For First Time, Flu Spreads From Birds

Yahoo News ^ | Melissa Eddy

[Kjobs]

VIENNA, Austria - Three cats have tested positive for the deadly strain of bird flu in Austria's first reported case of the disease spreading to an animal other than a bird, state authorities said Monday.

The sick cats were among 170 living at an animal shelter where the disease was detected in chickens last month, authorities said.

The World Health Organization called bird flu a greater global challenge than any previous infectious disease, costing global agriculture more than $10 billion and affecting the livelihoods of 300 million farmers.

[snip]

Dr. Margaret Chan, who is spearheading WHO's efforts against bird flu, told disease experts meeting in Geneva to discuss bird flu preparations that the organization's top priority was to keep the deadly strain from mutating into a form easily passed between humans. That could trigger a global pandemic.

Since February, the virus has spread to birds in 17 new countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, she said.

"We truly feel that this present threat and any other threat like it is likely to stretch our global systems to the point of collapse," said Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO's director of epidemic and pandemic alert and response.

[U S Army EOD]

They eat out of bird feeders, we are all doomed.

But again, if the cats guard the bird feeders, the mice and birds can't get together. But if the cats get sick and die, no one will be guarding the bird feeders. But if the cats guard the bird feeders the mice and the birds can't get to the bird feeders to infect the cats.

I have ten cats and need to get rid of a few of them. If you want to save the world by posting guards on bird feeders, this is your big chance. Where should I send your cat to?

[Tall_Texan]

My bird (a macaw) is indoors. No place for a cat, sorry.

Fortunately, her chances of catching bird flu are remote. What I dread more is government ordering pet birds killed in a vain attempt to halt the spread.

They did this in Southern California two years ago to try to stop a bird disease that was mostly a problem with poultry. The feds went home to home in the area of the outbreak ordering pet birds killed. No compensation. No warning. No last goodbyes. Just capture and kill. You wouldn't believe the panic they caused on parrot-owner forums.

[righttackle44]

"We're all gonna die. Seriously."

There's nothing I hate more than being
seriously dead.

If you're not prepared to die, you're not prepared
to live.

"I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (Jn. 10:28).

[U S Army EOD]

My neighbor just put in ten large chicken houses right on my property line. I also have a big coyote population on my place and have already found one dead chicken. Life could get real interesting for me.

[Travis McGee]

Do you think it's a matter of time before we see a full blown breakout into human to human transmission with a high mort rate?

[musicman]

"I'm hoping to die laughing."

Giving credit here to someone other than myself for this quote I really liked:

"I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, and not screaming hysterically like the passengers in his car........"

[null and void]

Nahhh, I wouldn't want to sleep though it. I'd miss the interesting parts...

[Lauren BaRecall]

I'm really surprised that none of these stupid people have suggested eliminating all birds.

JUST KEEP THE CATS INSIDE!

(I'm yelling at them, not you, dear Slings.)

[MrLee]

I'm selling my KFC stock ASAP. I'd rather eat turkey anyway....

[Slings and Arrows]

Understood. Yell your heart out.

[Lauren BaRecall]

Imagine there's no cat haters,
It isn't hard to do,
No one to hurt them,
No panic over avian flu,
Imagine all the cats in creation,
Living life in peace
OooHoooOoooo,
You may say I'm a dreamer,
But I'm not the only one,
One day I hope you'll join Slings and Arrows, me, and our cats,
Then cats and humans will live as one....

This is performance art...I don't care that it's not a more clever rip off! You cat hater! LOL!

[Lauren BaRecall]

Thanks. :o)

These people are STOOOOO-PID!!!

[To Hell With Poverty]

Ha ha, like your kitty ditty!!

[NYorkerInHouston]

Actually in term of opportunities there may be some in the short to medium term in non-poultry meat industries as carnivores like myself will want to continue to eat meat even if we're not inclined to eat poultry with avian flu ravaging the company.

And somewhere in this span of time the poultry stocks already suffering will hit rock bottom, making them potential buying opportunities for the future , since eventually when all this blows over people will go back to their typical eating habits.

[grey_whiskers]

Wouldn't it be great if the bird flu just crosses over to cats, and no other species? Think of it-- a world without cats!!!

Colour me *highly* offended.

(See my Freeper name...)

[grey_whiskers]

"We're all gonna die. Seriously. That's a given. Death is batting 1.000 with the exception of Enoch.

And Elijah.

Ummm, how do you score Jesus? It didn't last *that* long, you know! :-)

Cheers!

[steve86]

since eventually when all this blows over people will go back to their typical eating habits.

Well, some will. Many in 1918 didn't. Dead men don't eat.

[GladesGuru]

"Waffle-Kitty Syndrome sounds like a hugh and series threat to outdoor kitties everywhere."

It does seem to cause quite a hugh and cry when it occurs.

[Slings and Arrows]

See post #51 - you've got yourself some competition.

[Termite_Commander]

Personally, I do. Maybe within the next year or two. From everything I've read, the virus is too heavily entrenched in places like Indonesia, China and Africa for it to just die out.

While the odds of the corrects mutations taking place are something like 100,000,000 to 1, the fact that there are trillions of virus particles out there, infecting millions of birds -- Not good, to say the least.

Now when you say "a high mortality rate", that depends. I think that a 10% mortality rate would be a catastrophically high number in a pandemic. If you're asking if I think the virus will maintain its current +/- 50% case fatality rate when it mutates to a pandemic strain, I don't. Now, there's a lot of evidence I've seen that shows that influenza viruses don't need to reduce their deadliness when they mutate towards another host species. Also, the virus has been mutating closer to mammals over the past year, it hasn't lost any of its lethality. In spite of this, I do think the mortality rate will drop from its current number. Whatever the final number is, it'll still be ghastly, but I don't think the 50% figure will hold.

But this is just speculation on my part. I hold no epidemiological credentials, so don't take my guesses too seriously.

Rather than take my word for it, it's better to go study up on the virus yourself, and make your own determination.