Avian flu

[Inuyasha]

If avian flu was about to come into the U.S. population, what would you do? Any ideas or suggestions?

[canalon]

Burn my neighbours and coworker for complete disinfection, and use anti air defense to kill any bird wthin 10km of the hole I'll bury myself in

More seriously between awareness measures, the little time spend in close contact with birds it is highly unlikely that you risk anything. And that any recombination between human and avian flu viruses take place in America or Europe. If the media scare scenario start somewhere it wil probably be somewhere in Asia, and the we'll have to protect not against avian flu but against a mutatnt that will be adapted to human.
Then I will start to think at how to prevent me from getting contaminated. Until then nothing.

[Inuyasha]

hmmm. tamiflu anyone, oh yes there is no more to be found. There does seem to be wide spread panic. And strains that jump from human to human have been found. So i do think there is a risk.

[baikuza]

... it is depend on the risk. H5 and another one species of avian virus might dangereous, but the others not.

[MrMistery]

Well in my country there have been 16 villages where H5N1 has been identified, but their number is growing. They say that if that mutant does occur an epydemics would be almost impossible to stop.. And yes if this happens i think it will reach the US

[Inuyasha]

Ok here's my paper. What I need is some good editing and some more contrasting on what to do during the inter pandemic period contrasted to what do during the pandemic alert period. HELP.



The Avian Flu
If I were the President of the US I would be seriously concerned. With cases in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, London, and Vancouver the avian flu is spreading to new areas of the world. Discovered in chickens in Hong Kong in 1997, the avian flu attacks most types of birds, including migratory birds. Its presence in migratory birds makes it very transmissible. The avian flu, as of now, is weakly transmissible from birds to people. A great danger of the avian flu is that when a person is infected by H5N1 flu, the mortality rate is high. Estimates of mortality range in the upper 50% (as of 5 August 2005, there were 112 cases and 57 deaths). A webpage on CDC headed 'Outbreak Notice: Human Avian influenza, Asia' states that “A few cases of person-to-person spread of H5N1 viruses may have occurred.” But it is a quote from my Romania colleague that describes it best “Well in my country there have been 16 villages where H5N1 has been identified, but their number is growing… I think it will reach the US”. An avian flu outbreak today is comparable to the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918.
I would identify what stage the avian flu is now at. The WHO has a global influenza plan, defining the stages of a pandemic. There are three periods: Inter-pandemic, phase 1 and phase 2, which deals
with the infection of animals; Pandemic alert, phase 3, phase 4, and phase 5, which deals with localized transmission; Pandemic, phase 6, which deals with increased and sustained transmission in general population. If the avian flu is at the inter-pandemic period then prevention is the best plan; at pandemic alert period then containment is the best plan; at pandemic period then treatment is required. We are now at the pandemic alert period (there are reported cases of transmission but they have mainly been cases of localized transmission). However, the best plan for all periods is preparation. Informing the public about the dangers of the avian flu and simple preventive methods, such as never putting your hands in your mouth without wiping and wearing a respiratory mask when outside, are simple methods of prevention that can be used during any period.
M2 inhibitors such as amantadine and rimantadine are now relatively useless because strains of the H5N1 virus have developed resistance to these drugs. Neuraminidase inhibitors such as zanamivir and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are expensive. Tamiflu is in short supply, and many countries have insufficient stocks if a pandemic were to occur. Already Tamiflu has been taken off the prescription counter. At the pandemic alert period I would increase funding to find a new vaccine. As of September 2005 there is no effective vaccine against the Avian Flu. To quote from the WHO website “Current global manufacturing capacity is inadequate to meet the expected global needs during a pandemic and cannot be rapidly augmented”.
In an inter-pandemic period all animals that are known to contain the virus should be eradicated. Villages and areas known to contain the virus should be isolated. Resources should be aimed towards reducing the chance of the virus from jumping species barriers to humans. Poultry and meat should be checked more carefully. Sanitation needs to be emphasized. Funding for a vaccine needs to be increased. Supplies of Tamiflu need to mass produced and given to hospitals. In a pandemic alert period much of the same things done during the inter-pandemic period. Since the avian flu at this point has already jumped the species barrier, focus should go more on containment of human cases. The focus moves from animals to humans.
Work Cited

"Avian flu." Avian flu. 14 Dec. 2005. Biology Online. 15 Dec. 2005 <http://www.biology-online.org/biology-forum/about3796.html>.

"Avian Influenza Infection in Humans." Avian Influenza (Bird Flu). 15 Nov. 2005. Center for Disease and Control . 15 Dec. 2005 <http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/avian-flu-humans.htm>.

"How to Survive H5N1 Avian or Bird Flu." Follow these steps to reduce your vulnerability. 30 Sept 2005. The Travel Insider. 15 Dec. 2005 <http://www.thetravelinsider.info/2005/survivebirdflu.htm>.

[victor]

Till now, using a biosecurity system is the only alternative to stor the H5N1 epydemics.
@Andrew
Soon Tamiflu will not as effective as the advertisement because the tendency of the Orthomyxoviridae to rearrange their RNA sequence.

oh, ever remember the brother of H5N1 which is H1N1? it's called Spain flu....well, I think if the H5N1 spread out human to human, the tragedy of H1N1 will be once more repeated but in this time...in larger scale..

[Inuyasha]

inter pandemic period contrasted to what do during the pandemic alert period. This is what confuses me the most.

[Inuyasha]

done, whew now onto my chem final YIKES

[scottyiu]

Is tamiflu effective against the Avian flu? Does tamiflu have any side effects? How does tamiflu work?

[Poison]

Yes it is said that, Tamiflu is effective. But I don't know about the mechanism.

[MrMistery]

neuroaminidase inhibitor.
it is effective but only if you get like 100 cases/year. In a pandemia it would be quite useless