Deadly 1918 Epidemic Linked to Bird Flu, Scientists Say

NY Times ^ | October 5, 2005 | GINA KOLATA

[Smokin' Joe]

Ping to an old list...(Thanks, neverdem!)

[Smokin' Joe]

Ping to an old list...(Thanks, neverdem!)

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[decimon]

Thanks, Joe.

Ping

[Smokin' Joe]

You’re welcome, decimon!

[Smokin' Joe]

You’re Welcome, Alamo-Girl!

[little jeremiah]

It’s in the news again because H5N1 has mutated enough so that the vaxes for birds don’t work, people continue to get it in Cambodia and Viet Nam (haven’t checked Indo news lately) and of course China is a black hole with no news coming out.

But doctors from VN who have a lot of experience with H5N1 have been saying for some time that the bird flu has “changed”. If say a pig catches H5N1 - which they can catch - and gets a version of swine H1N1 at the same time - and it’s not uncommon for this to happen, it’s one way flus change all the time - then lookout below.

Also, in NZ and/or AU - there is a circulating strain of swine H1N1 that is genetically Tamiflu resistant - IOW, it didn’t develop resistence locally because people were given Tamiflu. There’s a specific gene that causes Tamiflu resistance, and a strain with that genetic resistance is now circulating. A few years ago, before the emergence of swine H1N1, the main seasonal flu went from being Tamiflu resistant to completely non-Tamiflu resistant in one year.

So, let’s just say the whole flu thing is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

BTW I got swine H1N1 once or most likely twice in 2009 and it’s a horrible, horrible flu, unlike any flu I ever had before. Horrible. I never want to get any weird flu ever again, that’s one reason I can shut my gates and not come out for months if need be.

A very good flu news site is this:

http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=255ff2c886705acb6dcb294bd307790a

[null and void]

Thunder90 ~ What would stop Al-Queida from getting their hands on this once it becomes epidemic?

neverdem ~ Probably nothing. Only idiots would use this as a weapon because there's just as much chance that it would come back to their loved ones as well. At least that's what I'm telling myself since this was announced to the world.

Yeah. That'll really deter "people" who raise their own children to be martyrs. Insha'allah...

[null and void]

Any high concentration of people would do the trick...

Burning Man. There's a model of sanitation and sanity...

[null and void]

Al Quida lacks the knowledge/equipment for genetic engineering

Been to an American university lately?

[justsaynomore]

Thanks for the ping, Joe. While not the most comprehensive flu site, to me this is the most conservative minded - http://planforpandemic.com/index.php

[GOPJ]

One thing about deaths due to influenza: most deaths are caused by secondary infections - usually pneumonia- produced by bacteria. Bacterial infections can be controlled with antibiotics. They had no effective antibiotics in 1918. That's one of the reasons ( not the only one ) that there were so many deaths. The reason for the secondary infections is that the flu virus damages the cells that line the trachea ( breathing tube ) ----these cells help to prevent bacteria from sliding down into the lungs. They're a first line barrier, if you will. Once the barrier is broken down ( by the flu virus ) it makes it easier for bacteria to get into the lungs. There are cells in the lungs that will ingest the bacteria, but they can get overwhelmed if too many bacteria enter.

Short version -----wash your hands ----secondary infections can be controlled with antibiotics.

You're missed bioprof ...

[mewzilla]

Thx for the info! That explains the need for surveillance, but not the newsworthiness. IMHO :-)

[JoeProBono]

[metmom]

ping

[Stonewall Jackson]

During the 1918 Outbreak, three Navy Nurses were awarded the Navy Cross for their heroic efforts at caring for the ill. Sadly, all three awards were posthumous.

Nurse Edna E. Place - Philadelphia Navy Yard Hospital
Nurse Marie Louise Hidell - Philadelphia Navy Yard Hospital
Nurse Lilian M. Murphy - Hampton Roads Navy Base Hospital

[21twelve]

1918 was bird flu? Seems that old rhyme was correct. Something to the effect of “I opened the window, and in flew Enza.”

I’ve heard it said that the primary cause of the end of WWI was the flu. So many soldiers were dieing of the flu on both sides, everyone decided to call it quits.

[ex-Texan]

Video: Pandemic 2

[redgolum]

Just back from a long weekend out west.

The little town in the Nebraska Panhandle I went to was almost wiped out in 1918. Some of the ranches sat idle for decades.

[mewzilla]

Some new disease/disaster flick oepns this week. Wonder if the paper’s trying to help goose box office sales...