[nasra]

Hi again everyone,


I live in England, and I am really worried about bird flu. In England there is just one confirmed case, but what I don't understand is how serious this is. Could this disease spread to humans. Tonight they were saying in the news if the disease spread to humans then they would close down schools for 6 months, it just sounds really scarey. I don't know what countries you guys are all from, but are there any confirmed cases in your country and how do you feel about the whole thing.:confused: Thanks guys.

[CaptainForest]

Canada here…one of the last places not to get the evil strain yet (all of North America that is).

Bird Flu:
Currently it is spread from Animals to Humans.

However, it has yet to spread from a Human to Human.

The real problem will come when it starts spreading from one human to another. That is a scary situation.

They did some testing a few months back on the Spanish Flu from 1919. And it has similar traits to the current bird flu problem…not a promising thought.

It is a scary situation. However, I have read other report from some other scientists/doctors who say that the bird flu is embedded so deep into the human immune system that is make it impossible for it to spread from human to human.

Who is right? I have no clue. All I can hope is that it never does spread from human to human, or if it does, then a cure will be found.

[kp2171]

It is a scary situation. However, I have read other report from some other scientists/doctors who say that the bird flu is embedded so deep into the human immune system that is make it impossible for it to spread from human to human.

Not "depth in immune system", but its how deep it gets in the lungs. One concern is that if mutations cause it to move higher up, then it could more easily be transmitted through coughing, etc.

As to the original post... it's a crap shoot. Bare minimum its going to cost tons and tons of money, with the damage it is doing to the poultry industry.

I won't be surprised if this thing goes either way. It could pass into history as a huge scare that never came to be, or it could possibly mutate enough times to make the human to human vector a prime mode of transmission.

There is absolutely no denying how lethal this thing is to birds... and to humans who have worked with infected birds.

[CaptainForest]

not "depth in immune system", but its how deep it gets in the lungs. one concern is that if mutations cause it to move higher up, then it could more easily be transmitted through coughing, etc.

I stand corrected. Lungs, not immune system.

[Nez]

Here in the UK,only one dead swan has been confirmed with HSN51.Other tests on other birds have proved negative.For a pandemic to break out,bird to human,you would have to have the virus "mutate".The only people at risk,are those who work with infected birds,at very close quarters.Then you would have to have the "secretion" of bird bodily fluids to lodge in your lungs,via ingestion.
Don't worry.Poultry is safe to eat from your local supermarket,and the chances of catching the virus,in a typical urban or rural area are remote.The UK scientists are correct to have an exclusion zone around the area where the dead swan was found,and free range chickens,in that zone,have been moved "in doors" as a precaution.As Captain Forest has stated,it is similar to the Asian flu of 1919,which killed 50 million people world wide,but you have to remember the terrible environment,and economic conditions after WW1,which were worse than "hell".At this stage I believe there is every cause to be vigulant,but not duelly stressed.

[Fr_Chuck]

US plans the way I understand it, shut down all air travel, schools and public meetings. I would hate to be the President to give that order, how many law suits will fill the court for decades over loss of civil liberties.

But basically we are only one mutation from world wide chaos.

[fredg]

Hi,
I live in the United States.
Here is a link with much, much information; updated as of April 5.
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/outbreaks/current.htm

There is no evidence that one human can infect another human at this point. However, there is much concern that this "flu strain" can alter itself, change it's form, and indeed infect humans, from one to another.
That is the concern.
There is no known "cure" so far for humans.
It may or may not happen; only the future will tell. And if it does happen, it will affect companies, businesses, and corporations, because they cannot operate with only 60% of their employees showing up for work; due to sickness. Many larger companies in the United States are now making plans for what to do if so many employees are off work.
We will just have to wait and see.