|
Home / Health / Diseases and Conditions
Bird Flu Is In The U.S.!
By:Michael Murphy
In that great Hitchcock thriller, the birds start attacking Tippi Hedron (Melanie Griffith's mom, for trivia fans) in Mendocino for no particular reason.Today, Ms. Hedron works actively in films, international relief efforts and for animal causes.She may get an ironic opportunity to combine her charity works with birds again, because scientists around the world are looking nervously at the increasing possibility of a return of avian influenza, also known as the bird flu.First identified in Italy in 1900, it is the H5N1 virus implicated in the great Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919 that killed about 40 million people.I say "implicated in" instead of "caused," because it was government policies that made the death toll much higher than it needed to be.But there is no doubt H5N1 is a major killer.
There are three steps H5N1 has to go through in order to get to people.First, there needs to be a lot of infected birds.Almost 200 million chickens have been killed or died in Asia in the last year due to avian flu infection.Strike One. Next, unless someone eats diseased poultry, the flu has to cross species into an animal that can easily infect people.It has now crossed into pigs, which is where most human flu outbreaks begin.Pigs carry human influenza viruses.Viruses can combine (exchange DNA) in pigs, creating a variant of H5N1 that can spread as easily and rapidly as ordinary flu.Strike Two.
Finally, it has to hit an unprepared populace, with lowered immune systems and no effective drugs.Lowered immune systems are caused by, among other factors, cold weather, lack of sleep, excess weight, stress, high sugar intake and caffeine.Hmmm. Sound like anyone you know?
Serious scientists think H5N1 could kill as many people as the 1918 disaster, if only because there are now more than three times as many people in the world. The UN Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza recently said a bird flu pandemic could kill as many as 150 million people.Other scientists have projected up to 354 million deaths.And you thought $3 gasoline was a major problem!
The H5N1 bird flu reappeared in Hong Kong in 1997.Eighteen people were infected, and six died.All the chickens in the area were slaughtered, and the outbreak was confined to Hong Kong.But it has now been found in Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Mainland China, Malaysia and Indonesia.
It then showed up in Russia, almost certainly carried by migratory birds.So much for banning chicken.In August 2005, it appeared in Mongolia and Kazakhstan, and then in western Russia, poised to enter Europe.Roumania found infected and dead swans in October.An infected parrot died in quarantine in the United Kingdom.
The Senior United Nations System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza in charge of a response to H5N1 says a pandemic could begin at anytime, and kill five million to 150 million people.He confirmed the virus is in migratory birds, and said an outbreak could start in Africa, where immune systems are chronically depressed, or the Middle East as well as southeast Asia.What he didn't say is that the same migratory birds, mainly ducks, swans and geese, also travel thousands of miles to Canada and the U.S.The H5N1 virus is almost certainly in the U.S. already - it just hasn't been found yet.December, Janaury and February are the "flu season" in both the U.S. and Asia.
We have reviewed all the companies involved in bird flu vaccines, and found two stocks that should be bought immediately because they will make a fortune even if there is never a case of bird flu in the world again.Governments around the world are stocking up on vaccines just in case they are needed, and these stockpiles need to be replenished periodically.For the names of the two stocks, visit my website at http://www.NewWorldInvestor.net
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: avian flu, bird flu, Spanish flu, pandemic, biotechnology, biotech
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Michael Murphy, CFA has been a technology analyst for 35 years, publishing technology stock newsletters since 1982. He's been CEO of two software companies, and wrote the business best-seller "Every Investor's Guide to High-Tech Stocks and Mutual Funds." He is the founding editor of New World Investor at www.NewWorldInvestor.net..
|
|
| Top Diseases and Conditions Articles |
- 1). Acid Reflux: What You Really Need To Know. By : Tyson J Stevenson
The formation of gases and acidic substances in the stomach and its backing up into the esophagus causes severe pain or burning sensation in the stomach and chest area that is clinically known as Acid Reflux or Gastroespohageal Reflux Disease.
|
- 2). Alcoholism— What Should I Know About It? By : Geoff Hugh
What is alcoholism?
Alcoholism is a disease that affects the part of the brain that controls your feelings, the way you make decisions, and the way you act. People with alcoholism cannot control how much they drink. What causes alcoholism?
Nobody knows what causes alcoholism. People with parents who have alcoholism have a greater chance of getting the disease.
|
- 3). What is Anorexia By : Keith George
Self induced emotional eating disorder characterized by persistent loss of appetite is called anorexia. Excessive consciousness toward weight loss, counting calories and excessive exercises can lead to a severe emotional eating disorder called anorexia.
|
- 4). Alcoholism Disease Or Not? By : The Source
Alcoholism can be given a lot of definitions and all of them stress the fact that there is a terrible disease that involves addiction to spirits. Apart from the physical dependence on alcohol, there are other psychological, genetic and social factors that may play a role in the development of alcoholism. Many social, economic and public health problems are determined by this very serious disease.
|
|
|
- 6). Gastritis Is More Than Indigestion By : Kevin Pederson
It is the inflammation of the stomach getting the defense system on roll. It would mean that the stomach is injured and the white blood cells move on the walls of the stomach for help. The inflammation can be caused due to an infection caused by bacterium which can lead to stomach ulcers. Any other injury can also cause such problems.
|
- 7). The Demonization Of Genital Herpes By : Christopher Scipio
Those of us who have so-called “genital herpes” are caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand we are ostracized by the minority of the population (about 40%) who don’t currently have herpes simplex in their body, which is bad enough, but more cruelly we are often isolated by our fellow members of the herpes community who have so-called cold sores (heroes simplex 1 of the mouth and face).
|
- 8). I am a mouth ulcers By : Ryan Fyfe
Although it's not my favorite thing to be in the world, I am a mouth ulcer. My street name is most commonly: canker sore. I've got a fancy name, and that involves painful open sores that will exist in your mouth when the mucous membrane breaks. You might also choose to call me one of these other names: aphthous stomatitis or aphthous ulcer. Now that we have that out of the way.
|
|
|
- 10). HPV Virus By : Ryan Fyfe
Human Papilloma Ciruses (HPV) is a virus that infects humans. Some of the effects of the virus are associated with sexually transmitted diseases (STD's).
Over one hundred strains of the virus have been identified by Scientists. Most of these strains are harmless. Some of these strains can produce common skin warts which appear on the hands and feet.
|
| New Diseases and Conditions Articles |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 4). Understanding Coeliac Disease By : Anne Wolski
Coeliac disease is a genetic condition that is caused by an inability to digest gluten. Hence the reason that this disease is also known as gluten intolerance.
|
|
|
- 6). Home Remedies For Breast Tenderness By : Kevin Pederson
A problem like breast tenderness may arise due to combination of factors like diet, nutrition, water, weight, age, menstrual cycle and fluctuating hormones. Studies conclude nearly three in four women suffer this discomfort at least once in their mature life.
|
|
|
- 8). Alzheimer’s Disease: What Every Family Needs to Know By : Douglas Hardwick
Alzheimer’s disease touches the lives of millions of Americans. Today, some 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s, and 1 in 10 families have a loved one afflicted with it. With no cure in sight, it is important for families to arm themselves with information about this devastating disease.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
