Avian Bird Flu Survival Guide

Avoiding bird flu infection

Flu viruses can be transmitted through:

A) breathing in Bird Flu (Avian Influenza) contaminated airborne aerosols. These are very small particles of water in the air
that are contaminated by viruses. These very small aerosols can also enter the body through the eyes. For these reasons masks and goggles must be worn near infected patients. When patient infected with Bird Flu breathes out, coughs or sneezes airborne aerosols are scattered in the air. Leave windows open if possible to allow contaminated aerosols to disperse outside. Use a fan facing the open window to assist this dispersal. Infected people must be encouraged to cough into a tissue that is then carefully disposed of. Cover cuts and open sores. Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth. In one hospital, the only hospital staff that were infected during the SARS outbreak were those that did not wear a mask.

B) droplets from coughs and body fluids. Fluids from the nose, mouth and eyes from a patient infected with Bird Flu will be contaminated with the H5N1 Bird Flu virus. Always use masks, goggles, gloves, gown and cap when near infected patients and always wash hands with alcohol afterwards (even light bleach followed by soap if no alcohol is available). Stay at least 1 to 2 metres away from a suspected infected person when talking.

C) contact with Bird Flu infected people or Bird Flu contaminated objects by small particles. 1gram of chicken
manure contains enough Bird Flu viruses to kill 1 million chickens. Infected animal and human fluids and wastes are just are deadly. Avoid unnecessary contact with Bird Flu infected animals or humans. Wear full protective equipment when cleaning suspected Bird Flu infected animal enclosures, particularly chicken pens.

D) water contaminated by the Bird Flu virus. Boil all suspected Bird Flu contaminated drinking water.
Water collected from house roofs or open ponds, lakes and rivers maybe infected from bird droppings. Do not bathe or swim in open ponds, lakes or rivers where waterbirds gather.

E) eating or handling infected chicken meat or eggs (or pigs) The H5N1 Bird Flu virus will be destroyed by
complete cooking. It will survive in undercooked meat and eggs. The surface of raw chicken meat and eggs may also be contaminated with small particles of chicken manure.

F) chicken and pig farms. Bird Flu contamination may occur on feed sacks, egg cartons, all associated animal equipment and transport vehicles. The H5N1 Bird Flu virus may also be found on feathers and dust
particles contaminated by chicken droppings. The H5N1 Bird Flu virus may also be transmitted by flies, beetles and other possible insect vectors found associated with farms.

G) other types of birds or animals. A large variety of both wild and domestic birds are susceptible to the H5N1 Bird Flu virus, especially turkeys, ducks, swans and geese. The H5N1 Bird Flu virus has also infected and killed tigers, leopards, cats, and pigs that have been given infected chicken meat to eat. There have been no official reports of other animals being infected. However, as mentioned earlier, it is possible that other animals (including family pets) or insects may act as carriers, transporting contaminated particles such as chicken droppings to other locations, birds, animals or people.

H ) wind. Contaminated dust and feather particles maybe blown by wind from infected chicken pens to people or water collecting and storage areas. Relocate pig, chicken and other bird pens downwind and well away from a house.

Practice extreme hygiene during a H5N1 Bird Flu virus outbreak. Wear masks, goggles, gloves, cap and gown in suspected infected areas or near infected people.

Always sterilise all clothing, linen and objects that have been in the same room or area as an infected person, bird or animal. Wear protective gloves when handling, washing and sterilising potentially infected material. Wash and disinfect hands often.

Boil drinking water if in doubt of it being contaminated.

Extreme hygiene is one of the best defences against infection. Always wash and disinfect hands thoroughly, especially before eating, if the H5N1 Bird Flu virus is about. Wash and disinfect hands frequently with 95% alcohol or with a light bleach solution and then with soap after possible contamination.

Encourage infected people to cough into a tissue and dispose of carefully.

Disinfecting

The H5N1 Bird Flu virus can be destroyed by:

It would be expected that the worst waves of a pandemic would occur in the colder autumn or winter seasons and only minor waves occurring during the hotter summer period. This was the case in America during the 1918 Spanish Flu.

Commercial Antivirals

Although antiviral drugs (especially Tamiflu) are being stockpiled in some countries, these will most likely be given to front line health workers and/or some infected individuals only. There is not enough for everyone. (Australia has 3.3 million doses for only 1 million people for 6 weeks) In any case there is evidence that stronger doses are needed for longer periods than is recommended. One strain of the H5N1 Bird Flu virus has already mutated to become resistant to Tamiflu. Under normal conditions Tamiflu only provides 70% protection. There is only one pharmaceutical company making Tamiflu and it is not possible for them to increase production significantly. For an excellent Tamiflu/Relenza alternative try some of the natural herbal antivirals listed here.

Relenza is another suitable antiviral but again production limitations exist.
It has been confirmed that another strain of H5N1 is already resistant to two other antiviral drugs but both of these antivirals have proven severe side effects.

Vaccines

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also admits that vaccines will not be of any help initially either. An influenza vaccine takes about 6 months just to develop from a known strain of the virus that is not mutating. It can take up to a year to reach full production. This H5N1 Bird Flu virus is still mutating into different strains. A vaccine developed from an earlier strain could very likely be useless for later mutated strains. There are several deadly strains of this H5N1 Bird Flu virus existing now that have only recently mutated, particularly in China. China is withholding samples of these strains from WHO. The present vaccines are based on samples of H5N1 Bird Flu virus obtained from Vietnam in April 2004. Recent research by WHO has found that some strains of H5N1 Bird Flu virus isolated in Vietnam in 2005 are significantly different from the 2004 strain, creating doubt about the current vaccine’s effectiveness.

It costs a fortune for pharmaceutical companies to mass produce a vaccine for a specific influenza virus. It is not good business sense to mass produce a vaccine that is useless and not wanted. The method of vaccine production has virtually not changed since 1957 and is based on egg incubation. It is expensive, time consuming, limited in production outputs and is prone to contamination. New and promising DNA based vaccines made from cultivated bacteria are still in the experimental stage and may take years to be available.

The U.S. military is at present investigating an antiviral called Tarvacin which its makers (Peregrine Pharmaceutical) claim is able to very effectively destroy almost all types of viruses, including H5N1 and has very few side effects.

Infected people surviving the bird flu become immune to that particular strain in future. These people may be asked to be frontline workers during the pandemic.