There are two kinds of bird flu wear protection that a person who will come into contact with infected poultry or just poultry or an infected person. The person should consider wearing either a bird flu respirator or a bird flu mask. A bird flu masks only helps prevent particles or droplets to be discharged in the environment the wearer is in. The mask is not generally used to filter efficiently or to seal the face tightly. A bird flu respirator is what is considered helpful in reducing the wearer’s chances of exposure to airborne particles such as bird flu. A bird flu mask is often confused like a bird flu respirator because both look alike. The bird flu mask or respirator should be used by people who think they will come in contact with persons or birds infected with the H5N1 strain. The people who use this should just consider it to be one way of being hygienic way of prevention. A patient who thinks he or she has been feeling symptoms and knows has been in contact with infected birds should wear a bird flu mask as well. People who often travel a lot, especially to those infected places should also consider bringing a bird flu respirator. If a bird flu respirator is not present, the bird flu mask will have to do. The mask or the respirator should also be fitted in properly to make it work. However, wearing the mask is still not a guaranteed way you won’t contact the viral disease. The only time a person working closely with infected birds or persons or just birds is when they are away from the contaminated or possible contaminated area. Then after removing the equipment, remember to thoroughly wash your hands. Then dispose the equipment immediately after going on a safer area. The effectiveness of the respirator last only for 8 hours. When buying the bird flu mask or respirator, it always has directions or instructions how to properly use it. Always remember when transporting the equipment to protect it from any kind of damage. The bird flu respirator should be sealing the face very tightly. If the breathing becomes difficult, the respirator might have been damaged. If it is, go to a safe place and change the respirator. The right way to wear it to know how effective it is, is to fit it snuggly in the face, the metal strip should be atop and the colored part outside. The mask should be firmly placed by positioning the strings right. The metallic strip should be molded at the nose’s bridge. A bird flu mask or respirator is only a part to help prevent the further damaging of implications of bird flu. It is not a sure fire way to prevent the outbreak, but it is a way to reduce the potential damage.

As more and more cases of bird flu are reported, the world faces an immediate threat of a deadly pandemic. Pandemics (Global Disease Outbreaks) are known to be like flash floods. They start abruptly, spread fast and cause a lot of damage all over the world. A few facts that everyone should know: What is Avian Influenza? As the name suggests, avian influenza refers to the infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses. These viruses are commonly found in intestines of wild birds and these birds can carry the viruses without getting sick. However the viruses can be pathogenic to domesticated birds like chickens, ducks and turkeys. Domesticated birds become infected through exposure to other birds or through surfaces contaminated by secretions and faeces of the infected birds. These viruses are classified as Low Pathogenicity and High Pathogenicity. Most strains of Avian Influenza come under Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (LPAI) Group and produce mild symptoms in the infected birds. Common symptoms are ruffled feathers, decreased food appetite, decreased egg production, sneezing and coughing. Many times LPAI may go undetected. High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) has more severe symptoms which include sudden death, loss of energy and appetite, decreased egg production, respiratory problems, facial oedema (swelling), poorly formed eggs and diarrhoea. HPAI can reach a mortality rate of nearly 100%. What Is H5N1 strain of Bird Flu? All flu viruses are classified as type A, B or C depending on their structural arrangement. Type A is responsible for lethal pandemics and is found in both animals and humans. Type B causes local outbreaks of flu. Type C is the most stable of the three and infected people show only mild symptoms of flu. Type B and C are usually found only in humans. Type B and C are more stable than type A and are not classified according to their subtypes. Influenza viruses of type A are divided into subtypes and the naming is done on the basis of two proteins (antigens) found on their surface – Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA). Sixteen types of HA and nine types of NA exist. Thus a total 144 combinations are possible. Thus H5N1 is a type A virus and gets its name from HA 5 protein and NA 1 protein present on its surface. How Do Type A Viruses Cause A Pandemic? Type A viruses are further classified into strains. These strains can continuously evolve into different strains. Their ability to exchange genetic material with other viruses and create new influenza viruses makes them unpredictable and difficult to fight with. Humans have to develop new immunity (antibodies) every time new strains are created. Viruses cannot repair genetic damage, small changes known as «Antigen Drift», are continuously creating new strains of viruses. However when genetic material from Type A viruses from different species – say a bird and a human, comes together and merges, an entirely new strain is created. This is known as «Antigen Shift» Humans have no immunity to such a strain and the strain can spread rapidly causing a Pandemic. How Is The Virus Transmitted To Humans From Birds? Usually Avian Influenza viruses do not infect humans. Migratory birds act as carriers of these viruses and do not get affected by them. These birds then come in contact with domesticated birds such as chickens and turkeys and spread the infection to them. Domesticated birds may get the virus from contact with contaminated surfaces too. Once a virus infects domesticated birds, it can cause severe epidemic among the birds. Humans come in contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces and pick up the virus. In the human body, this avian flu virus then undergoes an antigenic shift, combines with genetic material of a human strain of influenza virus and creates an entirely new strain of virus against which humans have little or no immunity. These genetic reassortments may also take place is the body of a third species (susceptible to both avian and human viruses) like the pig, where an avian influenza A virus and human influenza virus mix their genetic information and produce a new virus which might be able to infect humans. Why is H5N1 dangerous? The first reported cases of H5N1 infections were detected in geese in 1997 in Southern China. A total of 18 human infections were reported and six of them succumbed to it. The infection spread quickly to poultry in Hong Kong. At that time a million and half chickens were culled in Hong Kong to keep the virus under control. The virus disappeared for a few years, but resurfaced in 2002 in Hong Kong again. Since then it has killed millions of birds in Asia and many cases of human infections have been reported. The persistence of this H5N1 strain of virus is a great concern for humans. Although the virus does not spread from birds to humans easily, the severity of the infection of H5N1 in humans is frightening. The virus has killed every second person infected by it. These cases were reported in perfectly healthy individuals who had no past history of infections. However the greater concern for the world is the POSSIBILITY THAT THE VIRUS MAY MUTATE (UNDERGO ANTIGENIC SHIFT) AND CREATE A FORM THAT MAY SPREAD FROM HUMAN TO HUMAN. Such a strain of virus may result in a pandemic, killing millions of people worldwide. Is Consumption Of Poultry Birds Safe? Yes, it is safe to consume THOROUGHLY COOKED poultry products. The H5N1 virus is sensitive to heat and gets destroyed by normal cooking temperatures of 70- 100 degree Celsius. If meat from poultry birds and eggs are cooked properly, the virus will be destroyed. Just make sure that no part of the meat remains raw or uncooked. How Big Is The Risk Of A Pandemic Breaking Out? The world had to face a Bird Flu Pandemic, thrice in the twentieth century. In 1918-1919, «Spanish Flu» killed anywhere between 20 million to 50 million people (exact figures not known), including half a million in the United States alone. The «Asian flu» in 1957-58 killed 70,000 in the United States and in 1968-1969, the «Hong Kong flu» killed 34,000 in the USA. Currently the risk of H5N1 strain leading to a Pandemic is high. The virus is spreading fast to new areas and the efforts made to curtail it have proved inadequate. Domestic ducks have now become a «reservoir» for the virus. They are acting like a carrier for the virus – their bodies carry the virus without showing signs of any infection. Infected ducks then release large quantities of the virus in pathogenic form in their excretions spreading the virus to other birds or humans. This has made detection of the virus difficult especially in rural areas. According to health experts, the virus has already met the first two prerequisites for starting a pandemic. First it has attained a form, for which humans have no inbuilt immunity; and second, it has proved pathogenic enough to cause serious illness and death in humans. The present risk of a pandemic is very high. The only factor that has prevented a pandemic so far is that the virus has not mutated into a form that would allow it to transmit efficiently from one human to another. Once such a genetic change takes place for the virus, a pandemic will be inevitable. The first signs of such a reassortment will be presence of the clusters of patients with flu symptoms, closely related – both in time and space. This would be a clear indication of virus having the ability to transmit from human-to-human. Currently no vaccine has been developed for fighting H5N1 strain. Simultaneous work is being done in many countries for developing a vaccine, but no success has been achieved. The exact virus that may cause the pandemic cannot be predetermined. Thus mass production of vaccine before the pandemic starts is ruled out. The worldwide manufacturing capacity is inadequate to match the sudden demand surge during a pandemic. The best that scientists can do is to carry out a study and determine the smallest amount of antigen per dose that will provide sufficient protection and thus maximise the number of vaccines produced. What Are The Precautions Necessary To Prevent A P
andemic? The logical first step is to control the disease from spreading among birds, but this seems a difficult task now. Bird Flu has become a bird epidemic in many parts of Asia and is spreading fast. The Next step is to prevent the disease from getting passed on to humans. People who come in close contact with birds (like poultry farmers) are advised to keep a close watch on the health of birds, notify any sort of sickness in birds to the health authorities and avoid direct contact with sick birds in all cases. (Ducks have become a reservoir for the virus and may not exhibit signs of sickness even if they are carrying the virus.) In case the flu becomes a pandemic, most countries of the world will be affected. In such a scenario, the best preventive measures would be personal hygiene, avoiding crowded places and staying away from raw meat and eggs. A flu shot does not prevent bird flu, but it can protect a person from other forms of flu and avoid complications. Persons above 65 years of age, children, health services workers, people with chronic respiratory disorders, travellers to flu affected countries and pregnant women may consult a doctor regarding flu vaccination. What Are The Symptoms In Humans and Treatment Options For Bird Flu? A person infected by bird flu may have all symptoms of common flu like fever, persistent cough, sore throat and body ache. Moreover, there is a high risk of complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, eye and ear infections and severe breathing problems. Presently four drugs are used to combat influenza. The most effective drugs known for seasonal flu are Oseltamivir (commercial name Tamiflu) and Zanamavir (Commercial name Relenza). Both of these are known to reduce severity and duration of seasonal flu, but they may prove ineffective if the virus is allowed to stay in the body for too long. Health professionals advise that TREATMENT OF FLU WITH THESE DRUGS SHOULD START WITHIN 48 HOURS OF FIRST APPEARANCE FLU SYMPTOMS. Oseltamivir and Zanamavir fall in the Neuraminidase inhibitors class. The surface protein Neuraminidase breaks bonds between new viruses and infected cells. By blocking the activity of Neuraminidase, these two drugs prevent the new viruses from being released. Another class of drugs – the M2 inhibitors is also available, but viruses develop resistance to these drugs quickly and thus these drugs may prove ineffective in controlling pandemics. Amantadine and Rimantadine are two drugs from this class. These drugs inhibit the activity of M2 protein, which forms a channel in membranes of viruses and thereby preventing the viruses from replicating. One should consult a doctor before taking any of these drugs as THESE DRUGS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE SIDE EFFECTS IN SOME CASES. For example, Zanamavir is not recommended to people having chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma. (This article was written on 25th January 2006 and may not contain developments that took place after this date.)

Amongst the diseases that have frequently gripped Americans, Epilepsy is also the one. Though epilepsy allows its patients to lead a normal life yet the disease can be fatal due to the unexpected occurrence of seizures. Epilepsy can basically be defined as a disorder of the nervous system that causes a person to become unconscious suddenly, often with violent movements of the body. This attack that affects the individual’s brain is termed as ‘seizure’. Seizures happen due to the large electrical activity in the cranium (the bone structure that forms the head and borders and protects the brain). An epileptic is hit by a seizure suddenly any time and anywhere. Every individual has his own resistance to fight these seizures which is known as the seizure threshold. The minimum the seizure threshold, frequent are the seizure attacks and impacts. Seizures vary from person to person; a person during this attack behaves according to the kind of seizure. Causes of Epilepsy – It is very difficult to trace the exact foundations of this disease. However, there is a threefold division made in this regard – 1. Symptomatic Epilepsy – the case of epilepsy in which the reasons behind the disease can be well known. The causes can be various such as head injuries, meningitis, brain stroke and any other brain infection etc. The knowledge of the causes leads to an adequate and appropriate drug medication which varies from person to person. 2. Idiopathic Epilepsy – is the case when no lucid causes behind epilepsy seizures are revealed. Having a low seizure threshold is often deemed to be the only reason behind it. But, idiopathic epilepsy does respond well to its treatment by drugs. 3. Cryptogenic Epilepsy – it is the most challenging kind of epilepsy for the doctors for no reasons to it are known and medicines too are not much effective. Preventing and Healing Epilepsy – Diet is often given importance in case of epilepsy. This is because many epilepsy patients are found to have less of omega-3 fatty acid DHA in their blood. So, a diet rich in this like the fatty fish, canned tuna are often recommended to make up this deficiency. Since epilepsy is read and administered differently in case of men, women and children, the remedies too differ in each case. For instance, epileptic children are mostly advised a diet which is rich in fats, adequate proteins and low in carbohydrates. Apart form diet prescription; epileptic patients are given anti-epileptic or anti-convulsion drugs. These drugs are mean to control and prevent the seizures. These drugs increase the patient’s seizure threshold and avert the electrical charges in the brain that can cause seizures. Anti – convulsion drugs are found to be quite successful in controlling seizures. For many people stress busters, biofeedback, acupuncture and meditation are cures to epilepsy. Epilepsy Patients and You Epileptic seizures can be quite scary for the rest of the public. Seizures can result in numbness, dizziness, and plucking clothes, smacking lips, swallowing and wandering around. Atonic seizures lead to a fall due to unexpected loss of muscle control; strong jerks to the body and at times even loss of consciousness are involved in myoclonic seizures and the most dreadful Tonic – clonic seizures result in an unconscious and stiffened body and loss of oxygen due to irregular breathing. But if any such seizure happens in public or at home, it is the duty of the rest to help the patient. Don’t start hitting that person, stuff his mouth with something and give him some eatables or drinks. Just try to prevent him from any serious injury. Put some cushions near his head if at home or take the person to a roadside safe place if seizure hits publicly. Call an ambulance as fast as possible or rush to the nearest hospital.

Its starting to get cold outside. I have noticed recently that very few people in the last few years have done anything to prevent those little colds that you always come down with at the beginning of the chilly season. Why is that? I remember being a youngster… wanting to go outside and play in the snow even though i had the sniffles. Mom wouldn’t let me. «Your going to get sick!» she would holler. So i wasn’t ever sick! Nowadays, no one is really concerned with PREVENTING sickness. We all believe that there is enough medicine out there to cure whatever it is we come down with. Well, that’s mostly true. In fact, a good friend of mine came down with Winter Vomiting Disease last year. It sounds like a scary illness, and we all feared for him, until we read up on it and realized that it goes away in 24-36 hours. You just vomit alot and have diarrhea. Not so bad. But why do we let things get that far every year? Granted there is usually a cure, but we continue to suffer through the times when we DO have a virus. Is it that we enjoy it? Ya right! I think it’s more like we forget how much it sucks, because it was a year ago. This year, lets all try and stay healthy through the cold season. Keep up on our vegetables and our rest. The problem today is, we all think that we have so much to do. RELAX! Running yourselves down until your are bed ridden is not exactly time efficient. Enjoy the winter and stay cold free!