Posted on 07/06/2006 12:57:55 AM PDT by Lurker
July 05, Nature — Multiple introductions of H5N1 in Nigeria. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that this deadly virus first arrived in Africa from different sources.
As the avian influenza virus H5N1 swept from Asia across Russia to Europe, Nigeria was the first country in Africa to report the emergence of this highly pathogenic virus.
Researchers analyzed H5N1 sequences in poultry from two different farms in Lagos state and found that three H5N1 lineages were independently introduced through routes that coincide with the flight paths of migratory birds, although independent trade imports cannot be excluded.
That's odd. That's the first time I've heard of it and I've used it before and so has my mother. The article didn't say how the link was discovered. It's very hard to get herbs in London to begin with. The drug companies are on the move there.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=69240-mhra-emea-black-cohosh-liver-damage
"Although it found that all the cases were poorly documented, it said that the connection “should be seen as a signal”. Hmmm...I think I'll keep my eye on this one.
BTW, I moved to a very rural area far away from urban centers that wouldd be thrown into chaos with any BF outbreak.
I'm curious as to what else was going on with the woman who died. Her age, other medical conditions,etc. This is the first time I've heard of this. Not saying it isn't true BUT it'd not be the first time that a study of dubious quality would be published to discredit an herb. I guess it's payback for the whole horse urine thing! ;-)
From the article, wonder how much alcohol she consumed on a regular basis, wonder if her liver would have failed in SIX months if she hadn't taken the black cohosh:
"A 53-year-old Australian woman who had taken black cohosh for three months suffered liver failure and needed a transplant.
"In Britain a total of 31 cases of suspected liver problems have been reported ranging from hepatitis (liver inflammation) to one case of liver failure."
I sent the article to a well known radio personality to get his take on it. I know there are some herbs that are hard on the liver if you take too much. You have to take special measures when you take them, such as wormwood. It's very good for getting rid of parasites but you have to take it in small doeses.
18 Jul 2006 19:52:51 GMT
More By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) - Governors should make sure they have the legal powers they need to impose quarantines, close schools and keep utilities and transport running in case of a bird flu pandemic, according to new primer from the National Governor's Association published on Tuesday.
They should also be working now on clear, simple public messages about the risks of bird flu and what preparations are being made as well as stocking up on food and medical supplies, the document advises.
"Governors should consider creating a state legal team to review current laws and regulations and assess how they would be applied during a pandemic," reads the primer, posted on the Internet at http://www.nga.org.
"For example, decisions on closure of schools, limits on use or practices on mass transit or public transport systems, restrictions on public gatherings, etc., must be determined by state and local officials and supported by local or state policies and law."
The H5N1 avian influenza virus has not yet caused a human pandemic, but it has killed 132 people out of the 230 infected. It has infected birds in about 50 countries and is spreading faster than any other avian influenza ever has.
Many experts believe it may pose the worst threat of an influenza pandemic in 30 years.
"The effects of pandemic flu will be broad, deep and simultaneous," Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty told reporters by telephone from a National Governor's Association meeting in Charleston, South Carolina.
"Medical response will be limited, restrained and potentially depleted during a pandemic," said Pawlenty, a Republican. Outbreaks in people or birds may have to be met with "a pretty aggressive form of containment" and public gatherings eliminated.
CLOSED LIBRARIES
Flu is highly contagious, but the the 1918 flu pandemic, in which between 40 million and 100 million people died, showed that closing big buildings may help.
"Consequently, public facilities -- schools, government offices, transportation hubs, museums, libraries, and convention centers -- would be the first considered for closing," the primer advises.
"Private facilities -- shopping malls, concert halls, skating rinks, gyms, restaurants, bars, theaters, and grocery stores -- may be closed under general emergency powers or special powers granted during times of public health emergencies."
States would also have responsibility for making sure that utilities keep running when workers stay home either because they are sick, caring for relatives, or simply afraid to come out, the governors said.
"What about the guys that go out and repair power lines? You have to think that you are going to have 40 percent absenteeism for a year or more," said Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, incoming chair of the Association and a Democrat.
Governors should be identifying key personnel and making sure each of them has a trained backup in case they cannot come to work, she said.
Telecommunications should be checked now, the document advises. "Many states or state agencies may find, for example, that they do not have sufficient bandwidth or server capacity to allow large-scale telecommuting of its workforce."
States should "encourage and invest in increased food storage in pantries in government facilities such as schools, prisons, cafeterias, group homes, and state institutions," the primer says. Businesses and individuals should do the same.
Smart move. Also, hang Quarantine signs on your doors if a pandemic arrives.
Bird flu fears threaten Christmas turkey shortage
Thursday July 20, 2006
http://www.guardian.co.uk/birdflu/story/0,,1824653,00.html
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Oregon: Biologists to test for bird flu throughout state
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-15/1153151655253400.xml&storylist=orlocal
Bird Flu Confirmed in Bulgarian Farms
20 July 2006, Thursday.
Bulgarian authorities reported Thursday the first case of bird flu with domestic fowl on the territory of the country - in the village of Slanchogled (sunflower), near Kurdzhali.
Veterinaries have undertaken checks of local fowl after birds were found to die in bulks.
The positive results of initial tests have detected the availability of the virus of avian flu, the Agriculture Ministry announced at a special press conference.
All fowl and turkeys from three farms were killed, massive disinfection is under way and tightened control on passing trucks and vehicles is installed, the officials said.
Two people who were in contact with the infected birds are under constant medical surveillance, Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil said.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=66792
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NZ declared avian bird flu free
Biosecurity New Zealand says it has completed the first survey of broiler farms throughout the country and found no notifiable avian influenza virus in the farms tested.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=15711&cid=8&cname=News
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Deception Dominates World Health Organization's Bird Flu Releases
By Marilyn Bardsley
July 16, 2006
Culture of Deception
If ever there was a need for clear and accurate information about the spreading and rapidly mutating avian influenza, it is now as the threat of a pandemic looms increasingly large. At a time when governments and individuals around the world are making preparations to battle a potentially life-altering disaster, there is no need for a group of bureaucratic elites to decide what information people are capable of handling.
The U.N.'s World Health Organization (WHO) has published its guidelines for the communicating of information about disease outbreaks, but these guidelines have not prevented a deliberate culture of deception from dominating the statements WHO makes to the press.
It has been suggested that WHO does not want people to panic, hence they are not candid when significant events in the evolution of a pandemic are unfolding. What is wrong with this rationale?
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Earlier this year, WHO did not admit to any human-to-human transmission, despite a number of very suspicious family clusters in Asia, Turkey, Iraq and Azerbaijan. In every single case, WHO used some excuse or another to hide these human-to-human transmissions from the media and the public.
That is, until Indonesia made it impossible to hide — and still the WHO did its very best to deceive the media and the public.
It was only on May 30 that Maria Cheng, WHO spokeswoman,
finally admitted that there were "probably about half a dozen" cases of human-to-human transmission.
These cases went back years and WHO knew then that they were human-to-human cases, but refused then to admit it.
And Dr. Angus Nicoll, chief of flu activities at the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, acknowledged that "we are probably underestimating the extent of person-to-person transmission."
http://www.crimelibrary.com/news/original/0706/1402_who_looking.html
NZ is an English speaking country so I don't think this is a translation problem. If you specify that you have 'no notifible' AIV then that in itself would suggest that some 'un-notifible' AIV exists, wouldn't it?
People haven't heard about the dangers of BF or are not taking it even a little bit serious.
I think it would be best to have the 'panic' (food fights, etc) and get that out of the way before the BF actually gets here.
Wayne Havrelly
KIRO 7 Consumer Investigator
UPDATED: 6:33 pm PDT July 19, 2006
Some medical experts say a deadly bird flu pandemic is not a matter of if, but when.
And because of our wild bird migrations, the Puget Sound region could be especially vulnerable to a bird flu outbreak.
KIRO 7 Consumer Investigator Wayne Havrelly has a warning about those who are trying to exploit the situation.
If you think bird flu threatens only people in other countries, you'd be mistaken.
The danger is so real in Western Washington that Sea-Tac Airport has reserved an entire building to quarantine passengers who may become infected.
That danger inspires fear, and fear brings out the worst in Internet scams.
Snow geese: Tourists and locals flock to see them as they spend their winters in the fields of Whatcom County and the Skagit Valley.
They're beautiful. But if the Avian Bird Flu ever arrives in our state, it will likely be carried by these magnificent birds.
These very birds spend their summers in the breeding grounds of Russia and Asia before returning here.
"The thought is that if there's any avian influenza occurring in Asia, it's in wild bird populations -- birds that migrate through here, winter here, are likely to pick it up in the breeding grounds," said Lora Leschner, of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Avian flu has been detected in 30 countries so far, though not in North America yet.
But that's certainly not stopping some herbal medicine companies from playing on people's bird flu fears.
Type "avian flu" or "bird flu" into a browser and you'll see site after site offering "avian flu protection kits," even "herbal alternatives" to Tamiflu, the only licensed drug that might be effective in treating Bird Flu.
But there's a problem.
"None of these products have any scientific evidence to show that they are safe and effective for the treatment of bird flu," said David Elder, with the FDA, the agency that regulates drugs in our country.
His agents recently seized 51 shipments of so-called "generic Tamiflu" from China that was being sold over the Internet here in the U.S.
The real and fake pills look alike, but the "generic Tamiflu"? It's actually vitamin C.
"There's no such thing as generic Tamiflu in this country," Elder said.
The FDA considers the sale of unapproved influenza-related products as a potentially significant threat to the public health
We found a site offering "an herbal alternative for Tamiflu" called "Avian RX," advertised as "the world's only natural weapon against Bird Flu".
"I would call this fraud," Elder said. We tried to reach the president of Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals in Georgia, which makes Avian RX. He did not return our calls.
It turns out his company is already under investigation by the federal Department of Justice for selling dietary supplements containing ephredrine, a prescription stimulant.
Another Internet company is found at Birdflustopper.com, though even marketing director Gayla Young admitted to us its herbal medication doesn't really stop bird flu.
"It's actually not a cure for bird flu," Young said.
"There are no products currently approved that consumers can purchase over the internet that are approved for the treatment or prevention of the avian flu," said Elder.
Still, the possibility of a global pandemic of Avian flu is real and frightening.
With no proven vaccine available, we found many in Western Washington who are tempted by all the fraudulent claims on the net.
Starting next month, state Wildlife officials will begin testing returning wild birds for any evidence of Avian flu. They will also ask you to report any dead or dying birds you may find. Our advice? Treat those Internet come-ons with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Keeping in mind we're all on our own, here's an old but interesting article.
The night of the weak knees
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,612114,00.html
Indonesia confirms 54th case of bird flu
11.20am Friday July 21, 2006
The World Health Organisation has confirmed Indonesia's 54th case of human infection of H5N1 avian flu.
---
Of the 54 human cases confirmed in Indonesia, 42 have been fatal.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10392334
CAPITOL HILL (AP) -- Lawmakers said they're "deeply concerned" that USDA plans for voluntary testing won't be enough to guard American poultry against bird flu.
The senators are responding to a federal audit that concludes the government has no comprehensive plan to deal with the bird flu threat in commercial poultry.
The Agriculture Department said it will have a plan in place by October. But the senators -- five Democrats and one Republican -- have written to Secretary Mike Johanns that the absence of a program to monitor and collect testing data now is "surprising."
A USDA spokesman said addressing the auditors' concerns is "a key priority."
China kills 400,000 chickens in latest bird flu outbreak
(AFP) 21 July 2006
BEIJING - China announced Friday it had killed nearly 400,000 chickens in the far northwest of the country to control a fresh outbreak of bird flu.
The outbreak was discovered on July 14 in Aksu city, Xinjiang region, when 3,045 chickens were found dead, the agriculture ministry said in a brief statement on its web site.
Since then 356,976 chickens have been killed as part of emergency measures to contain the outbreak, according to the statement.
“The epidemic is effectively under control,” it said. There was no mention of any concerns for people living in the area.
The outbreak is the 37th reported among poultry in China since October last year.
Nineteen people have been confirmed to have contracted the H5N1 virus in China, 12 of whom have died.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2006/July/theworld_July518.xml§ion=theworld
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Crosslink.
Report: Drug Errors Injure More Than 1.5M
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1669644/posts
Disaster Drill Preps Los Angeles For The Inevitable
"In short, it is a question of when, not if the Big One will strike.
"We all were quite dismayed at the relief efforts in response to Katrina, and we know that Southern California has a high potential of both man-made and natural disaster."
Bird flu in Bulgaria is not high pathogenic type: minister
Latest test results appear to have ruled out the existence of the deadly H5 or H7 bird flu virus strains in samples taken from dead birds in a village in southern Bulgaria, Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil said on Friday.
But Kabil said the final results would be known in 10 to 14 days following tests at a European Union laboratory in Britain, the state-run BTA reported.
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The Bulgarian authorities confirmed the first case of bird flu in domestic fowl in Slanchogled on Thursday, one day after 107 hens and turkeys were found dead in the village.
http://english.people.com.cn/200607/22/eng20060722_285659.html
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(Province in Northern Thailand) -- Avian influenza suspected after two dine on doves
Two cases of suspected bird flu in humans have been found in Uttaradit, one of the seven provinces declared a "red zone" by the Department of Livestock Development (DLD), a local health official said yesterday.
A 67-year-old man and his 35-year-old son-in-law were recently admitted to Uttaradit Provincial Hospital. They had developed symptoms similar to those caused by the bird-flu virus after eating spotted doves, said Dr Boonrieng Chuchaisaengrat, head of the provincial health office.
http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/23/national/national_30009355.php
Singapore Drills In Preparation For A Bird Flu Pandemic
"Although the city-state has not recorded a single case of bird flu, health authorities were taking no chances."
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