Scientists find bird flu antibody

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: BBC

By Neil Bowdler
BBC science reporter

Antibodies that could protect against bird flu in humans have been isolated by an international team of scientists.

The discovery could lead to treatments that complement flu vaccines in the event of a human epidemic of the virus.

The H5N1 bird flu virus is estimated to have killed more than 180 people around the world since 2003.

Some countries are already stockpiling vaccines for a possible bird flu outbreak in humans, but no one knows how effective they might be.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6699463.stm

[kimmerspixelated]

1. That's good news,

However, there is a book worth checking into called, The Great Bird Flu Hoax, that might shed a little light on this "let's keep em scared" with this ,terra,terra, terra "disease".

[Mojorabbit]

3. It wasn't a hoax

when it happened in 1918 and it isn't now.

[CoffeeCat]

4. I agree with you...

Bird flu is real.

Just because Junior will attempt to impose himself as a dictator and suspend the Constitution,
during a crisis--such as bird flu--people should not assume that bird flu is a hoax.

BushCo is waiting on their haunches for an "emergency", so they can suspend the Constitution
and declare themselves almighty. Whatever that "emergency" might be--bird flu, a terrorist,
attack, a natural disaster--they'll capitalize.

However, that doesn't mean that threats aren't real---or that people shouldn't do their own
due diligence and be prepared. To dismiss potential threats, because Junior is an ass--is to
leave yourself even more vulnerable to their perverse tactics.

Yes, Junior is a fear-instilling, dictator-wannabe, nutjob. Does that mean you shouldn't
prepare for a hurricane if you live in New Orleans or an earthquake if you live on the San
Andreas Fault?

[kimmerspixelated]

6. Perhaps the hoax book should be read first

by those who have replied, but yes, of course, you always prepare by staying healthy in the first place, etc. Yes, I completely believe in prevention, just don't think the present bird flu is what they say it is.

[Mojorabbit]

8. I get his newsletter in my email

but he is not a virologist or epidemiologist and the most world renown scientists in the field are worried about a pandemic. I'll take their word over his though I respect the work he has done.

[TheWraith]

12. For starters, it's their job to worry. That doesn't mean that what they worry about is realistic.

That's the equivalent of saying that because FBI agents worry about a terrorist nuclear bomb vaporizing New York, it's likely to happen. It's not.

Second, and no offense is intended, but a lot of those virologists and epidemiologists get more and more money according to how much public concern there is about widespread disease. So it's in their best interest not to downplay the possibility at all.

[depakid]

10. "What 'they' say it is."

They being the world's top scientists and health and regulatory agencies in just about every country around the globe.

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

9. dictator-wannabe?

instant dictator; just add catastrophic emergency.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070509-12.html

[kimmerspixelated]

5. Of course

I'm not saying the 1918 Flu Pandemic wasn't real.

[Mojorabbit]

7. If you would like to have

some say on how things should be handled in case of a pandemic. HHS has started a five week blog for comments and it is very interesting. There are blogs from Sec Levitt as well as the american nurses assoc, public health officials and many others.
They are looking for dialog with community leaders and citizens.
http://blog.pandemicflu.gov/

[TheWraith]

11. Bird flu and the 1918 swine flu aren't the same thing.

They have certain DNA sequences in common, but equating them isn't accurate. It also overlooks the fact that we actually have advanced medicine now, as compared to virtually no sort of antiviral capabilities in 1918, not to mention the lack of understanding on the part of the public during the 1918 outbreak as to the nature of disease and how it was transmitted. The 1918 outbreak wouldn't happen today.

[Mojorabbit]

13. Why wouldn't it happen today?

The 1918 flu was a bird flu. We have one mass produced antiviral and not enough for everyone and if we end up having a pandemic it may end up being resistant to it. There is only a small amt of relenza which is the second one.
The hospitals would be overrun in an instant if it happened. Hell you can't get into the ER now as it is .There is no surge capacity in hospitals anymore.

There is a mild low path outbreak of an H7 bird flu in Wales right now and they have traced 227 contacts as of this afternoon and have a lot of them on tamiflu including health care workers. This one is a mild flu and has spread fairly quick.
No pandemic.

It is the H5N1 with a case fatality rate of over fifty percent they are watching closely that is spreading in birds in a whole lot of countries that would be a disaster if it went pandemic which it luckily has not.

Our medical system would not be of much use if one happened tomorrow. the govt has already said we would be on our own. As a retired nurse I can vouch that you can forget hospital care. A vaccine would be a long time coming.
John Barrys book on the 1918 pandemic is a good if tedious read on the subject.

[Mojorabbit]

2. Trouble is

we don't have manafacturing capacity to cover more than a tiny fraction of the population of the world if it happens.