Home > More Confusion Over Flu

More Confusion Over Flu

by Open-Publishing - Sunday 3 May 2009

Health USA

A medical researcher says that there is no current vaccine for swine flu and that current strategies are off target. It will take at least 6 months to manufacture a vaccine to combat swine flu.

So, should we be taking this pandemic more seriously and wring our hands, and get flu shots, or should we wash our hands and practice good sanitation procedures?

Our 24 hour news engines continue to pound the world with hour after hour of pandemic fear mongering. Despite the fact that there have been less than For all of the hype about “potential” and “pandemic”,

Dr. David Hill says the reason it will take half a year to manufacture a vaccine is two-fold:
1. Flu viruses are constantly remodelling themselves and where when a new strain occurs, like the present state in Mexico, it will take 6 months to develop a drug to combat it. It has to be noted that the Spanish flu (swine flu) that killed between 20 million and 100 million nearly 100 years ago (there is no definitive statistic in this respect as in 1918 the analysis was rudimentary, but where modern pandemic statisticians estimate that it was somewhere between the two huge figures), did its worst in the first 26 weeks. Therefore an antidote would be a fool’s way of solving the problem.
2. Distribution of any new antidote would be a problem of enormous proportions and all affected would be dead by the time it got to them.

Like many others, Hill believes that many of the strategies currently being deployed against swine flu are futile. He quotes a variety of sources to back up his claim.

(i) HONG KONG(Reuters) — A strain of the H5N1 avian influenza virus that may unleash the next global flu pandemic is showing resistance to Tamiflu, the antiviral drug that countries around the world are now stockpiling to fend off the looming threat. Experts in Hong Kong said on Friday [30 Sep 2005] that the human H5N1 strain which surfaced in northern Viet Nam this year had proved to be resistant to Tamiflu, a powerful antiviral drug. – Reuters, 30 September 2005

(ii) U.S. health authorities (Center for Disease Control & Prevention) alerted doctors Friday that a prevalent strain of the flu is resistant to Roche Holding AG’s Tamiflu antiviral drug – Wall Street Journal: Health (December 19,2008).

(iii) Virtually all the dominant strain of flu in the United States this season is resistant to the leading antiviral drug Tamiflu…This season, 99 percent do… If a Tamiflu-resistant strain is suspected, the disease control agency suggests using a similar drug, Relenza. But Relenza is harder to take; it is a powder that must be inhaled and can cause lung spasms, and it is not recommended for children under 7…Relenza, made by GlaxoSmithKline, is known generically as zanamivir. Tamiflu, made by Roche, is known generically as oseltamivir… – The New York Times: Health (January 8, 2009).

(iv) Tamiflu found to be 99% ineffective against primary flu strain – USA Today (January 8, 2009).
(v) There is no provision for a vaccine for swine flu and it will take at least six months to identify, produce and manufacture a vaccine in large enough quantities. This was the statement by Dr Iain Stephenson, a consultant in Infectious Diseases at the University of Leicester who has just completed successful research on a pre-pandemic vaccine for bird flu. "We are in a position where if a swine flu virus becomes a pandemic we don’t currently have a vaccine for it," he said. "I think that it is unlikely there will be widespread vaccine in less than six to eight months." – Daily Telegraph, 27 April 2009

(vi)Dr Ian Barr, from the WHO Influenza Center in Melbourne, said it was unlikely any existing vaccines would be effective against the new swine flu strain. – China View, 27 April 2009

When it comes to a front-line defense against contagion, immunologists have often said that we are just two drugs from disaster, because many organisms have now become resistant to our pharmaceutical arsenal over the years. Now, not only are we dealing with the possibility of drug-resistance, but our best weapons against swine flu may have been rendered close to useless.

When it comes to battling pandemics, our weapons locker is sorely deficient.
There are only two modern-day drugs supposed to save human life from any pandemic. These are Relenza and Tamiflu.... But both are ineffective (more-or-less totally ineffective in the case of Tamiflu) in certain areas when dealing with new strains. Unfortunately zanamivir (Relenza) is less active against influenza A/N2 neuraminidases (found in Pigs etc). For zanamivir is inhibitory for only certain influenza A neuraminidase variants but not A/N2 neuraminidases. ( http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/26/18591354.php?show_comments=1#18591519)

Given the fact that the US government and the World Health Organization (WHO) are throwing dollars at pharmaceutical companies for flu drugs, just how efficient is that purchase, if the are ineffective against new strains of swine flu? And, just how dangerous, widespread, or incapicating is this current incarnation of flu, anyway?

According to the Assocaited Press confirmed cases of swine flu: worldwide, 717: 443 in Mexico; 172 in U.S.; 52 in Canada; 15 in Spain; 13 in Britain; six in Germany; four in New Zealand; two in Israel, France and South Korea; one each in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Hong Kong, Denmark and the Netherlands. (AP )

The potential danger of swine flu has been overshadowed by the actual economic slowdown generated by our national pastime—fearmongering. So far, despite school closures and lockdowns, the potential for massive illnes and social disorder have not been met. Luckily for us, this media driven viral-windstorm has more potential for news ratings and fear mongering than fatalities. Unfortunately, our texting twits, tweets and coiffed correspondents fan the flames, the fire just won’t become a conflagration. No fuel, no fire.

Simply put, according to a spokesperson for local health department in California, Dr. Robert Levin:
There are three ingredients for a flu pandemic: The virus must be new, it must spread rapidly, and it must cause serious sickness. The first two are present in the current outbreak, but it’s not clear if the third one is. (http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/apr/29/no-cases-swine-flu-now/)

Even more to the point, how many people are falling for the fear-mongering and are self-prescribing precious antibiotics? How many paranoid, susciptable Americans are hopping on the Internet to plunk down serious dollars tor “Tamiflu”?

There are dozens of web sites hawking Tamiflu for anywhere from $180- $300 for a bottle of 30 pills. “No prescription required.”

The danger of this swine flu hype may lie more in a fear generated economic slow down and over-dosing ourselves with a precious anti-viral drug, than in the actual existence of this latest form of flu. Here we go—another nail in the drug-resistant organism coffin.

Though, at this writing, Mexico is reporting less than 200 fatalities, the conspiracy theorists think Mexico is a veritable cauldron of unreported fatalities. Many think the US is underreporting as well. But, the simple truth is: nobody really knows how many cases of swine flu are out there, because not all people with symptoms go to medical facilities. And, unless there are actual autopsied deaths, nobody knows what the real threat is.

All we have, so far, is an organism with an as yet unrealised potential to kill. Yes, thing incarnation of swine flu could morph into a really nasty, deady critter and kill millions around the world. And so could a thousand others, ebola, marburg, and

That said, where should this battle be fought? After the effect with an ever diminishing supply of effective drugs, or on the forefront of prevention, with sanitation and humane swine leading the way?

Where should we put our resources to combat animal-borne pathogens? Should we pour billions of dollars into flu vaccines and inefficient drugs? Or, should we encourage livestock breeding programs which generate less intensive farm operations and downsize mega-manure producing warehouse pork, beef and chicken operations?

Manure, particularly large concentrations of stagnant manure is a veritable breeding pool for disease. Concentrated Animal Feed Operations (CAFOs) generate billions of pounds of disease producing wast, often held in inefficient holding pools.

Lagoon and sprayfield wastewater is what has been called a "witches’ brew of toxins," containing viruses, bacteria, antibiotics, metals, oxygen-depleting substances and other toxins that run off the land, contaminate the groundwater, and pollute the atmosphere. When lagoons burst, as they do too frequently, millions of gallons of manure reach our waterways and spread microbes that can cause gastroenteritis, fevers, kidney failure, and death. (http://www.mythinglinks.org/FactoryFarms_odors.html)

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), animal manure contains a cornucopia of disease pathogents, heavey metals and pollutants. This table illustrates some of the organissms and resulting human diseases.
Pathogens
Both manure and animal carcasses contain pathogens (disease-causing organisms) which can impact human health, other livestock, aquatic life, and wildlife when introduced into the environment. Several pathogenic organisms found in manure can infect humans.
Table 1. Some Diseases and Parasites Transmittable to Humans from Animal Manure
Disease
Responsible Organism
Symptoms
Bacteria
Anthrax
Bacillus anthracis
Skin sores, fever, chills, lethargy, headache, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, cough, nose/throat congestion, pneumonia, joint stiffness, joint pain
Brucellosis
Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella suis
Weakness, lethargy, fever, chills, sweating, headache
Colibaciliosis
Escherichia coli (some serotypes)
Diarrhea, abdominal gas
Coliform mastitis-metritis
Escherichia coli (some serotypes)
Diarrhea, abdominal gas
Erysipelas
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
Skin inflammation, rash, facial swelling, fever, chills, sweating, joint stiffness, muscle aches, headache, nausea, vomiting
Leptospirosis
Leptospira Pomona
Abdominal pain, muscle pain, vomiting, fever
Listeriosis
Listeria monocytogenes
Fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Salmonellosis
Salmonella species
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, headache
Tetanus
Clostridium tetani
Violent muscle spasms, “lockjaw” spasms of jaw muscles, difficulty breathing
Tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium
Cough, fatigue, fever, pain in chest, back, and/or kidneys
Rickettsia
Q fever
Coxiella burneti
Fever, headache, muscle pains, joint pain, dry cough, chest pain, abdominal pain, jaundice
Viruses
Foot and Mouth
Virus
Rash, sore throat, fever
Hog Cholera
Virus
 
New Castle
Virus
 
Psittacosis
Virus
Pneumonia
Fungi
Coccidioidycosis
Coccidioides immitus
Cough, chest pain, fever, chills, sweating, headache, muscle stiffness, joint stiffness, rash wheezing
Histoplasmosis
Histoplasma capsulatum
Fever, chills, muscle ache, muscle stiffness, cough, rash, joint pain, join stiffness
Ringworm
Various microsporum and trichophyton
Itching, rash
Protozoa
Balantidiasis
Balatidium coli
 
Coccidiosis
Eimeria species
Diarrhea, abdominal gas
Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidium species
Watery diarrhea, dehydration, weakness, abdominal cramping
Giardiasis
Giardia lamblia
Diarrhea, abdominal pain, abdominal gas, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasma species
Headache, lethargy, seizures, reduced cognitive function
Parasites/Metazoa
Ascariasis
Ascaris lumbricoides
Worms in stool or vomit, fever, cough, abdominal pain, bloody sputum, wheezing, skin rash, shortness of breath
Sarcocystiasis
Sarcosystis species
Fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain
(Source: http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ag101/impactpathogens.html)
Our collective memory is very short. We have forgotten the food-born outbreaks of e.coli and salmonella. We forget the millions of pounds of meat that have been recalled over the l ast year due to contagion.

When we think of the conditions under which our livestock is raised and our inability to efficiently and effectively deal with livestock waste, why are we surprised that manure-born diseases are possible?

As is always the case, the con artists are starting to feed on this outbreak. Indiana news outlerts are reporting that “Indiana’s attorney general is warning of a new telephone scam offering the sale of "mandatory swine flu kits." (WISH TV)

This fear-generated “epidemic” is going to make a lot of people rich.