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Bird Flu
Questions and answers related to H5N1 Bird Flu (Avian Flu). It is an extremely virulent influenza virus that can infect birds, occasionally pigs, rarely infections in other animals, and very rarely humans. Fortunately, it does not spread very easily, and only extremely rare human to human transmissions have been known to occur. No instance of the virus spreading beyond a first generation of close human contacts has been reported. It does, however, have a very high mortality rate in animals and in humans (60% death rate in humans).
193 Questions
That is the story that began circulating in July 2006. See the article below in the links section for more information. The DJ, DJ Lewis, from Abijan on Africa's Ivory Coast, supposedly said that he did start the dance, and is credited with the following quotes:
"People will have to dance it, they have no choice!
"I am telling people to dance it to chase away their fears, and eat more chicken."
"I created the dance to bring happiness to the hearts of Africans, and to chase away fear, the fear of eating chicken" he told the BBC.
"If we kill all our chickens and poultry, our cousins in the village will become poor."
"So I created the bird flu dance to put joy back into our hearts."
What are reasons people should worry about bird flu?
People involved in epidemiology have continued to be concerned about the Avian Flu because it has such a high mortality rate. In humans, the mortality rate is as high as 50%. Luckily, it is not spread from human to human. It has also been a concern during the H1N1/09 Pandemic Swine Flu because of the potential for extremely high death rates if the Avian Flu would mutate with the Swine Flu to make it able to be passed easily from human to human like the pandemic flu does. This was of special concern since some of the genetic material in this novel swine flu is derived from Avian Flu viruses.
What efforts are health officials in the US making to prepare for a possible bird flu pandemic?
On July 9, 2009, the US Administration held a summit on how to prepare for the upcoming fall flu season with anticipation that there will be continued outbreaks of the Novel H1N1 in addition to the seasonal flu as usual in this time of year. See the government's one stop "Swine Flu" information site at flu.gov for full details. Excerpts from the Health and Human Services news release about the topic are provided below:
"We ask the American people to become actively engaged with their own preparation and prevention. It's a responsibility we all share."
"White House Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined with delegations from 54 states, tribes and territories today at the H1N1 Influenza Preparedness Summit at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., to kick-off the government's nation-wide fall flu preparedness efforts."
"The Obama Administration sent a strong message to the nation today that it is time to start planning and preparing for the fall flu season and the ongoing H1N1 flu outbreak and that the federal government is prepared to commit resources, training, and new tools to help state and local governments and America's families get ready."
"Effectively dealing with a potential H1N1 outbreak requires all of us -- parents, educators, health providers, and local, state and federal governments -- working together on our emergency management plan," said Education Secretary Duncan. "Today's Flu Summit is an important step in that direction. Our primary goals at the Department of Education are the health and well being of students, faculty and staff, and ensuring that, in the event of any school closures, the learning process will continue. "
"Throughout the one-day summit, Administration officials laid out specific ways that states and local governments could start their planning and preparation efforts and announced new programs and resources to help state and local governments, the medical community and every day America prepare for H1N1 and the fall flu season."
"... HHS will make available preparedness grants worth a total of $350 million...the federal government will centralize communications about H1N1 and seasonal flu on ... www.flu.gov... This one-stop comprehensive site... builds on the pandemic planning information... on www.pandemicflu.gov, and incorporates information about the novel H1N1 flu as well as the seasonal flu."
---- ---- FLU RESOURCE KIT FOR PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR FLU SEASON AVAILABLE AT FLU.GOV.
See link in link section below.
The Resource Kit will be regularly updated with new information and tools as more is learned about the H1N1 virus and the upcoming flu season.
(available in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish versions)
---- === === (Available in 10 languages, see link below) Includes things such as stocking home with over the counter medications (such as cough medicine, fever reducers, anti diarrheal meds, etc), food and water to avoid having to go into public no more often than necessary, prepared foods so no cooking is required while the homemaker is ill, have a supply of prescription meds always on hand, plan for extra caregiver help in case entire family is ill at once, volunteer to help in the community and to help neighbors if they need extra caregivers, learn how to prevent infection and avoid spreading germs, use the forms provided in the kit to document medical history information and emergency contact information, keep good supply of necessary paper products and tissues, a thermometer, garbage bags, cleaning supplies and handwashing soaps and gels, garbage bags, sports drinks, etc.
---- === === === === === === === === HHS is launching a new PSA campaign contest to encourage more Americans to get involved in the nation's flu preparedness efforts by making a 15-second or 30-second PSA. Officials at the summit stressed the idea of "shared responsibility" when it comes to combating the flu and the goal of the new HHS PSA campaign contest is to tap into the nation's creativity to help educate Americans about how to plan for and prevent the spread of H1NI influenza. HHS will evaluate submissions and will present the best PSAs back to the public so everyone can vote on their favorite submission. The winning PSA will receive $2,500 in cash and will appear on national television. Contest details as well more information about the larger effort to plan and prepare for the flu season are available at www.flu.gov.
How does the bird flu get in your body?
All viruses follow the same basic steps referred to as the lytic cycle.
First the Flu, or Swine Flu in this case, enters the body through close contact with an infected person (nose, mouth, eyes or breaks in the skin)
LYTIC CYCLE:
* Step 1-A virus attaches to a host cell. * Step 2- The virus breaks through the host cell's membrane (phospholipid bilayer) and releases its genetic instructions into the cell. * Step 3- The injected genetic material starts controlling the host cell's enzymes * Step 4-The 'zombie' enzymes start making parts for more new viruses. * Step 6- The new virus particles assemble into fresh new viruses. * Step 7-The new particles break out of the host cell and infect other cells in the body
Click on the links below for more information from Answers.com and HowStuffWorks.com From the Wikipedia article: Influenza viruses bind through hemagglutinin onto sialic acid sugars on the surfaces of epithelial cells; typically in the nose, throat and lungs of mammals and intestines of birds.
Has anyone died from bird flu?
Yes. To date (14-11-08) there have been 245 human deaths due to Bird flu (H5N1)
The same as any other virus strain of influenza, avoid direct person to person contact with an infected person, wash hands frequently, and avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, or mouth with your unwashed hands. See the related questions below for more information on avoiding viruses.
How many people caught bird flu?
only birds could have bird flu. it passed on from bird to bird through touch or their s hit. if anothere bird got sh at on by a bird with bird flue that bird would have it.
How do you tell if a bird has bird flu?
* You can't tell if a bird has Bird Flu.
* But the only way you can get Bird Flu is when you get in close contact with a bird.
* Even a pet bird could posibly have it, but only if it came from the wild.
* Only an infected bird can pass it on to dogs, cats, even humans or any other living thing.
There is no cure for the swine flu because Influenza is a mutating virus, so there is currently no cure only prevention and treatment. Often flu viruses that cause pandemics eventually "mutate" themselves away, but that is not an overnight process.
If everyone who can gets vaccinated, the swine flu H1N1/09 can be stopped more quickly.
When did the West Nile virus start?
Prior to the mid-1990s, WNV disease occurred only sporadically and was considered a minor risk for humans, until an outbreak in Algeria in 1994, with cases of WNV-caused encephalitis, and the first large outbreak in Romania in 1996, with a high number of cases with neuroinvasive disease. WNV has now spread globally, with the first case in the Western Hemisphere being identified in New York City in 1999.
What year was the bird flu first discovered?
No one person is credited with discovering this new flu virus in 2009. It was a joint effort by scientists and doctors in Mexico, the US and the World Health Organization.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigated the virus which was first detected in Mexico City and was made public March 18, 2009. On microscopic evaluation, they determined it was a brand new strain of influenza virus that was causing the illness. They also were the ones to isolate the new virus and grow cultures in the laboratory to be used as the seed stock to create vaccines.
The CDC has scientists from many disciplines working to discover and find solutions for new infectious diseases. They go to the site and work to discover what known or new microorganisms are involved. Epidemiologists, microbiologists, doctors, virologists and infectious disease specialists were among the groups who rapidly identified what was causing the spreading illness in Mexico.
The first person identified with the new influenza was in Mexico City and from there it was tracked back to La Gloria, a small village in the south of Mexico, where it is believed that it started infecting people first (although some new evidence suggests that it may have previously been in Asia, which may have actually been the location of the first creation of the new virus and the actual source. This is still being investigated).
The Mexican health authorities and US CDC worked to identify what the new virus was that the woman in Mexico City had. They took culture samples and grew them in culture media and then identified in a lab what the properties of the virus were and compared it to previously known flu strains. When determined it was an entirely new type of flu, an international team of scientists became involved. New strains like that can create significant illness and pandemics since people would have had no prior exposure to have developed immunity.
The need to identify the illness the woman in Mexico City had, so that they could know how to treat the patient, is what drove the epidemiologists and microbiologists to the discovery of the specific, and new, flu strain.
Now there has been a field test kit developed that is used to quickly identify probable swine flu cases when it is important to know the specific virus involved. Usually that is not needed since the treatment is the same for all common influenza viruses.
The scientists with the CDC also isolated and grew the virus that causes the swine flu and selected the particular "substrain" to use to make a vaccine. They worked closely with the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) and with the drug manufacturers to design and select the correct vaccine to protect against the new flu in 2009. They added the antigen made from the new virus to the "recipe" for vaccines for other flu viruses that had been used for decades, since the safety and effectiveness of that process had already been proven.
The vaccine for A-H1N1/09 is included again in the 2011-2012 flu season vaccine (it won't hurt to take it again if you had it one of the prior two years). The seasonal flu vaccine also contains vaccine for two other common flu types expected to be circulating in this current flu season.
How many birds die of bird flu?
As of April 2013, only 360 people world-wide have died from avian flu, H5N1, and 10s of millions of birds have died of this strain since 2003. It is rare among humans.
As of Easter Sunday 2013, it was reported that a new strain to infect humans, H7N9, had claimed the lives of the first two people with this rare strain of avian flu. Two men have died in Shanghai, and one other person in a different part of China is in critical condition with this strain of bird flu.
The Bird Flu is spread from animals to humans but not from humans to humans (except in very rare cases). To transfer the sickness, an animal only has to come into contact with another animal who has it. The animal with the Avian Flu can give it to another bird or human through its feces, saliva, or nasal secretions. People can get it by coming in direct contact with infected poultry, usually not with contact with wildbirds, however it is feasible. That means that you should be careful when handling any birdbath, feeder, or other place where bird saliva or feces is likely to be. It is rare in humans, but to be better safe than sorry use gloves, or be sure to wash your hands well after touching anything on which the birds may have left secretions or excrement.
What are basic nursing interventions for bird flu?
A short list:
- Application and maintenance of infection control processes and isolation,
- oxygen supplementation,
- monitoring vital signs and oxygen saturation levels,
- assisting ADLs,
- assessing respiratory status, function and breath sounds,
- monitoring for signs and symptoms of conjunctivitis,
- monitoring for signs and symptoms of secondary bacterial infections,
- administering medication (inhalation therapy, eye drops, oral and IV) including antivirals, prophylactic antibiotics or antibiotics for secondary infections, eye medication for conjunctivitis, and IV steroids,
- enabling respiratory care services,
- administration of IV fluids, monitoring intake and output along with fluid and electrolyte balances,
- providing comfort measures.
- In more severe cases: mechanical ventilation care and assessments.
How many people in the UK have had bird flu?
According to the National Health Service (NHS), as of July 16, 2009, there have been 26 deaths in England to date.
Health Protective Agency (HPA) estimates that there were 55,000 new cases of swine flu last week (range 30,000 - 85,000). This estimate is based on latest weekly consultation rates for flu-like illness, taking into consideration positivity rates for swine flu H1N1 from HPA's virological sampling and a range of assumptions related to the numbers of people attending their GP.
How big was the impact of Apollo 11?
The US Saturn V (that's "Saturn Five", not "Saturn Vee") is the largest (both in terms of height and weight) and most powerful rocket ever actually built and launched so far. It had a takeoff mass of over 3 million kg (weight just under 6,700,000 pounds), was 110 meters (363 feet) tall and had a diameter of just over 10 meters (33 feet). A Saturn V could lift almost 120 metric tons to low Earth orbit.
Yes, water fowl (especially non-domesticated fowl in the wild) are a common source of the Avian (Bird) flu virus. Luckily, it remains contained to limited areas of the world at present.
Where was the Spanish flu discovered?
Mexico City, Mexico. From there it was tracked back to a small village in southern Mexico called La Gloria where it is believed that the first cases developed.
Does riddex plus affect pet birds?
Yes. This can make them sick or even cause death if ingested.
I imagine anything that ingests an electronic device as big as they are will get sick. But since Riddex Plus is not a consumable product, I would suggest people do not answer when they are clueless about the product.
Can you become a human avian hybrid?
Technically, yes. There is, however, the fact that no-one knows whether or not people can develop after being born. After I turn 18, I will be trying to do this very thing. If you are interested, contact me.
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Not only am I interested, I would die and be reborn if it was possible. Humans suck, to no offence. But, honestly, I would love to be the first success in hybridding. I could do it on my own, sure. If it meant I couldn't eat McDonalds anymore? No problem. I'm sure that there would be a lot of penalties in being one. Surely, as always, there is no simple gain.
- You couldn't eat as much salt
- You'd need to keep your supposed wing muscles strong [ If you manage the wings]
- You're bones would probably need maintenance
And so on. I understand that the results are varied, and I wouldn't want to go in there until I know I will at the very least survive. I don't really know how to contact you, so I'll go ahead and hope you'll contact me.
DeviantART; http://ombrasova.deviantart.com/
e-mail; Ombra.Sova@hotmail.com
I'm most active on an IM, chatting website 'chatango'
http://agrafos.chatango.com/
Go ahead, don'e be afraid.
Not only should the first answerer take note, but to help out the question;
You'd have a lot of defects. A lot. For a start, it'll probably be harder to breath because your mixing two different lung types. You'd have to eat less, you would have to avoid a lot of foods the typical human loves--Salt, sugar, and more. Trust me. A lot of things could defect you; and surely you won't know every problem until it's too late; so you'd have to eat like you had them all. And a lot more. So if you're interested, though I am sure humans can do it already--considering that they can clone from DNA--you'd have to give up a lot. Like, per say, going to school. Living in your old manner. Eating the same foods. Eating the same amount of food. You might not even have the ability to talk anymore. So before throwing yourself out there, make sure you understand that. Because I want to do it. I'm willing to do it. I'm not willing to be the first one, no, but I am willing to give up a lot. Including my voice. But hopefully not my fingers, or intelligence.
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