Bird Flu (1 Viewer)

[azzie]

I don't know if anyone has started a thread about this but I thought that I might as well. The more I listen to the stuff about bird flu on the radio and tv, read about it on the net and in the paper, it sounds more and more like the SARS scare to me.

Nothing really happened to us here but society was pumped so full of fear that everyone was sure it was just a matter of time. They said SARS was the next spanish influenza. Now bird flu is.

Before all the hype, my mum (who is a pharmacist) noticed that the stocks of Tamiflu she had were simply being thrown away as the used by date on the package passed. Many of the other complimentary drugs made by Roch were going the same way. Now she can't sell enough and finds that some health professionals are writing themselves scripts to stockpile the drug for themselves.

So, is it a hoax threat - or do you think it is real?

The story below is also interesting (published 2 hours ago):
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-10/15/content_3618568.htm

 

[dirtymidget]

australia's quarantine is probably too good to let it spread to here. influenza is a much bigger problem

 

[beccaxx]

at least if u get it u can fly

 

[azzie]

australia's quarantine is probably too good to let it spread to here. influenza is a much bigger problem

how does quarantine keep out migrating birds? how can we scan people for it as they enter Australia if they're still experiencing the incubation period of bird flu?
and it is a strand of influenza- avian influenza.

 

[beccaxx]

do birds catch it?
better look after ur matey drown the crow. u could b at risk

 

[azzie]

do birds catch it?
better look after ur matey drown the crow. u could b at risk

oh.



fuck!

 

[Rafy]

We are at a much lower threat than other countries. Australia is just so isolated from the rest of the world, and we live on a large island with a small population.

 

[transcendent]

do birds catch it?
better look after ur matey drown the crow. u could b at risk

it was so much better when you didn't exist.

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

yes birds catch by facael-oral (shit to mouth) route
and its a Influenza A..

but there are 2 variations.. low and high pathogenic.. and hundred of different species cos of antigenic shift (stupidly fast mutation)

tamiflu (Oseltamivir phosphate) is actuall being stockpiled by govt and there is a shortage...
since medical doctors are the only health professional that can get it with their scripts... probably.. but they are doing it because they are on-call 24/7 and u dun want ppl waiting till the morning, the drug, is a neuraminidase inhibitor, this is one of the surface molecules on influenza A.... it lowers infectivity and spread cos it stops the influenza from entering the cell...

yes it is a worry.. cos it can kill.. but i think for the Govt its a good economic decision..

edit: interestingly the CDC and WHO have talked about partial resistance to the Tamiflu-type drug class by the bird flu... so mabbe its not a good idea either

 

[dirtymidget]

how does quarantine keep out migrating birds? how can we scan people for it as they enter Australia if they're still experiencing the incubation period of bird flu?
and it is a strand of influenza- avian influenza.

it might be called bird flu, but most of the birds getting it are chickens. i'm pretty sure that quarantine can manage to keep live and dead chickens from being illegally imported into australia (please correct me if i'm wrong).

as for the incubation period, i guess we'd do the same thing as we did when SARS was a problem, i.e. watch everyone who comes back from bird flu infected countries very carefully and if they get sick put them in quarantine wards of hospitals until they recover (or worse).

and by influenza i meant the normal influenza that gives you the standard flu.

 

[azzie]

yes birds catch by facael-oral (shit to mouth) route
and its a Influenza A..

but there are 2 variations.. low and high pathogenic.. and hundred of different species cos of antigenic shift (stupidly fast mutation)

tamiflu (Oseltamivir phosphate) is actuall being stockpiled by govt and there is a shortage...
since medical doctors are the only health professional that can get it with their scripts... probably.. but they are doing it because they are on-call 24/7 and u dun want ppl waiting till the morning, the drug, is a neuraminidase inhibitor, this is one of the surface molecules on influenza A.... it lowers infectivity and spread cos it stops the influenza from entering the cell...

yes it is a worry.. cos it can kill.. but i think for the Govt its a good economic decision..

edit: interestingly the CDC and WHO have talked about partial resistance to the Tamiflu-type drug class by the bird flu... so mabbe its not a good idea either

the WHO say that each government must stockpile enough Tamiflu to cover 1/4 of their population. however, listening to the BBC just then, Roche says they haven't recieved orders from many nations exposed to serious threat from bird flu.
so is 1/4 of the population enough? too much?
if some nations do not take the right precautions to prevent it and allow it to spread, it seems to me that this "spoils it for everyone" and gives the disease time to spread though different birds and increases the risk of human infection.

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

chickens are more suspectible cos we confine them to living close together..
its actualli water birds .. (i cant actualli think of any in asia but the duck atm).. that tend to spread it

US/UK and Aust
have already depleted Roche's supply after the H5N1 (H=Haemagluttin and N=Neuraminidase.. we name it by the surface markers which are adhesion molecules.. just so u kno) strain outbreaks in Asia
i recall Roche had to open another Nth American plant cos they couldnt meet with supply in March (disease is quite good for business)..

1/4 should be enough as they are prolly the at-risk population.. lik old, young, healthcare professionals and poultry breeders.. the rest should be able to fend for themselves..

also its been goin on since early last yr... the govt should still have the same stock piles as in May 05.. i have no/some idea wat roche might be doing..

 

[insert-username]

There appears to have been outbreaks in Europe, with cases in chickens reported in Turkey and Romania. The EU is now scrambling to ensure that there isn't an outbreak. Experts say that a pandemic isn't likely, but if one does occur, it could kill 700,000 Britons in its first few months.

Source.


I_F

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

UK has a population of about 120million... 700K deaths.. . would be the old young and the very sick..

about 120 is the number of death from Avian flu.. since dec 03.. worldwide.. assuming certain govt report truthfully.. so it doesnt appear to be very infectious.. but it mutates very fast so we have a medium level of preparation

about the Roche thing.. i think its about other at risk nations not australia .. cos there is a health newsletter tat says the aust govt is also planning to stock piling another anti-viral drug, Relenza (Zanamivir) from a competing supplier, GlaxoSmithKline. its an inhaler... for older ppl 13+..

 

[azzie]

There appears to have been outbreaks in Europe, with cases in chickens reported in Turkey and Romania. The EU is now scrambling to ensure that there isn't an outbreak. Experts say that a pandemic isn't likely, but if one does occur, it could kill 700,000 Britons in its first few months.

Source.


I_F

I'm not so worried about the Brits, I'm worried about the Croats
After all, you can't have Christmas without turkey... and I'm going back home for Christmas this year.

the thing that Pointdexter pointed out... disease IS good for business.... I rekon Roche are helping fuel the growing unease and in some places, panic, about bird flu to generate further sales by producing a limited supply of Tamiflu and other products which are related to bird flu. Now they'll produce more with another plant, but people will continue to believe there will be a shortage, so they'll stock up on as much as they can as soon as they can.

 

[011]

the thing that Pointdexter pointed out... disease IS good for business.... I rekon Roche are helping fuel the growing unease and in some places, panic, about bird flu to generate further sales by producing a limited supply of Tamiflu and other products which are related to bird flu. Now they'll produce more with another plant, but people will continue to believe there will be a shortage, so they'll stock up on as much as they can as soon as they can.

Yes, as war is good for arms businesses.

 

[Wooz]

Also star anise is running out in chinese herbal shops did u know its the effective ingrediant in which tamiflu and relenza is made mainly from it. Did u know that the flu virus is a bird disease not a human one and humans caught it from birds. I heard relenza has greater affect than tamiflu is this ture? I've also seen tamiflu and relenza on the net for $70+ for a packet or a few capsules on the net. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051013/ap_on_bi_ge/bird_flu_drug

 

[Rafy]

I bet the damn terrorists invented this flu

 

[7th Sign]

it might be called bird flu, but most of the birds getting it are chickens. i'm pretty sure that quarantine can manage to keep live and dead chickens from being illegally imported into australia (please correct me if i'm wrong).

mate quarantine cant do jack for shit been illigally imported they only scan 10% of contaniers that come through docks so its very easy for some people to get "cheap" chickens from asian in a massive load on a ship then into australia.

 

[Wooz]

With an obvious and major threat like bird flu, do you really think they're going to keep scanning 10%?

Yes, they only have the capability to scan that many containers there are only one or two scanners at every port which cant scan tens of thousands of containers in one day. Anyway the risk of the disease comming from improted goods is minimal remember this disease is caught only if u come into contact with birds or a carrier or the disease.

I reckon they should be taking peoples temperature and using body heat scans like they did in China when the sars virus broke out and they should be examined if they have any flu like symptoms or put into temporary quarintine.