry. The death rate for these reported cases has been about 50 percent. Most of these cases occurred from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces; however, it is thought that a few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have occurred.

So far, spread of H5N1 virus from person to person has been rare and spread has not continued beyond one person. However, because all influenza viruses have the ability to change, scientists are concerned that the H5N1 virus could one day be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person to another. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. If the H5N1 virus were able to infect people and spread easily from person to person, an ?influenza pandemic? (worldwide outbreak of disease) could begin. No one can predict when a pandemic might occur. However, experts from around the world are watching the H5N1 situation in Asia very closely and are preparing for the possibility that the virus may begin to spread more easily and widely from person to person.

steffie

Well my English isn't always the best, here is the link to prb where they supposed to have something you can take and not catch the Avian Flu

http://www.prbpharmaceuticals.com/order/vira38.asp

That's the one I read about a while ago China is developing (now with Socal Medical School)

I need to get my dictionary out again he he

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Partying since '96 and not going anywhere Anna's Dorm

NoCarrier

Yeah, maybe that's the reason why the CDC issued the following statement :

The CDC is "extremely concerned" over the "very ominous" threat of bird flu, CDC officials say.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,148405,00.html

It's not a new worry. Public health officials have been worried for years that a particularly nasty form of bird flu ? H5N1 influenza A virus (search) ? will learn how to spread easily from human to human. That hasn't happened yet.

If it did, the impact on world health would dwarf the SARS (search) outbreak, says CDC medical epidemiologist Tim Uyeki, MD.

"SARS is not that contagious, although there were super-spreading events," Uyeki tells WebMD. "Most people with SARS did not transmit the disease to social contacts. In contrast, human influenza virus (search) is very contagious. With a pandemic H5N1 influenza virus there would be no pre-existing immunity ? most people would be very susceptible ? so there would be efficient transmission to social contacts. ? If it started where an infected person could get to Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City and get on a plane, the spread could be very fast."

How likely is it this really will happen? Uyeki is quick to note that nobody really knows. All kinds of relevant information are missing. But the little that is known is pretty scary.

So far, the World Health Organization knows of 55 human infections with the H5N1 bird flu virus ? 37 in Vietnam, 17 in Thailand, and one in Cambodia. It killed 42 of these people. It's likely that there have been many more cases than this, many of them probably fatal. Most people probably get milder cases, but that's far from clear. Only people with severe disease show up in hospitals.

Bird Flu Evolving

According to the CDC, the reported symptoms of avian influenza (search) in humans have ranged from the typical flu-like symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches to eye infections, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, viral pneumonia, and other severe and life-threatening complications.

"Of the 11 cases since the end of December 2004, 10 were fatal. That is very alarming," Uyeki says. "It is quite likely that there are more severe and fatal cases that have occurred and this is an underestimate of impact among humans. The surveillance has not been done for milder illness or asymptomatic infection. We are simply picking up cases of severe disease, among which a high proportion is fatal.?

The vast majority of these human infections came directly from chickens or ducks. There's been one case of possible human-to-human transmission (the tragic case of a young mother who caught it after holding her dying child overnight). There may have been others, but there's been no ongoing bird flu spread among humans.

"The good news is these viruses have not yet acquired the ability to transmit from person to person in a sustained manner. The key word is sustained," Uyeki says. "There have been a few instances of limited person-to-person transmission. This highlights the potential for a pandemic in the future."

The longer bird flu viruses continue to spread among poultry, the greater the threat. The first time H5N1 raised its head ? in Hong Kong, in 1997 ? the slaughter of all the city's millions of chickens and a massive cleanup of live poultry markets eliminated the virus. But now the virus seems to have taken root in Southeast Asia ? not only among domestic chickens and ducks but in wild birds, too.

"The longer these viruses continue to circulate among poultry, it raises the potential for a [human] H5N1 pandemic, because of the capability of these viruses to evolve," Uyeki says.

And the direction of this evolution isn't reassuring, notes medical researcher Henry L. Niman, PhD, founder and president of Recombinomics, Inc.

"It's clear that the [H5N1] virus is evolving and getting a broad host range," Niman tells WebMD.

"We do know that these H5N1 viruses have been documented to transmit to a number of different animal species. That includes tigers and leopards and domestic cats," Uyeki says. "H5N1 is also confirmed to infect pigs in China; there have been a limited number of cases reported in pigs. The point is that these viruses are extremely concerning. They have transmitted to a number of animal species and have killed humans."

A recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that human infection with H5N1 bird flu is more complicated than previously thought. The virus infected the brain and gut of two Vietnamese children who died with severe seizures and ? ominously ? severe diarrhea.

"The isolation of virus from a rectal specimen is a major source of concern, since it highlights a potential route of human-to-human transmission, especially in combination with crowded living conditions and diarrhea," Jenno D. de Jong, MD, and colleagues wrote.

The leader of this study, Jeremy Farrar, MD, PhD, is clearly worried.

"The great concern is there is an incredibly virulent avian flu that shows the ability to jump to humans," Farrar told WebMD in a December 2004 interview. "And when it gets to humans, it is clearly a very nasty disease with a high mortality rate."

Vaccine on the Way?

In a recent assessment of the threat posed by a bird flu pandemic, the World Health Organization noted that this is the first time in history people have had any warning that a killer flu might be on the way.

"A pandemic may be imminent," writes WHO director-general Lee Jong-wook, MD. "This time, the world has an opportunity to defend itself against a virus with pandemic potential before it strikes."

CDC and WHO researchers already have identified viruses from which they can make a bird flu vaccine. Candidate vaccines are scheduled for testing at the National Institutes of Health. And Uyeki says that Vietnam is testing its own vaccine in animal studies.

Even so, a vaccine will be years away. And ? because the virus continues to evolve ? there's no guarantee that it will work.

The bird flu is, unfortunately, resistant to one kind of flu drug. It's sensitive to Tamiflu ? but supplies are short.

"Even in a scenario where we have a couple of months to plan for a pandemic, the answer is no, there are not enough antiviral drugs available for treatment or [prevention of infection] during a pandemic situation ? even in the U.S., let alone the rest of the world," Uyeki says. "Other governments besides the U.S. are trying to stockpile it. Currently there is an insufficient supply. ? What are needed are not only more availability and more production, but we need other kinds of antivirals as well."

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LittleMack

Scary shit is on the way, if it mutates and is able to transmit between humans easily things are going to be real bad.

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dunefield

whoa hurricanes, fires and now a potential pandemic... america is copping it hard...

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NoCarrier

Yup, the economy worldwide is going to stop to a halt. Imagine every countries under quarantine.

No more goods, no more deliveries.. 30 to 40% of everyone sick in the country. I hope you guys are prepared to live a couple of weeks/months without groceries.

Here's an interesting document to keep and prepare for the worst :

The upcoming pandemic

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Chichio

This won't be an America thing, it will be a world thing when it goes down.

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PixeLs

Is this avian flu virus too serious for Americans to feel worried?

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