Drug Makes Bird Flu Less Deadly

As with many infections, it isn't
 the flu virus that kills in bird flu cases,
it is the body's reaction to the virus,
i.e. the immune system which,
in attempting to fight the virus kills the patient.

That is why young, healty individuals
are more likely to die from bird flu.

See http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/01/23/drug-impedes-bodys-deadly-reaction--to-flu-virus.html

for information about a new discovery
about a drug
sphingosine analog AAL-R
which reduces the
cytokine "storm" which is the actuall killer.

The bird flu (H5N1 infection) hasn't hit
the world yet but it only takes one mutation
step to turn this into something which
can kill 100 million or more people.

The flu pandemic during WWI killed 50-100 million
and, despite opinion to the contrary,
doctors have few weapons to attack
virus infections - we are in little better
shape (public health wise) now
than we were in 1918.

--
John

H5N1 Strain Kills 19-year-old in China

For those who have fogotten,
Bird Flu (specifically the H5N1 strain)
is a major threat to the world's population.
The last major pandemic in WWI
killed about 100 million and there
is really no better treatment today
if/when a pandemic strikes.

About the only good treatment is supportive
- that is, putting patients on breathing
assistance, but in a pandemic there will
only be a few machines to share out
among each 1,000 patients.
Bird Flu is most dangerous to
the young with strong immune systems.
For the latest information on the situation
in China and Viet Nam, see
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/

China has reported that a young woman recently
contracted and died from Bird Flu
after buying and cooking some ducks.

WHO report:

"The Ministry of Health in China has reported
a new case of human infection with the
H5N1 avian influenza virus. The case is a

19-year old female from Chaoyang District,
Beijing. She developed symptoms on
24 Dec 2008, was hospitalized, and
died on 5 January 2009.

The case was confirmed by the
national laboratory. The case had
contact with poultry prior to her illness.

All contacts have been placed under
medical observation. All remain healthy to date.

Of the 31 cases confirmed to date
in China, 21 have been fatal."

Tamiflu is the best anti-viral treatment
and isn't especially effective.

--
John

Certified Reuters Insight Expert Consultant
www.newmedicineonline.com