Flu Pandemic

Zabardast · October 9, 2005, 7:47pm

Re: Flu Pandemic

PyariCgudia:

**What worries scientists about the current strain of bird flu, known as H5N1, is that it has shown some ominous traits. Though it does not often infect humans, it can, and when it does, it seems to be uncommonly lethal. It has killed 60 people of the 116 known to have been infected. **

Alarm heightened on Thursday when a scientific team led by Dr. Taubenberger reported that the 1918 flu virus, which killed 50 million people worldwide, was also a bird flu that jumped directly to humans.

From the NY times today. Just something to think about.

**Meanwhile, H5N1 seems to be finding its way into more and more species. Once known to infect chickens, ducks and the occasional person, the virus is now found in a wide range of birds, and it has infected cats. **

**“It killed tigers at the Bangkok zoo, which is quite remarkable because flu is not traditionally a big problem for cats,” Dr. Pavia said. **

It has also infected pigs, which in the past have been a vehicle to carry viruses from birds to humans.

It has also infected pigs…you mean we men…hmmmmmmm