To Tamiflu or Not to Tamiflu

With Avian bird flu about to awaken from it's annual sleep cycle what is the best approach for protection. Is it to inoculate now 'priming' the immune systems of potential victims such as taking place in Asia. Or to stockpile anti-viral drugs ready for a pandemic outbreak - the Swedish example.

And just what will happen if the world stockpile of two-day lasting Tamiflu (Oseltamivir phosphate) is suddenly ingested by the healthy population.

Given that most of the drug taken at commencement of a pandemic will be excreted and find it's way into the sewer systems and eventually the worlds waterways, what effect will that have on the bird population using those waterways.

Is it conceivable that the success of preventing the first pandemic using anti-viral drugs will ultimately lead to a more devastating pandemic in subsequent years due to drug resistant mutations occurring - like those expected today.

What other damage and mutations will this widespread environmental dispersal of Tamiflu cause.

Research on collateral damage reported by Medical Newstoday

Swedish Stockpile Tamiflu

Bird Flu Symptoms

US Blinks First in Bird Flu Standoff

U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services) says it 'regrets the recent delays in the transfer of avian influenza virus samples...' according to The Peoples Daily Online. Apparently China have offered birdflu virus samples to the CDC to help further research but their offer has been stonewalled by paperwork and bureaucracy.

Internet media sources had placed their wager on the cause of the standoff, now blamed on paperwork and procedures, on China, citing the SARS virus outbreak and other delays in receiving virus samples.

The CDC it is claimed though, goes on to say 'it appreciates the willingness of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture to share the virus samples'. This reads like some serious wordsmithing.

Even with this almost apology, it took Chinese news stories claiming American labs was the cause of the delay to force a response and action from the CDC.

So why then the delay, did the CDC really stonewall the importation of virus samples from China, if so why?.

More on the blame game
More on h5n1 bird flu

Biota - How to Lose Money on Bird Flu

Australia based Biota pulled revenues of $5.2m in royalties from the bird flu drug Relenza.

Unfortunately their battle with Glaxo Smith Kline has cost $8m over the last two years leaving meagre pickings for shareholders with yet another an annual net loss in excess of $10m.

Just how is it that in times of a pandemic of news and fear spreading, with governments speeding millions on vaccines for avian flu protection, can an organisation involved in bird flu vaccines be so successful at throwing away shareholder funds?

More from The Age

India - Leads with Bird Flu and Call Centers

Following the move from obscurity to superiority worldwide in technology based call centers, India has moved to stake a claim in the lucrative world of vaccine.

Competing with the likes of multi-billion dollar Roche and in just 6-months, a low cost bird flu vaccine.

At a predicted 35 paise retail per dose (US$ 0.65) and with six months protection the $160 million investment appears to have paved the way for bird vaccination instead of eradication.

More on India's own bird flu vaccine at just 35 paise from DailyIndia.com

BirdFlu Like a Dell Notebook

Just as uncomfortable as a Dell notebook sitting in your lap waiting for the exploding battery to wake you up. .. lock up your battery birds the bird flu is about to hit the news fan again.

Migrating birds flying into Turkey in October last year marked the first signs of H5N1 spreading. Not Turkeys of course but migrating birds putting at risk the poultry battery hens we all want to protect.

Vaccinate them all now is the bleat from the flock of Nature Observers Association (NOA) members, no mention of an Ark though.

Has anyone really considered the logistics of vaccinating every friendly bird in the world and who decides the bad ones - well Dell are recalling all the laptops?

http://www.zaman.com/?bl=national&alt=&hn=35900

Breeding Bird Flu Test Fails

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have tried to combine a common human flu virus with H5N1 Avian bird flu and have failed to make it spread.

You can read about this study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, August 2.

Whilst some could argue the sense in tinkering with deadly viruses to try to make a human spreadable version, at least this experiment goes some of the way to reducing the fear propaganda used by large corporates to line their pockets with our hard-earned cash.

More on the story from Medical News Today
More on Bird Flu Symptoms

ICAR Have Bird Flu Vaccine

Latest news on Bird Flu vaccines for H5N1 advises that India is about to cash in on the potential pandemic.

"The Indian Council of Agriculture Research says it has developed a vaccine against bird flu. It said the Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal developed the vaccine in a record time of four months.The vaccine is aimed at fighting H5N1 virus and the spread of bird flu within the same species, but independent scientists have not yet verified it."

Adding to the being the call centre captial of the IT world your syringe could be just a FexEx away.

Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America

It was only a matter of time before the bird flu pandemic hit the silver screens.

Biohazard suits, African villagers dead you can imagine the plot with a touch of reality following wide spread publicity about the H5N1 virus.

In Pennsylvania the Health Secretary has even timed the launch of a new web site on the Avian pandemic with the expected release of the film.

Expect more confusion now as people consider whether the threat from birdflu is real or just hype.

Reuters, on the birdflu movie

Y2k Bug with Feathers - Bird Flu

Like the ripples from a stone dropped in a pool on a still day, the resounding echoes of Bird Flu spread ever outward.

Growing daily like a rolling snowball into a billion dollar industry. Driving fear into the hearts of the layperson whilst the medical industry like a stealthy pickpocket, empties the punters pockets of their hard earned cash as attention is distracted.

Since 1918 we have know the impact of an H5N1 outbreak, since 1918 we have been vulnerable, since 1918 though, nothing has changed. Still no mutation, still no pandemic, still plenty of other things to worry about.

Remember Mad Cows, SARS, Global Warming, Fossil Fuels, Year 2000 bug? All have one thing in common as a starting point.

Money. Starting with a random comment published one day, one of thousands each month, that the public shows interest in. All made simple to analyze and detect through Internet search monitoring.

In first ripple of impact the issue escalates based on public interest to generate interviews and opinions of scientists. Scientists need funding to continue to do what they do. Funding follows fear, finally a return for research satisfying public thirst for information. Opinions are sought, the most newsworthy (translate valuable) being reported.

In the second ripple of impact the manufacturing chemists, vaccine makers the rainmakers, look for their angle. The carrot of hope for funding in advance of delivering a usable product. The Nirvana for companies that struggle with low return rates from high investment. Again more media commentary and public hope based on further cures for a non-existent pandemic. The crazier the news story the more who read it, the greater the fear, reinforcing the original concept.

In the third ripple everyone joins in the melee. Consultants to advise on actions to take to protect the corporate world. Project managers to implement risk mitigation strategies. Stock exchanges to encourage trading into bird flu safe stocks. Pharmacies to provide stocks of anything related to flu. Herbal remedies, religious instructions, military mobilization, undertakers, hospitals. Governments throw money to be sure of no blame.

Even that old faithful Nostradamus, that French physician & astrologer, a rhymed predictor of ambiguous phrases, gets wheeled out of his pyramid sarcophagus and the prophecies are expounded again to his intellectually vacuumous minions.

There is no bird flu pandemic. Just like there was no Year 2000 shutdown of the world, nor millions with mad cow disease, nor SARS spreading around the world, nor running out of petrol for cars, nor sea levels rising and drowning us all.

Reference

Avian Bird Flu Facts

Do not Fear the Bird Flu

The avian bird flu is not your biggest concern in a pandemic outbreak, instead it is the people. Rational behavior will quickly disappear along with law and order should a flu pandemic spread worldwide.

So you have managed to stockpile a few boxes of Tamiflu and probably told a few of your friends. Just how do you think you will repel their attempts to gain access to your medicine where it is a life-or-death situation?

What about food? The initial panic buying at supermarkets will quickly clear warehouses of all the necessities, imperishable food, batteries, water, and drugs. The police will be powerless to help, outnumbered 100's to one, and with their own families to consider. Even the hospitals, overwhelmed with flu infected sick and dying people will have people trying to jump the queue.

Bought a weapon to protect yourself? Just remember, so has everyone else. Expect gangs of weapon wielding irrational people, roaming the streets looking for anything that offers hope. Think you will be safe in your full biohazard suit, sure, until someone without one rips a hole in it.

Watch for Vietnam or china to show us how bad this can get, like some morbid science fiction movie.

At the end of the day you either survive or not, but no one wins.

British Bio Hazard Suits for all

Avian Bird Flu Information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Bird flu Bumbling in New Zealand

An opportunity to demonstrate avian bird flu preparedness in New Zealand yesterday failed to impress. Arriving from Australia, a Philippines visitor outwardly showing symptoms of viral infection was tagged by staff as possible risk.

So far so good, then it all went wrong. Within a short space of time the passenger was ?cleared? for release claiming he only had ?regular flu?.

Now I?m not sure what tests the New Zealand authorities have but this is pretty impressive to be able to prove non-existence of avian bird flu with just an ambulance driver performing the tests. Perhaps the rest of the world would benefit from access to this superb test.

More likely guess work was used to assume that the bird flu virus was not raging through the veins of this patient. Remember that the actual symptoms of avian bird flu will not established until a pandemic breaks due to mutation of the virus. In other words the symptoms today are unknown.

What an irresponsible risk to New Zealand though with a plane full of passengers exposed to breath of this person being immediately released into the public areas and to other flights.

If this had been the real deal, the damage could not be undone.

References:
nzherald.co.nz
Bird flu symptoms
Avian bird flu

Sauerkraut, Kimchi & Avian Bird Flu

At a time when access to bird flu antiviral medicines is being denied by legislation and short supply, a new entrant emerges claiming potential to reduce the impact of avian flu. The difference is that this possible cure is readily available and at a low cost for all.

Leuconostoc Kimchii or Kimchi lactic acid bacteria have been tested on bird flu infected chickens claiming recovery from the virus according to one source.

The Kimchi, a Korean fermented cabbage meal similar to the pickled cabbage Sauerkraut dish is claimed to have aided recovery of 11 out of 13 chickens in tests during November 2005.

Though the scientific merits of curing avian bird flu with cabbage have certainly not been proven, nor are we likely to see millions spent on development given the potential lack of return for drug companies - it is probably a simple measure to gain essential vitamins to protect against viral infection.

References
The Seoul Times Comment
Clevelandnews

More from The Seoul Times

Bird Flu Symptoms