Possible Avian Flu Pandemic

zacarias, ASN, RN · Aug 24, 2005

Yeah the bird flu is really scary. 'Foreign Affairs' did a whole section on it in their July/August issue. If there every is sustained human-to-human transmission of avian flu, how virulent will it be and who will be sucsceptible? Yes the influenza virus could mutate to facilitate human-to-human transmission. Of course it could also mutate so that it's lost all its virulence and poses little threat to humans. We will be watching.

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Oct 6, 2005

There is the possibility of an international avian flu pandemic which could kill hundreds of millions of people.
Public Health Nurses should take the lead role in taking preventive measures for this unfortunate disaster, if it occurs.
One of the preventive measures would be to insure that all hospitals and public health institutions have an adequate stock of Tamiflu and Relenza, nuremenidase inhibitors, which protect humans from the avian flu and/or reduce the morbidity assosicated with the same.
I am an R.N. and hold a B.S. in Biochemistry.
The URL for the web site for the quote,from a web site entitled "drugdelivery.ca" is located at the end of this post.
The following is a quote which addresses this potential public health crises which may develop:
"Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.
Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but several cases of human infection with bird flu viruses have occurred since 1997.
The H5N1 virus does not usually infect humans. In 1997, however, the first case of spread from a bird to a human was seen during an outbreak of bird flu in poultry in Hong Kong. The virus caused severe respiratory illness in 18 people, 6 of whom died. Since that time, there have been other cases of H5N1 infection among humans. Most recently, human cases of H5N1 infection have occurred in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia during large H5N1 outbreaks in poultry. The death rate for these reported cases has been about 50 percent. Most of these cases occurred from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces; however, it is thought that a few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have occurred.
So far, spread of H5N1 virus from person to person has been rare and spread has not continued beyond one person. However, because all influenza viruses have the ability to change, scientists are concerned that the H5N1 virus could one day be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person to another. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. If the H5N1 virus were able to infect people and spread easily from person to person, an "influenza pandemic" (worldwide outbreak of disease) could begin. No one can predict when a pandemic might occur. However, experts from around the world are watching the H5N1 situation in Asia very closely and are preparing for the possibility that the virus may begin to spread more easily and widely from person to person.
An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of disease that occurs when a new influenza A virus appears or "emerges" in the human population, causes serious illness, and then spreads easily from person to person worldwide. Pandemics are different from seasonal outbreaks or "epidemics" of influenza. Seasonal outbreaks are caused by subtypes of influenza viruses that are already in existence among people, whereas pandemic outbreaks are caused by new subtypes or by subtypes that have never circulated among people or that have not circulated among people for a long time. Past influenza pandemics have led to high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss.
During the 20th century, the emergence of new influenza A virus subtypes caused three pandemics, all of which spread around the world within 1 year of being detected.
Both the 1957-58 and 1968-69 pandemics were caused by viruses containing a combination of genes from a human influenza virus and an avian influenza virus. The origin of the 1918-19 pandemic virus is not clear.
1918-19, "Spanish flu," [A (H1N1)], caused the highest number of known influenza deaths: more than 500,000 people died in the United States, and up to 50 million people may have died worldwide. Many people died within the first few days after infection, and others died of complications later. Nearly half of those who died were young, healthy adults. Influenza A (H1N1) viruses still circulate today after being introduced again into the human population in the 1970s. "
The URL from which the quote was derived is:http://www.drugdelivery.ca/bird-flu.aspx

End of Quote

I just saw this post. I used to work for the health dept and a pandemic scares me. I remember going to immunization conferences in the early 90's and hearing about possible shifts and drifts in the flu patterns...

Kris

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Oct 9, 2005

The Avian Flu has now been reported to have crossed into eastern Europe.

It has now been found in Turkey and has crossed from there into Romania.

From there it can spread quickly into the western parts of Europe.

This is not good news. :stone

grannynurse FNP student · Oct 9, 2005

There is the possibility of an international avian flu pandemic which could kill hundreds of millions of people.
Public Health Nurses should take the lead role in taking preventive measures for this unfortunate disaster, if it occurs.
One of the preventive measures would be to insure that all hospitals and public health institutions have an adequate stock of Tamiflu and Relenza, nuremenidase inhibitors, which protect humans from the avian flu and/or reduce the morbidity assosicated with the same.
I am an R.N. and hold a B.S. in Biochemistry.
The URL for the web site for the quote,from a web site entitled "drugdelivery.ca" is located at the end of this post.
The following is a quote which addresses this potential public health crises which may develop:
"Bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These flu viruses occur naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. However, bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, very sick and kill them.
Bird flu viruses do not usually infect humans, but several cases of human infection with bird flu viruses have occurred since 1997.
The H5N1 virus does not usually infect humans. In 1997, however, the first case of spread from a bird to a human was seen during an outbreak of bird flu in poultry in Hong Kong. The virus caused severe respiratory illness in 18 people, 6 of whom died. Since that time, there have been other cases of H5N1 infection among humans. Most recently, human cases of H5N1 infection have occurred in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia during large H5N1 outbreaks in poultry. The death rate for these reported cases has been about 50 percent. Most of these cases occurred from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces; however, it is thought that a few cases of human-to-human spread of H5N1 have occurred.
So far, spread of H5N1 virus from person to person has been rare and spread has not continued beyond one person. However, because all influenza viruses have the ability to change, scientists are concerned that the H5N1 virus could one day be able to infect humans and spread easily from one person to another. Because these viruses do not commonly infect humans, there is little or no immune protection against them in the human population. If the H5N1 virus were able to infect people and spread easily from person to person, an "influenza pandemic" (worldwide outbreak of disease) could begin. No one can predict when a pandemic might occur. However, experts from around the world are watching the H5N1 situation in Asia very closely and are preparing for the possibility that the virus may begin to spread more easily and widely from person to person.
An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of disease that occurs when a new influenza A virus appears or "emerges" in the human population, causes serious illness, and then spreads easily from person to person worldwide. Pandemics are different from seasonal outbreaks or "epidemics" of influenza. Seasonal outbreaks are caused by subtypes of influenza viruses that are already in existence among people, whereas pandemic outbreaks are caused by new subtypes or by subtypes that have never circulated among people or that have not circulated among people for a long time. Past influenza pandemics have led to high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss.
During the 20th century, the emergence of new influenza A virus subtypes caused three pandemics, all of which spread around the world within 1 year of being detected.
Both the 1957-58 and 1968-69 pandemics were caused by viruses containing a combination of genes from a human influenza virus and an avian influenza virus. The origin of the 1918-19 pandemic virus is not clear.
1918-19, "Spanish flu," [A (H1N1)], caused the highest number of known influenza deaths: more than 500,000 people died in the United States, and up to 50 million people may have died worldwide. Many people died within the first few days after infection, and others died of complications later. Nearly half of those who died were young, healthy adults. Influenza A (H1N1) viruses still circulate today after being introduced again into the human population in the 1970s. "
The URL from which the quote was derived is:http://www.drugdelivery.ca/bird-flu.aspx

End of Quote

I understand that Bush wants the military involved. One of his former Generals thinks the money and energy would be better spent on rebuilding our Public Health System, that has been decimated by budget cuts.

Grannynurse :balloons:

Q. · Oct 10, 2005

I understand that Bush wants the military involved. One of his former Generals thinks the money and energy would be better spent on rebuilding our Public Health System, that has been decimated by budget cuts.
Grannynurse :balloons:

Do you think now is the time to begin a rebuild process, when there is the threat of a pandemic on the horizon?

sjb2005 · Oct 10, 2005

Thanks for the info on the Avian Flu. I had a staff member many years ago contact a "bird flu" from her exotic birds. She was sick, very sick for many years and eventually died. All of her birds had to be put down. No one else in the family got sick, luckily. It was very sad, especially when doctor's were clueless as to what was wrong with her. I don't know if this is a similar flu but it seems to be concerning to me if it is.

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Oct 10, 2005

This is so terrifying. Gotta keep informed.

GLORIAmunchkin72 · Oct 12, 2005

Sunamis, earthquakes, killer-hurricanes, now the possibility of a bird flu pandemic? Who sinned?