Avian Bird Flu – Causes, Protection with Amantadine, Tamiflu & Relenza

Although the chance of an avian bird flu pandemic may be slight, many people are seeking protection.

The following information will help guide you if you are seeking protection to have on hand for the elderly or those
with compromised immune systems, and the young.

How Likely is an Avian Bird Flu Pandemic?

From all I’ve been able to find on the subject, the likely hood of a pandemic is mild. Yet, it exists. So far, according
to the last statistics I saw, only about 60 people have died from it in Asia.

The most significant thing to note is that most of the victims worked in or around poultry. It is likely that their
continued, prolonged contact with birds played a big factor in them catching the avian flu virus.

Obviously, if you work in or around poultry, you’d be at greater risk. Or if you live in Asia. The rest of the population
is at minimal risk right now but the president’s findings included information to the effect that, should the virus
mutate to humans, a pandemic would not take long to develop. This is the concern, more than any immediate danger.
The fear is that it would happen so quickly, if it happens at all, that it could overwhelm hospitals and shut down
vital businesses, if enough people could not work.

Avian Bird Flu Protection

What is bird flu? 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.

Breaking News! There are 4 influenza drugs: Amantadine and Rimantadine which help fight certain strains of H5N1
infections, and Tamiflu and Relenza which are both drugs classified as neuraminidase inhibitors and are said to help
against most strains of H5N1.

Note: Be aware of any online pharmacies selling Tamiflu/Relenza who say they have the product “in stock.” There
are only a select few pharmacies that were able to obtain Tamiflu before the government put a sanction on Roche’s
supply. As there are a number of websites out there now claiming to have it in stock and we feel they may be fraudulent
so please know your sources before ordering online.

More Info About Avian Bird Flu: What is the risk to humans from bird flu? The risk from
bird flu is generally low to most people because the viruses occur mainly among birds and do not usually infect
humans. However, during an outbreak of bird flu among poultry (domesticated chicken, ducks, turkeys), there is
a possible risk to people who have contact with infected birds or surfaces that have been contaminated with excretions
from infected birds.

The current outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) among poultry in Asia and Europe (see below) is an example of a
bird flu outbreak that has caused human infections and deaths. In such situations, people should avoid contact with
infected birds or contaminated surfaces, and should be careful when handling and cooking poultry. For more information
about avian influenza and food safety issues, visit the World Health Organization website. In rare instances, limited
human-to-human spread of H5N1 virus has occurred, and transmission has not been observed to continue beyond one person.

More information on this can be found in our free online health magazine.