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Locked on 05/07/2006 11:16:52 PM PDT by Jim Robinson, reason:
Enough already! |
Posted on 05/06/2006 3:16:11 PM PDT by blam
Expert: H5N1 Worst Flu Virus He's Ever Seen
Thursday, May 04, 2006
SINGAPORE — A leading expert said Thursday the H5N1 virus is the worst flu virus he's ever encountered, and far too many gaps in planning and knowledge persist for the world to handle it in the event of a pandemic.
The virus is a vicious killer in poultry, moving into the brain and destroying the respiratory tract, said Robert G. Webster, a virologist at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
"I've worked with flu all my life, and this is the worst influenza virus that I have ever seen," said Webster, who has studied avian flu for decades. "If that happens in humans, God help us."
(For complete bird flu coverage, visit Foxnews.com's Bird Flu Center.)
So far, most human cases have been linked to contact with infected birds, but experts fear the virus will mutate into a form that easily spreads from person to person, potentially sparking a global pandemic.
Webster predicted it would take at least 10 more mutations before the H5N1 virus could potentially begin spreading from human to human, but said there's no way to know when — or if — that will ever happen.
"All of those mutations are out there, but ... the virus hasn't succeeded in bringing it together," he said at the end of a two-day bird flu conference in Singapore organized by The Lancet medical journal.
Webster also called for more vaccine to be stockpiled, calling current efforts "miserable."
He said research in ferrets suggests that vaccination with a bird flu virus that circulated earlier in Hong Kong protected the animals from dying when they were later infected with the H5N1 virus now spreading in Vietnam. Such vaccination could potentially be used as a primer...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Thanks for the ping, Oorang; we've been missing you.
Pinging jer33 3.
Chlorination kills all viruses. Places that treat their water with ozone will be out of luck. Apparently those things haven't been working as per sales pitch.
Bleach.
I'm ready for those SOB's too.
Somewhere there's a terrorist or anarchist scientific nutcase who'se busy trying to mutate the virus to attack humans.
Just my opinion.
Thank you for the ping.
I hope you both are well on this beautiful weekend.
The exact same thing happened to my wife and I going through two bouts of of flu since mid-february here in south texas. We just got over the second bout but we're still not 100%. I've never experienced an illness like it before. The second bout included a nagging cough that just seems to never go away. Going on three months now and hoping we're done with it. Thanks for sharing.
Lately, there have been frequent government messages for everyone to stock up on food and water for the "bird flu." Maybe it is bird flu, but what if it's government double-speak for nuclear attack?
Last year they weren't telling people to lay in six months worth of supplies, so what changed? Something is going on.
Check out comments # 134 and # 135.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1626089/posts?page=134#134
An area that I'll have to think about. I'm surrounded with lakes and ponds with lots of geese and ducks, etc. (And, I have four outside dogs)
Your point is very well taken, LucyT. The emphasis should be in being prepared.
This virus lives for a month or more in bird droppings...and can be picked up by a breeze as the fecal material breaks down.
Our closest neighbor here raises chickens and has a pond with domestic ducks. Canadian geeze frequently land there.
The ducks are in our pasture and front yard a lot.
We have livestock and dogs here also.
Horrors, what if H5N1 gets into my car and millions of evil viruses gang up to press the accelerator to the floor? What if the virus possesses Hillary?
I stand on my head in my basement all the time. Does that mean I'm more at risk?!?
Well, if you really get ready for the Bird Flu, you'll find yourself prepared for all sorts of things. I've found that to be the case with my preparations for a cat-5 hurricane. (Which I go through every year)
Besides, the 100 gallons of gasoline ( yes, it's stabalized) I bought at $2.19 has now saved me about $80.00 at current prices...and, I will eventually use it.
If he didn't think it was the worst one he's ever seen he wouldn't be an expert........
What passes for news these days is beyond me.
The epidemic that never was.
They are supposed to put away enough food for a full year. That was the rule before the bird flu threat.
I actually expect a terrorist attack to be a bigger problem than this....not that this couldn't be a problem....just the odds seem better on terror....or earthquakes....or the Mt. Rainier blowing up...
My nearest neighbors are 170,000 broiler/fryer chickens....
I guess you can't count on your neighbors for a cup of sugar, but if you need an egg...
...or at least a leg up.......
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