Discussion:
The MYTH about the "REALLY SCARY" BIRD FLU
(too old to reply)
Doc Sapien
2005-10-19 06:59:01 UTC
Permalink
Apparently a bird flu pandemic has been "confirmed" by some experts.
Maybe. Meanwhile the lazy and greedy media continue to bombard the
public with half facts and propagandas. Here's some stuff to sort out
the facts from the panicking noises, something to serve as after dinner
conversation starters...

THE MYTH ABOUT THE "REALLY SCARY" BIRD FLU

Myth # First bird to human transmission *H5N1* occurred in Hong Kong
1997, killed 65 people since...
FACT # First bird to human transmission *H1N1* occurred in U.S.A. 1918,
killed 675,000 Americans and 50,000,000 people worldwide in one year.

Myth # Historically, influenza pandemics spread from east to west.
FACT # Historical records have described sicknesses believed to be
influenza for more than 2000 years. The Roman historian Livy described
such a disease attacking the Roman army. People in 15th century Italy
thought the sickness was caused by the influence of the stars. So they
named it "influenza." In 1781, influenza went from Europe to North
America to the West Indies and Latin America. It spread in Asia in
1829, then again in 1836. It also traveled to Indonesia, Russia and the
United States.

Myth # The 1918 flu should be called The Spanish Flu because it started
in...Madrid?
FACT # The 1918 flu should be called The American Flu because it
started in Fort Riley, Kansas, on March 4 1918.

Myth # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain suffered high casualty...
FACT # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain press was transparent.
Spain was the first nation to tell the truth about their REAL casualty
rate.

Myth # Unlike "non-transparent" China and "inapt" Asian nations, U.S.
governments today can always be relied upon to deal with pandemics, for
they dealt "transparently" with 1918 outbreak and "aptly" with the
reemergence of H1N1 in New Jersey 1976...
FACT # Due to wartime Sedition Act and nationwide media blackout, the
deadly Kansas camp infection spread nationwide within a week, infected
25% of US population, and killed 675,000 Americans within a year. It
spread via US war fleets to the rest of the world and killed 50 to 100
million humans. When the same virus re-emerged in Fort Dix, New Jersey
1976, again in a military camp, more Americans were killed by a panic
vaccination program than the flu. Subsequently, and conveniently, this
mutated New Jersey H1N1 strain was named "Russian" Flu after Russia got
hit more than a year later. Another opportunity to investigate
environmental cause of H1N1 mutation was lost to US politician "blame
the foreign devils" habit.

Myth # Human-affecting bird flu viruses always mutate/species jump to
farmers and vets at European and Asian chicken farms...
Myth # Those are weak mutations. The deadliest human killing bird flu
seem to have cross species to American (and Roman) armies. Mutant bird
flu viruses seem to like to cross breed with young virile uniformed
white males, physiologically some of the "toughest" humans. Now that's
not funny.

Myth # It is not important whether it is called Spanish or American
flu...
FACT # It is important to name the American Flu 1918 correctly, for the
sake of naming tradition consistency, and more importantly the purpose
of understanding the HUMAN and ENVIRONMENTAL condition which gave the
human race the most deadly flu pandemic in human history. 90 years
later, scientists still can't tell us what at Fort Riley and Fort Dix
caused the jump to YOUNG military personnel, and how to PREVENT IT FROM
HAPPENING AGAIN.

Myth # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia is scary and "may" kill
millions...
FACT # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia killed 65 people in densely
populated Asian cities since 1997. In contrast, assorted mutant bird
flu viruses routinely killed up to 50,000 Americans every winter.

Myth # Bird flu virus tend to jump to ethnic Asians, in Asia...
FACT # Bird flu virus jumped to ethnic whites in Kansas 1918, and in
Netherlands 2003; many Atlantic-origin pig, sheep, deer, horse, cat flu
viruses jumped to Americans and Europeans in recent history. Viruses
tend to sneak pass species barrier, race genes, and xenophobic
thoughts.

Myth # Bird Flu is an Asian economic and spiritual problem, wasting 1.5
million chicken lives in Hong Kong 1997 alone...
FACT # Bird Flu is a regular economic and spiritual headache in US and
Europe, each mutating their own unique strain of bird flu; Pennsylvania
killed 17 million birds in 1983 outbreak, Italy killed 13 million birds
in 2000 outbreak, Netherlands killed 30 million birds within a week in
2003 outbreak...and so on. This is just birds, not cows or swine. High
time to examine farming methods, old, new, east, west?

Myth # Terrorists are probably stockpiling religious viruses to kill
us...
FACT # Terrorists families are usually the first victims in a pandemic.
The old American doctor who dug out the 1918 H1N1 virus from an Alaska
corpse [in the name of vaccine re$earch] wore only a basic mask and
gloves. SHEESH. Now we have H1N1 sitting in an American university lab.
Let's pray he and CDC and vaccine corps have only the interests of 6
billion *human beings* in mind, and keep up very high security - from
the virus - to begin with.

Myth # Cure pays better than prevention, so it's ok to risk unleashing
a new mutant H1N1 on the human race for a H5N1 cure...
FACT # Viruses are probably more intelligent than clever scientists.
Viruses have no ego and greed issues. They just spread when given a
nice condition. An old American doctor's nice warm body is as
inhabitable as young American soldiers.

Myth # Flu drugs alone prevents fast virus spread
FACT # Most hospital building structures, particularly ventilation and
lack of natural sunlight, help virus spread. Military activities help
virus spread. War time media blackout help virus spread. Thoughtless
farming help virus spread. Mutant viruses thrive on both human egomania
and human stupidity.

Myth # The problems are always caused by Those Savage Foreigners
FACT # The problems are always blown up by EGO, IGNORANCE, GREED and
DISHONESTY *AT HOME*.

Keep yourself and loved ones informed. Don't let lies and fear-mongers
bring you down:
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/s/sp/spanish_flu.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/uda/index.html
ltlee1
2005-10-19 08:58:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Doc Sapien
Apparently a bird flu pandemic has been "confirmed" by some experts.
Maybe. Meanwhile the lazy and greedy media continue to bombard the
public with half facts and propagandas. Here's some stuff to sort out
the facts from the panicking noises, something to serve as after dinner
conversation starters...
Well said.
But can you provide the sources for the following information which is
not well known.

"FACT # Bird Flu is a regular economic and spiritual headache in US and
Europe, each mutating their own unique strain of bird flu; Pennsylvania
killed 17 million birds in 1983 outbreak, Italy killed 13 million birds
in 2000 outbreak, Netherlands killed 30 million birds within a week in
2003 outbreak...and so on."
Post by Doc Sapien
THE MYTH ABOUT THE "REALLY SCARY" BIRD FLU
Myth # First bird to human transmission *H5N1* occurred in Hong Kong
1997, killed 65 people since...
FACT # First bird to human transmission *H1N1* occurred in U.S.A. 1918,
killed 675,000 Americans and 50,000,000 people worldwide in one year.
Myth # Historically, influenza pandemics spread from east to west.
FACT # Historical records have described sicknesses believed to be
influenza for more than 2000 years. The Roman historian Livy described
such a disease attacking the Roman army. People in 15th century Italy
thought the sickness was caused by the influence of the stars. So they
named it "influenza." In 1781, influenza went from Europe to North
America to the West Indies and Latin America. It spread in Asia in
1829, then again in 1836. It also traveled to Indonesia, Russia and the
United States.
Myth # The 1918 flu should be called The Spanish Flu because it started
in...Madrid?
FACT # The 1918 flu should be called The American Flu because it
started in Fort Riley, Kansas, on March 4 1918.
Myth # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain suffered high casualty...
FACT # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain press was transparent.
Spain was the first nation to tell the truth about their REAL casualty
rate.
Myth # Unlike "non-transparent" China and "inapt" Asian nations, U.S.
governments today can always be relied upon to deal with pandemics, for
they dealt "transparently" with 1918 outbreak and "aptly" with the
reemergence of H1N1 in New Jersey 1976...
FACT # Due to wartime Sedition Act and nationwide media blackout, the
deadly Kansas camp infection spread nationwide within a week, infected
25% of US population, and killed 675,000 Americans within a year. It
spread via US war fleets to the rest of the world and killed 50 to 100
million humans. When the same virus re-emerged in Fort Dix, New Jersey
1976, again in a military camp, more Americans were killed by a panic
vaccination program than the flu. Subsequently, and conveniently, this
mutated New Jersey H1N1 strain was named "Russian" Flu after Russia got
hit more than a year later. Another opportunity to investigate
environmental cause of H1N1 mutation was lost to US politician "blame
the foreign devils" habit.
Myth # Human-affecting bird flu viruses always mutate/species jump to
farmers and vets at European and Asian chicken farms...
Myth # Those are weak mutations. The deadliest human killing bird flu
seem to have cross species to American (and Roman) armies. Mutant bird
flu viruses seem to like to cross breed with young virile uniformed
white males, physiologically some of the "toughest" humans. Now that's
not funny.
Myth # It is not important whether it is called Spanish or American
flu...
FACT # It is important to name the American Flu 1918 correctly, for the
sake of naming tradition consistency, and more importantly the purpose
of understanding the HUMAN and ENVIRONMENTAL condition which gave the
human race the most deadly flu pandemic in human history. 90 years
later, scientists still can't tell us what at Fort Riley and Fort Dix
caused the jump to YOUNG military personnel, and how to PREVENT IT FROM
HAPPENING AGAIN.
Myth # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia is scary and "may" kill
millions...
FACT # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia killed 65 people in densely
populated Asian cities since 1997. In contrast, assorted mutant bird
flu viruses routinely killed up to 50,000 Americans every winter.
Myth # Bird flu virus tend to jump to ethnic Asians, in Asia...
FACT # Bird flu virus jumped to ethnic whites in Kansas 1918, and in
Netherlands 2003; many Atlantic-origin pig, sheep, deer, horse, cat flu
viruses jumped to Americans and Europeans in recent history. Viruses
tend to sneak pass species barrier, race genes, and xenophobic
thoughts.
Myth # Bird Flu is an Asian economic and spiritual problem, wasting 1.5
million chicken lives in Hong Kong 1997 alone...
FACT # Bird Flu is a regular economic and spiritual headache in US and
Europe, each mutating their own unique strain of bird flu; Pennsylvania
killed 17 million birds in 1983 outbreak, Italy killed 13 million birds
in 2000 outbreak, Netherlands killed 30 million birds within a week in
2003 outbreak...and so on. This is just birds, not cows or swine. High
time to examine farming methods, old, new, east, west?
Myth # Terrorists are probably stockpiling religious viruses to kill
us...
FACT # Terrorists families are usually the first victims in a pandemic.
The old American doctor who dug out the 1918 H1N1 virus from an Alaska
corpse [in the name of vaccine re$earch] wore only a basic mask and
gloves. SHEESH. Now we have H1N1 sitting in an American university lab.
Let's pray he and CDC and vaccine corps have only the interests of 6
billion *human beings* in mind, and keep up very high security - from
the virus - to begin with.
Myth # Cure pays better than prevention, so it's ok to risk unleashing
a new mutant H1N1 on the human race for a H5N1 cure...
FACT # Viruses are probably more intelligent than clever scientists.
Viruses have no ego and greed issues. They just spread when given a
nice condition. An old American doctor's nice warm body is as
inhabitable as young American soldiers.
Myth # Flu drugs alone prevents fast virus spread
FACT # Most hospital building structures, particularly ventilation and
lack of natural sunlight, help virus spread. Military activities help
virus spread. War time media blackout help virus spread. Thoughtless
farming help virus spread. Mutant viruses thrive on both human egomania
and human stupidity.
Myth # The problems are always caused by Those Savage Foreigners
FACT # The problems are always blown up by EGO, IGNORANCE, GREED and
DISHONESTY *AT HOME*.
Keep yourself and loved ones informed. Don't let lies and fear-mongers
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/s/sp/spanish_flu.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/uda/index.html
Simple Overseas Chinese
2005-10-19 09:48:40 UTC
Permalink
This is typical of the uncaring rich mations. So many people are
starving in Africa yet so much good food gone to waste.
Jekyll and Hyde
2005-10-19 10:28:04 UTC
Permalink
Some facts...

Fact 1.
A new strain like this kills indiscriminately, so young "tough" males have
no better chance than anyone else. Only those "old" strains to which we have
immunity kill more of the weak, old, or immuno compromised.

Fact 2.
The "origin" of these virii is NEVER conclusively known. It is impossible to
say where a given strain started, just because an outbreak is first
recognised at a given site does not infer that site is also the origin of
that outbreak.

Fact 3.
A flu virus this deadly has never been seen before, the H5N1 virus is highly
adept at escaping the body's natural antiviral defenses, namely cytokines
such as interferon and TNF-alpha. A protein produced by influenza viruses
called NS1 (nonstructural 1) enables them to disarm the body's interferon
system, and the scientists found that H5N1 carries a mutation at position 92
of the NS1 gene that makes it a particularly deadly form of influenza.

Fact 4.
If this becomes a pandemic outbreak 50 to 60% of us are unlikely to survive.

Fact 5.
The virus is relatively harmless (on a global scale) until it 'jumps' the
species barrier. This means an infected human needs to have the virus mutate
into a human to human transmissible form. Given the extremely high levels of
influenza virus genetic mutation it is not a question of if this can happen,
but when.

Jekyll and Hyde.
Post by Doc Sapien
Apparently a bird flu pandemic has been "confirmed" by some experts.
Maybe. Meanwhile the lazy and greedy media continue to bombard the
public with half facts and propagandas. Here's some stuff to sort out
the facts from the panicking noises, something to serve as after dinner
conversation starters...
THE MYTH ABOUT THE "REALLY SCARY" BIRD FLU
Myth # First bird to human transmission *H5N1* occurred in Hong Kong
1997, killed 65 people since...
FACT # First bird to human transmission *H1N1* occurred in U.S.A. 1918,
killed 675,000 Americans and 50,000,000 people worldwide in one year.
Myth # Historically, influenza pandemics spread from east to west.
FACT # Historical records have described sicknesses believed to be
influenza for more than 2000 years. The Roman historian Livy described
such a disease attacking the Roman army. People in 15th century Italy
thought the sickness was caused by the influence of the stars. So they
named it "influenza." In 1781, influenza went from Europe to North
America to the West Indies and Latin America. It spread in Asia in
1829, then again in 1836. It also traveled to Indonesia, Russia and the
United States.
Myth # The 1918 flu should be called The Spanish Flu because it started
in...Madrid?
FACT # The 1918 flu should be called The American Flu because it
started in Fort Riley, Kansas, on March 4 1918.
Myth # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain suffered high casualty...
FACT # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain press was transparent.
Spain was the first nation to tell the truth about their REAL casualty
rate.
Myth # Unlike "non-transparent" China and "inapt" Asian nations, U.S.
governments today can always be relied upon to deal with pandemics, for
they dealt "transparently" with 1918 outbreak and "aptly" with the
reemergence of H1N1 in New Jersey 1976...
FACT # Due to wartime Sedition Act and nationwide media blackout, the
deadly Kansas camp infection spread nationwide within a week, infected
25% of US population, and killed 675,000 Americans within a year. It
spread via US war fleets to the rest of the world and killed 50 to 100
million humans. When the same virus re-emerged in Fort Dix, New Jersey
1976, again in a military camp, more Americans were killed by a panic
vaccination program than the flu. Subsequently, and conveniently, this
mutated New Jersey H1N1 strain was named "Russian" Flu after Russia got
hit more than a year later. Another opportunity to investigate
environmental cause of H1N1 mutation was lost to US politician "blame
the foreign devils" habit.
Myth # Human-affecting bird flu viruses always mutate/species jump to
farmers and vets at European and Asian chicken farms...
Myth # Those are weak mutations. The deadliest human killing bird flu
seem to have cross species to American (and Roman) armies. Mutant bird
flu viruses seem to like to cross breed with young virile uniformed
white males, physiologically some of the "toughest" humans. Now that's
not funny.
Myth # It is not important whether it is called Spanish or American
flu...
FACT # It is important to name the American Flu 1918 correctly, for the
sake of naming tradition consistency, and more importantly the purpose
of understanding the HUMAN and ENVIRONMENTAL condition which gave the
human race the most deadly flu pandemic in human history. 90 years
later, scientists still can't tell us what at Fort Riley and Fort Dix
caused the jump to YOUNG military personnel, and how to PREVENT IT FROM
HAPPENING AGAIN.
Myth # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia is scary and "may" kill
millions...
FACT # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia killed 65 people in densely
populated Asian cities since 1997. In contrast, assorted mutant bird
flu viruses routinely killed up to 50,000 Americans every winter.
Myth # Bird flu virus tend to jump to ethnic Asians, in Asia...
FACT # Bird flu virus jumped to ethnic whites in Kansas 1918, and in
Netherlands 2003; many Atlantic-origin pig, sheep, deer, horse, cat flu
viruses jumped to Americans and Europeans in recent history. Viruses
tend to sneak pass species barrier, race genes, and xenophobic
thoughts.
Myth # Bird Flu is an Asian economic and spiritual problem, wasting 1.5
million chicken lives in Hong Kong 1997 alone...
FACT # Bird Flu is a regular economic and spiritual headache in US and
Europe, each mutating their own unique strain of bird flu; Pennsylvania
killed 17 million birds in 1983 outbreak, Italy killed 13 million birds
in 2000 outbreak, Netherlands killed 30 million birds within a week in
2003 outbreak...and so on. This is just birds, not cows or swine. High
time to examine farming methods, old, new, east, west?
Myth # Terrorists are probably stockpiling religious viruses to kill
us...
FACT # Terrorists families are usually the first victims in a pandemic.
The old American doctor who dug out the 1918 H1N1 virus from an Alaska
corpse [in the name of vaccine re$earch] wore only a basic mask and
gloves. SHEESH. Now we have H1N1 sitting in an American university lab.
Let's pray he and CDC and vaccine corps have only the interests of 6
billion *human beings* in mind, and keep up very high security - from
the virus - to begin with.
Myth # Cure pays better than prevention, so it's ok to risk unleashing
a new mutant H1N1 on the human race for a H5N1 cure...
FACT # Viruses are probably more intelligent than clever scientists.
Viruses have no ego and greed issues. They just spread when given a
nice condition. An old American doctor's nice warm body is as
inhabitable as young American soldiers.
Myth # Flu drugs alone prevents fast virus spread
FACT # Most hospital building structures, particularly ventilation and
lack of natural sunlight, help virus spread. Military activities help
virus spread. War time media blackout help virus spread. Thoughtless
farming help virus spread. Mutant viruses thrive on both human egomania
and human stupidity.
Myth # The problems are always caused by Those Savage Foreigners
FACT # The problems are always blown up by EGO, IGNORANCE, GREED and
DISHONESTY *AT HOME*.
Keep yourself and loved ones informed. Don't let lies and fear-mongers
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/s/sp/spanish_flu.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/uda/index.html
o***@gmail.com
2005-10-19 10:49:39 UTC
Permalink
Right.. Human to human transmisison of newly crossover viruses may have
already happened, as animal to human specie crossing happen EVERYWHERE
on earth. The only time it gets whipped into hysteria is when a few
people died. Asians are probably more susceptible to being killed
because the viruses are relatively new to them. On the other hand, when
animal viruses jump onto whites, they cope better, because they have
been exposed to animal viruses far longer than Asians. Examples of
recent virus jump to North Americans from CDC website...

H7N2, New York , 2003: In November 2003, a patient with serious
underlying medical conditions was admitted to a hospital in New York
with respiratory symptoms. One of the initial laboratory tests
identified an influenza A virus that was thought to be H1N1. The
patient recovered and went home after a few weeks. Subsequent
confirmatory tests conducted in March 2004 showed that the patient had
been infected with avian influenza A (H7N2) virus.

H7N3 in Canada, 2004: In February 2004, human infections of highly
pathogenic avian influenza A (H7N3) among poultry workers were
associated with an H7N3 outbreak among poultry. The H7N3-associated,
mild illnesses consisted of eye infections.

The very recent H7N7 species jump in Netherlands 2003 only killed one
person, but infected 1000 [they first thought it only infected 83].
That says a lot. There's also suspected human to human transmission
within a Dutch family. Given the wide spread infection, it is likely
that H7N7 bird flu is transmissable between humans. But since it didn't
kill Europeans, it may mutate on.

I expect the next killer avian/animal flu virus to come from anywhere:
America, Europe, and Asia.
Jekyll and Hyde
2005-10-21 12:31:57 UTC
Permalink
Post by o***@gmail.com
Right.. Human to human transmisison of newly crossover viruses may have
already happened, as animal to human specie crossing happen EVERYWHERE
on earth. The only time it gets whipped into hysteria is when a few
people died. Asians are probably more susceptible to being killed
because the viruses are relatively new to them. On the other hand, when
animal viruses jump onto whites, they cope better, because they have
been exposed to animal viruses far longer than Asians. Examples of
recent virus jump to North Americans from CDC website...
Maybe not, a recent article suggested through tracing the DNA of the
viruses, that they all (including the 1918 outbreak) have originated in
Asia, and have an active history in Asia going back to 1850. Therefore
Asians are more immune than we, as they've had 155 years of exposure to
these and other similar viruses.

Jekyll and Hyde.
Post by o***@gmail.com
H7N2, New York , 2003: In November 2003, a patient with serious
underlying medical conditions was admitted to a hospital in New York
with respiratory symptoms. One of the initial laboratory tests
identified an influenza A virus that was thought to be H1N1. The
patient recovered and went home after a few weeks. Subsequent
confirmatory tests conducted in March 2004 showed that the patient had
been infected with avian influenza A (H7N2) virus.
H7N3 in Canada, 2004: In February 2004, human infections of highly
pathogenic avian influenza A (H7N3) among poultry workers were
associated with an H7N3 outbreak among poultry. The H7N3-associated,
mild illnesses consisted of eye infections.
The very recent H7N7 species jump in Netherlands 2003 only killed one
person, but infected 1000 [they first thought it only infected 83].
That says a lot. There's also suspected human to human transmission
within a Dutch family. Given the wide spread infection, it is likely
that H7N7 bird flu is transmissable between humans. But since it didn't
kill Europeans, it may mutate on.
America, Europe, and Asia.
Benjamin
2005-10-23 13:22:10 UTC
Permalink
I wonder how Christians will take this virus when it comes? I mean, they
don't belive "genetic mutation" (i.e. evolution) do they? Maybe God is
trying to tell them something?
Post by Jekyll and Hyde
Some facts...
Fact 1.
A new strain like this kills indiscriminately, so young "tough" males have
no better chance than anyone else. Only those "old" strains to which we have
immunity kill more of the weak, old, or immuno compromised.
Fact 2.
The "origin" of these virii is NEVER conclusively known. It is impossible to
say where a given strain started, just because an outbreak is first
recognised at a given site does not infer that site is also the origin of
that outbreak.
Fact 3.
A flu virus this deadly has never been seen before, the H5N1 virus is highly
adept at escaping the body's natural antiviral defenses, namely cytokines
such as interferon and TNF-alpha. A protein produced by influenza viruses
called NS1 (nonstructural 1) enables them to disarm the body's interferon
system, and the scientists found that H5N1 carries a mutation at position 92
of the NS1 gene that makes it a particularly deadly form of influenza.
Fact 4.
If this becomes a pandemic outbreak 50 to 60% of us are unlikely to survive.
Fact 5.
The virus is relatively harmless (on a global scale) until it 'jumps' the
species barrier. This means an infected human needs to have the virus mutate
into a human to human transmissible form. Given the extremely high levels of
influenza virus genetic mutation it is not a question of if this can happen,
but when.
Jekyll and Hyde.
Post by Doc Sapien
Apparently a bird flu pandemic has been "confirmed" by some experts.
Maybe. Meanwhile the lazy and greedy media continue to bombard the
public with half facts and propagandas. Here's some stuff to sort out
the facts from the panicking noises, something to serve as after dinner
conversation starters...
THE MYTH ABOUT THE "REALLY SCARY" BIRD FLU
Myth # First bird to human transmission *H5N1* occurred in Hong Kong
1997, killed 65 people since...
FACT # First bird to human transmission *H1N1* occurred in U.S.A. 1918,
killed 675,000 Americans and 50,000,000 people worldwide in one year.
Myth # Historically, influenza pandemics spread from east to west.
FACT # Historical records have described sicknesses believed to be
influenza for more than 2000 years. The Roman historian Livy described
such a disease attacking the Roman army. People in 15th century Italy
thought the sickness was caused by the influence of the stars. So they
named it "influenza." In 1781, influenza went from Europe to North
America to the West Indies and Latin America. It spread in Asia in
1829, then again in 1836. It also traveled to Indonesia, Russia and the
United States.
Myth # The 1918 flu should be called The Spanish Flu because it started
in...Madrid?
FACT # The 1918 flu should be called The American Flu because it
started in Fort Riley, Kansas, on March 4 1918.
Myth # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain suffered high casualty...
FACT # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain press was transparent.
Spain was the first nation to tell the truth about their REAL casualty
rate.
Myth # Unlike "non-transparent" China and "inapt" Asian nations, U.S.
governments today can always be relied upon to deal with pandemics, for
they dealt "transparently" with 1918 outbreak and "aptly" with the
reemergence of H1N1 in New Jersey 1976...
FACT # Due to wartime Sedition Act and nationwide media blackout, the
deadly Kansas camp infection spread nationwide within a week, infected
25% of US population, and killed 675,000 Americans within a year. It
spread via US war fleets to the rest of the world and killed 50 to 100
million humans. When the same virus re-emerged in Fort Dix, New Jersey
1976, again in a military camp, more Americans were killed by a panic
vaccination program than the flu. Subsequently, and conveniently, this
mutated New Jersey H1N1 strain was named "Russian" Flu after Russia got
hit more than a year later. Another opportunity to investigate
environmental cause of H1N1 mutation was lost to US politician "blame
the foreign devils" habit.
Myth # Human-affecting bird flu viruses always mutate/species jump to
farmers and vets at European and Asian chicken farms...
Myth # Those are weak mutations. The deadliest human killing bird flu
seem to have cross species to American (and Roman) armies. Mutant bird
flu viruses seem to like to cross breed with young virile uniformed
white males, physiologically some of the "toughest" humans. Now that's
not funny.
Myth # It is not important whether it is called Spanish or American
flu...
FACT # It is important to name the American Flu 1918 correctly, for the
sake of naming tradition consistency, and more importantly the purpose
of understanding the HUMAN and ENVIRONMENTAL condition which gave the
human race the most deadly flu pandemic in human history. 90 years
later, scientists still can't tell us what at Fort Riley and Fort Dix
caused the jump to YOUNG military personnel, and how to PREVENT IT FROM
HAPPENING AGAIN.
Myth # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia is scary and "may" kill
millions...
FACT # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia killed 65 people in densely
populated Asian cities since 1997. In contrast, assorted mutant bird
flu viruses routinely killed up to 50,000 Americans every winter.
Myth # Bird flu virus tend to jump to ethnic Asians, in Asia...
FACT # Bird flu virus jumped to ethnic whites in Kansas 1918, and in
Netherlands 2003; many Atlantic-origin pig, sheep, deer, horse, cat flu
viruses jumped to Americans and Europeans in recent history. Viruses
tend to sneak pass species barrier, race genes, and xenophobic
thoughts.
Myth # Bird Flu is an Asian economic and spiritual problem, wasting 1.5
million chicken lives in Hong Kong 1997 alone...
FACT # Bird Flu is a regular economic and spiritual headache in US and
Europe, each mutating their own unique strain of bird flu; Pennsylvania
killed 17 million birds in 1983 outbreak, Italy killed 13 million birds
in 2000 outbreak, Netherlands killed 30 million birds within a week in
2003 outbreak...and so on. This is just birds, not cows or swine. High
time to examine farming methods, old, new, east, west?
Myth # Terrorists are probably stockpiling religious viruses to kill
us...
FACT # Terrorists families are usually the first victims in a pandemic.
The old American doctor who dug out the 1918 H1N1 virus from an Alaska
corpse [in the name of vaccine re$earch] wore only a basic mask and
gloves. SHEESH. Now we have H1N1 sitting in an American university lab.
Let's pray he and CDC and vaccine corps have only the interests of 6
billion *human beings* in mind, and keep up very high security - from
the virus - to begin with.
Myth # Cure pays better than prevention, so it's ok to risk unleashing
a new mutant H1N1 on the human race for a H5N1 cure...
FACT # Viruses are probably more intelligent than clever scientists.
Viruses have no ego and greed issues. They just spread when given a
nice condition. An old American doctor's nice warm body is as
inhabitable as young American soldiers.
Myth # Flu drugs alone prevents fast virus spread
FACT # Most hospital building structures, particularly ventilation and
lack of natural sunlight, help virus spread. Military activities help
virus spread. War time media blackout help virus spread. Thoughtless
farming help virus spread. Mutant viruses thrive on both human egomania
and human stupidity.
Myth # The problems are always caused by Those Savage Foreigners
FACT # The problems are always blown up by EGO, IGNORANCE, GREED and
DISHONESTY *AT HOME*.
Keep yourself and loved ones informed. Don't let lies and fear-mongers
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/s/sp/spanish_flu.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/uda/index.html
Mosley Jones III
2005-10-19 10:54:10 UTC
Permalink
Post by Doc Sapien
Apparently a bird flu pandemic has been "confirmed" by some experts.
Maybe. Meanwhile the lazy and greedy media continue to bombard the
public with half facts and propagandas. Here's some stuff to sort out
the facts from the panicking noises, something to serve as after dinner
conversation starters...
THE MYTH ABOUT THE "REALLY SCARY" BIRD FLU
Myth # First bird to human transmission *H5N1* occurred in Hong Kong
1997, killed 65 people since...
FACT # First bird to human transmission *H1N1* occurred in U.S.A. 1918,
killed 675,000 Americans and 50,000,000 people worldwide in one year.
Any evidnece?
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # Historically, influenza pandemics spread from east to west.
FACT # Historical records have described sicknesses believed to be
influenza for more than 2000 years. The Roman historian Livy described
such a disease attacking the Roman army. People in 15th century Italy
thought the sickness was caused by the influence of the stars. So they
named it "influenza." In 1781, influenza went from Europe to North
America to the West Indies and Latin America. It spread in Asia in
1829, then again in 1836. It also traveled to Indonesia, Russia and the
United States.
Myth # The 1918 flu should be called The Spanish Flu because it started
in...Madrid?
FACT # The 1918 flu should be called The American Flu because it
started in Fort Riley, Kansas, on March 4 1918.
Myth # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain suffered high casualty...
FACT # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain press was transparent.
Spain was the first nation to tell the truth about their REAL casualty
rate.
Myth # Unlike "non-transparent" China and "inapt" Asian nations, U.S.
governments today can always be relied upon to deal with pandemics, for
they dealt "transparently" with 1918 outbreak and "aptly" with the
reemergence of H1N1 in New Jersey 1976...
FACT # Due to wartime Sedition Act and nationwide media blackout, the
deadly Kansas camp infection spread nationwide within a week, infected
25% of US population, and killed 675,000 Americans within a year. It
spread via US war fleets to the rest of the world and killed 50 to 100
million humans. When the same virus re-emerged in Fort Dix, New Jersey
1976, again in a military camp, more Americans were killed by a panic
vaccination program than the flu. Subsequently, and conveniently, this
mutated New Jersey H1N1 strain was named "Russian" Flu after Russia got
hit more than a year later. Another opportunity to investigate
environmental cause of H1N1 mutation was lost to US politician "blame
the foreign devils" habit.
Myth # Human-affecting bird flu viruses always mutate/species jump to
farmers and vets at European and Asian chicken farms...
Myth # Those are weak mutations. The deadliest human killing bird flu
seem to have cross species to American (and Roman) armies. Mutant bird
flu viruses seem to like to cross breed with young virile uniformed
white males, physiologically some of the "toughest" humans. Now that's
not funny.
Myth # It is not important whether it is called Spanish or American
flu...
FACT # It is important to name the American Flu 1918 correctly, for the
sake of naming tradition consistency, and more importantly the purpose
of understanding the HUMAN and ENVIRONMENTAL condition which gave the
human race the most deadly flu pandemic in human history. 90 years
later, scientists still can't tell us what at Fort Riley and Fort Dix
caused the jump to YOUNG military personnel, and how to PREVENT IT FROM
HAPPENING AGAIN.
Myth # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia is scary and "may" kill
millions...
FACT # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia killed 65 people in densely
populated Asian cities since 1997. In contrast, assorted mutant bird
flu viruses routinely killed up to 50,000 Americans every winter.
Myth # Bird flu virus tend to jump to ethnic Asians, in Asia...
FACT # Bird flu virus jumped to ethnic whites in Kansas 1918, and in
Netherlands 2003; many Atlantic-origin pig, sheep, deer, horse, cat flu
viruses jumped to Americans and Europeans in recent history. Viruses
tend to sneak pass species barrier, race genes, and xenophobic
thoughts.
Myth # Bird Flu is an Asian economic and spiritual problem, wasting 1.5
million chicken lives in Hong Kong 1997 alone...
FACT # Bird Flu is a regular economic and spiritual headache in US and
Europe, each mutating their own unique strain of bird flu; Pennsylvania
killed 17 million birds in 1983 outbreak, Italy killed 13 million birds
in 2000 outbreak, Netherlands killed 30 million birds within a week in
2003 outbreak...and so on. This is just birds, not cows or swine. High
time to examine farming methods, old, new, east, west?
Myth # Terrorists are probably stockpiling religious viruses to kill
us...
FACT # Terrorists families are usually the first victims in a pandemic.
The old American doctor who dug out the 1918 H1N1 virus from an Alaska
corpse [in the name of vaccine re$earch] wore only a basic mask and
gloves. SHEESH. Now we have H1N1 sitting in an American university lab.
Let's pray he and CDC and vaccine corps have only the interests of 6
billion *human beings* in mind, and keep up very high security - from
the virus - to begin with.
Myth # Cure pays better than prevention, so it's ok to risk unleashing
a new mutant H1N1 on the human race for a H5N1 cure...
FACT # Viruses are probably more intelligent than clever scientists.
Viruses have no ego and greed issues. They just spread when given a
nice condition. An old American doctor's nice warm body is as
inhabitable as young American soldiers.
Myth # Flu drugs alone prevents fast virus spread
FACT # Most hospital building structures, particularly ventilation and
lack of natural sunlight, help virus spread. Military activities help
virus spread. War time media blackout help virus spread. Thoughtless
farming help virus spread. Mutant viruses thrive on both human egomania
and human stupidity.
Myth # The problems are always caused by Those Savage Foreigners
FACT # The problems are always blown up by EGO, IGNORANCE, GREED and
DISHONESTY *AT HOME*.
Keep yourself and loved ones informed. Don't let lies and fear-mongers
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/s/sp/spanish_flu.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/uda/index.html
o***@gmail.com
2005-10-19 11:00:54 UTC
Permalink
Oct 5,2005 news....

....researchers at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP)
report that the close resemblance of the 1918 virus to avian flu
viruses suggests that the 1918 virus was an avian strain that managed
to adapt to humans without first acquiring any genes from existing
human flu viruses.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/oct0505studies.html

Avian = bird, btw... And the scariest thing about the 1918 strain =
"without first acquiring any genes from existing human flu viruses"

What caused the very fast jump to that American chef Albert at Fort
Riley, which then start spreading fast from human to human?

We need to know so that mutating condition won't happen again!
Mosley Jones III
2005-10-20 12:48:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by o***@gmail.com
Oct 5,2005 news....
....researchers at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP)
report that the close resemblance of the 1918 virus to avian flu
viruses suggests that the 1918 virus was an avian strain that managed
to adapt to humans without first acquiring any genes from existing
human flu viruses.
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/oct0505studies.html
Avian = bird, btw... And the scariest thing about the 1918 strain =
"without first acquiring any genes from existing human flu viruses"
What caused the very fast jump to that American chef Albert at Fort
Riley, which then start spreading fast from human to human?
We need to know so that mutating condition won't happen again!
nothing there about it starting in Kansas
The Enlightenment
2005-10-20 13:27:14 UTC
Permalink
Post by Doc Sapien
Apparently a bird flu pandemic has been "confirmed" by some experts.
Maybe. Meanwhile the lazy and greedy media continue to bombard the
public with half facts and propagandas. Here's some stuff to sort out
the facts from the panicking noises, something to serve as after dinner
conversation starters...
THE MYTH ABOUT THE "REALLY SCARY" BIRD FLU
I've demolished with evidence everyone of your stupid arrogant
assertions.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # First bird to human transmission *H5N1* occurred in Hong Kong
1997, killed 65 people since...
FACT # First bird to human transmission *H1N1* occurred in U.S.A. 1918,
killed 675,000 Americans and 50,000,000 people worldwide in one year.
Bullcrap.
*********************************************
The 1918 'Spanish' flu: pearls from swine?

Kennedy F. Shortridge

Department of Microbiology The University of Hong Kong University
Pathology Building Queen Mary Hospital Hong Kong SAR China

An unexpected marriage between modern biological technology and past
records suggests that the influenza A (H1N1) viruses are a
long-established family from China, not Spain.

One of the long-standing, controversial issues in virology is the
nature and origin of the virus that caused the so-called 'Spanish' flu
pandemic of 1918, an outbreak that claimed the lives of as many as 1
in 100 of the world's population of the time. With the thought still
fresh in mind that if it were not for the slaughtering of 1.5 million
chickens and other poultry in the 1997 Hong Kong H5N1 'bird flu'
incident, we might have have seen another pandemic, any retrospective
insight into events surrounding the 1918 outbreak could prove useful
in future prevention and control strategies. Until now, progress
towards a better understanding of the 1918 event has been bedevilled
by the unavailability of viruses from the pandemic. Now, Reid et al.1
describe formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival lung tissue from
two US soldiers, and formalin-fixed, frozen lung tissue from an Inuit
woman buried in permafrost in Alaska, all of whom succumbed to the
1918 pandemic.


It is known that substitution of the HA gene of a prevailing human
influenza A virus through reassortment is the basic requirement for
the genesis of a new pandemic virus. Reid and colleagues have
determined the entire HA sequence of 1701 nucleotides in 22
overlapping fragments of one archival sample and the HA1 domain of the
HA gene of the other two, and found a high degree of conservation.
Phylogenetic analyses of the sequence indicate that it is mammalian
and is located at the root of human and swine clades. However, it
seems to be more closely related to avian than any other known
mammalian HA sequence, and it may have been introduced into humans
around 1915.


Assuming that the sequence of the HA gene that Reid and colleagues
presented faithfully represents the 1918 virus (and it had not been
passaged in the laboratory) and that the gene had been undergoing
rapid evolution in the way newly introduced H2, H3 and H5 HA avian
genes have done2, 3, there is in fact every possibility that the virus
was introduced into the human host well before 1915 and had an avian
ancestry. This suggests that the 1918 virus had been 'smoldering' in,
or adapting to, the human host, and offers some support to the earlier
suggestion that the human and swine lineages were derived from a
common avian-like ancestor around 1905 (ref. 4).


But can this genetic data be reconciled with epidemiological
observations of influenza in southern China before and after 1900? In
the first phase of the 1918 pandemic in Canton (now called Guangzhou)
in Guangdong Province adjacent to Hong Kong, most cases at the June
outset were in people 11-20 years of age, with a male
preponderance, whereas in October of that year most were between 11 and
15 years of age5. Mortality was relatively low. This is in contrast to
the situation in Europe and the US in 1918, in which all ages were
apparently affected, with most deaths occurring in young adults and
particularly 15- to 34-year-olds6, 7, suggesting that people in these
regions had not experienced as extensive previous exposure to H1-like
viruses as those in southern China seem to have experienced.


Thus, in Canton at least, those born between 1898 and 1907 would have
had little or no antibody to the H1 subtype, implying that an H1-like
virus may have been circulating before 1898 and from 1907 to 1918. If
this is so, and if the seroarchaeological data on the occurrence of
H2- and H3-like subtypes in Europeans and Americans from 1889 to 1917
(reviewed in ref. 6) are applicable to the southern Chinese of the
time, it seems likely that not only did an H1-like virus circulate in
southern China from 1907 to 1917 but also it would have co-circulated
with an H3-like virus perhaps in the same way that H1 and H3 subtype
viruses have been co-circulating in the third quarter of this century.


Indeed, it was in Canton in September and October 1888 that "the first
recorded appearance of the modern influenza epidemic" was made8, an
epidemic that apparently gave rise to the pandemic of 1889 caused by
an H2-like virus that, as might be inferred from the above, would have
co-circulated with the already-established H1-like subtype until 1898,
when both subtypes were presumably eclipsed by the H3-like virus.
These data indicate that over the last 110 years or so, an H1-like
virus was present at least in southern China for about 70 of those
years, during which time it has recycled on four occasions, once with
an H2-like virus and three times with H3 or H3-like viruses.


How long before 1888 might the H1-like virus have occurred in humans?
Linear regression analysis of the nucleoprotein (NP) genes of a range
of avian, swine and human H1N1 viruses extrapolate a common ancestor
of current human influenza viruses to 1837 (ref. 9). This raises the
possibility that an H1-like virus may have existed in humans, at least
in southern China, for some 50 years before the earliest
epidemiological evidence of its presence there (in 1888).


So where does this leave the idea that the 1918 pandemic had its
origin(s) in Europe or the USA in late winter/early spring of 1918? I
believe that southern China was the source of the virus, in keeping
with the hypothesis that the region is a hypothetical influenza
epicentre for the emergence of pandemic influenza viruses10, and it
spread with the economy-driven movement of people out of Guangdong
Province. The influenza viruses of modern times (H3N2 and H1N1) in
Hong Kong SAR and Guangdong Province mostly occur year-round sometimes
with a minor peak in February and March and a single or major one in
the summer in June to September11, and there is no reason to suppose
that it would have been different in the early 1900s. In her
documentary on the 1914-18 World War, MacDonald noted that many
of the trenches were built by Chinese laborers who had been clustered
around camps in Montreiul, France12. From her text, it is clear that
those labourers were speaking the Cantonese dialect of Guangdong
Province
and it is plausible that they took with them to Europe and the USA the
'smoldering' or adapting human H1N1-like virus.


Reid et al. plan to examine other genes from the 1918 virus, and it
remains to be seen what ancestral genetic images it will provide
towards understanding the 1918 'Spanish' flu virus. If these data
strengthen the idea that the virus originated in southern China,
perhaps the term 'Spanish' flu might be quietly dropped.


REFERENCES
Reid, A.H., Fanning, T.G., Hultin, J.V. & Taubenberger, J.K. Origin
and evolution of the 1918 "Spanish" influenza virus hemagglutinin
gene. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96, 1651-1656 (1999). | Article |
PubMed | ISI |
Webster, R.G., Bean, W.J., Gorman, O.T., Chambers, T.M. & Kawaoka, Y.
Evolution and ecology of influenza A viruses. Microbiol. Rev. 56,
152-179 (1992). | PubMed | ISI |
Claas, E.C.J. et al. Human influenza A (H5N1) virus related to a
highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Lancet 351, 472-477 (1998). |
Article | PubMed | ISI |
Kanegae, Y., Sugita, S., Shortridge, K.F., Yoshioka, Y. & Nerome, K.
Origin and evolutionary pathways of the H1 hemagglutinin gene of
avian, swine and human influenza viruses: co-circulation of two
distinct lineages of swine virus. Arch. Virol. 134, 17-28 (1994). |
PubMed | ISI |
Cadbury, W.W. The 1918 pandemic of influenza in Canton. China Med. J.
XXXIV, 1-17 (1920).
Noble, G.R. in Basic and Applied Influenza Research. (ed. Beare A.S.)
11-50 (CRC, Boca Raton, 1982).
Taubenberger, J.K., Reid, A.H., Krafft, A.E., Bijwaard, K.E. &
Fanning, T.G. Initial genetic characterization of the 1918 'Spanish'
influenza virus. Science 275, 1793-1796 (1997). | Article | PubMed |
ISI |
Cantlie, J. The first recorded appearance of the modern influenza
epidemic. Br. Med. J. 491 (29 Aug. 1891).
Gammelin, M. et al. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleoprotein suggests
that human influenza A viruses emerged from a 19th-century avian
ancestor. Mol. Biol. Evol. 7, 194-200 (1990). | PubMed | ISI |
Shortridge, K.F. & Stuart-Harris, C.H. A pandemic influenza epicentre?
Lancet ii, 812-813 (1982).
Reicheldelfer, P. et al. in Proceedings of the First Asia-Pacific
Congress of Medical Virology. (eds. Chan, Y.C., Doraisingham, S. &
Lind, A.E.) 412-444 (World Scientific, Singapore, 1989).
MacDonald, L. Somme. Macmillan Publishers Limited, London p. 189-193
(1984).


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I thank K. MacPherson, (Department of History, the University of Hong
Kong) for historical advice.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # Historically, influenza pandemics spread from east to west.
FACT # Historical records have described sicknesses believed to be
influenza for more than 2000 years. The Roman historian Livy described
such a disease attacking the Roman army.
You will also note the same Roman Historian complaining of the taste
Roman women had for Chinese silk and the costs it brought to the Roman
coffers. The silk route was in full opperation. Note the huge size of
the Roman empire which could sail ships all the way to Britainand the
East.
Post by Doc Sapien
People in 15th century Italy
thought the sickness was caused by the influence of the stars. So they
named it "influenza." In 1781, influenza went from Europe to North
America to the West Indies and Latin America. It spread in Asia in
1829, then again in 1836. It also traveled to Indonesia, Russia and the
United States.
The fact that Italy, a country whose Venetian Republic was maritime
trading in the far east extensively.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # The 1918 flu should be called The Spanish Flu because it started
in...Madrid?
FACT # The 1918 flu should be called The American Flu because it
started in Fort Riley, Kansas, on March 4 1918.
It started in France, near the Spanish border. It appears to have
been brought in by Chinese and Vietnamese workers who built many of the
trenches and docks used in WW2. It was from there transmited to the
USA.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain suffered high casualty...
FACT # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain press was transparent.
Spain was the first nation to tell the truth about their REAL casualty
rate.
About the only thing you've said that is part correct.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # Unlike "non-transparent" China and "inapt" Asian nations, U.S.
governments today can always be relied upon to deal with pandemics, for
they dealt "transparently" with 1918 outbreak and "aptly" with the
reemergence of H1N1 in New Jersey 1976...
Attenuated no doubt.

It seems you are a Chinaman on some kind of agenda.
Post by Doc Sapien
FACT # Due to wartime Sedition Act and nationwide media blackout, the
deadly Kansas camp infection spread nationwide within a week, infected
25% of US population, and killed 675,000 Americans within a year. It
spread via US war fleets to the rest of the world and killed 50 to 100
million humans.
Because it was brought to military personel by asian workers brought to
Europe to help build docks and trenches.

The UK had NO flu during the entire periode of ww2 because it was cut
of from much of the far east.


When the same virus re-emerged in Fort Dix, New Jersey
Post by Doc Sapien
1976, again in a military camp, more Americans were killed by a panic
vaccination program than the flu. Subsequently, and conveniently, this
mutated New Jersey H1N1 strain was named "Russian" Flu after Russia got
hit more than a year later. Another opportunity to investigate
environmental cause of H1N1 mutation was lost to US politician "blame
the foreign devils" habit.
Myth # Human-affecting bird flu viruses always mutate/species jump to
farmers and vets at European and Asian chicken farms...
Myth # Those are weak mutations. The deadliest human killing bird flu
seem to have cross species to American (and Roman) armies. Mutant bird
flu viruses seem to like to cross breed with young virile uniformed
white males, physiologically some of the "toughest" humans. Now that's
not funny.
Myth # It is not important whether it is called Spanish or American
flu...
FACT # It is important to name the American Flu 1918 correctly, for the
sake of naming tradition consistency, and more importantly the purpose
of understanding the HUMAN and ENVIRONMENTAL condition which gave the
human race the most deadly flu pandemic in human history. 90 years
later, scientists still can't tell us what at Fort Riley and Fort Dix
caused the jump to YOUNG military personnel, and how to PREVENT IT FROM
HAPPENING AGAIN.
Becuase the flu was transmited to American military personel from the
large numbers of asian workers providing labour in WW1.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia is scary and "may" kill
millions...
FACT # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia killed 65 people in densely
populated Asian cities since 1997. In contrast, assorted mutant bird
flu viruses routinely killed up to 50,000 Americans every winter.
Myth # Bird flu virus tend to jump to ethnic Asians, in Asia...
FACT # Bird flu virus jumped to ethnic whites in Kansas 1918, and in
Netherlands 2003; many Atlantic-origin pig, sheep, deer, horse, cat flu
viruses jumped to Americans and Europeans in recent history. Viruses
tend to sneak pass species barrier, race genes, and xenophobic
thoughts.
Ah that 'xenophobic' word. It's pretty certain now that you are a
chinese defending the appaling agricultural practices of China: Human
Faeces in vegetalbles, a variety of animals such as fowl, fish and pigs
feeding of each others waste and in close contact. Plenty of
opportunity for viruses to cross the species barrier.

It even happens in markets where bloody slaughtering of mulitple
species takes place.

China needs to reform its argricultural hygene. Spitting needs to be
baned as well.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # Bird Flu is an Asian economic and spiritual problem, wasting 1.5
million chicken lives in Hong Kong 1997 alone...
FACT # Bird Flu is a regular economic and spiritual headache in US and
Europe, each mutating their own unique strain of bird flu; Pennsylvania
killed 17 million birds in 1983 outbreak, Italy killed 13 million birds
in 2000 outbreak, Netherlands killed 30 million birds within a week in
2003 outbreak...and so on. This is just birds, not cows or swine. High
time to examine farming methods, old, new, east, west?
Myth # Terrorists are probably stockpiling religious viruses to kill
us...
FACT # Terrorists families are usually the first victims in a pandemic.
The old American doctor who dug out the 1918 H1N1 virus from an Alaska
corpse [in the name of vaccine re$earch] wore only a basic mask and
gloves. SHEESH. Now we have H1N1 sitting in an American university lab.
Let's pray he and CDC and vaccine corps have only the interests of 6
billion *human beings* in mind, and keep up very high security - from
the virus - to begin with.
Myth # Cure pays better than prevention, so it's ok to risk unleashing
a new mutant H1N1 on the human race for a H5N1 cure...
FACT # Viruses are probably more intelligent than clever scientists.
Viruses have no ego and greed issues. They just spread when given a
nice condition. An old American doctor's nice warm body is as
inhabitable as young American soldiers.
Myth # Flu drugs alone prevents fast virus spread
FACT # Most hospital building structures, particularly ventilation and
lack of natural sunlight, help virus spread. Military activities help
virus spread. War time media blackout help virus spread. Thoughtless
farming help virus spread. Mutant viruses thrive on both human egomania
and human stupidity.
Myth # The problems are always caused by Those Savage Foreigners
FACT # The problems are always blown up by EGO, IGNORANCE, GREED and
DISHONESTY *AT HOME*.
It's pretty certain now that you are a chinese defending the appaling
agricultural habits of china. Human Faeces in vegetalbles, a variety
of animals such as fowl, fish and pigs feeding of each others waste and
in close contact. Plenty of opportunity for viruses to cross the
species barrier.
Post by Doc Sapien
Keep yourself and loved ones informed. Don't let lies and fear-mongers
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/s/sp/spanish_flu.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/uda/index.html
ltlee1
2005-10-20 13:56:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by The Enlightenment
Post by Doc Sapien
Apparently a bird flu pandemic has been "confirmed" by some experts.
Maybe. Meanwhile the lazy and greedy media continue to bombard the
public with half facts and propagandas. Here's some stuff to sort out
the facts from the panicking noises, something to serve as after dinner
conversation starters...
THE MYTH ABOUT THE "REALLY SCARY" BIRD FLU
I've demolished with evidence everyone of your stupid arrogant
assertions.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # First bird to human transmission *H5N1* occurred in Hong Kong
1997, killed 65 people since...
FACT # First bird to human transmission *H1N1* occurred in U.S.A. 1918,
killed 675,000 Americans and 50,000,000 people worldwide in one year.
Bullcrap.
*********************************************
The 1918 'Spanish' flu: pearls from swine?
Kennedy F. Shortridge
Department of Microbiology The University of Hong Kong University
Pathology Building Queen Mary Hospital Hong Kong SAR China
An unexpected marriage between modern biological technology and past
records suggests that the influenza A (H1N1) viruses are a
long-established family from China, not Spain.
One of the long-standing, controversial issues in virology is the
nature and origin of the virus that caused the so-called 'Spanish' flu
pandemic of 1918, an outbreak that claimed the lives of as many as 1
in 100 of the world's population of the time. With the thought still
fresh in mind that if it were not for the slaughtering of 1.5 million
chickens and other poultry in the 1997 Hong Kong H5N1 'bird flu'
incident, we might have have seen another pandemic, any retrospective
insight into events surrounding the 1918 outbreak could prove useful
in future prevention and control strategies. Until now, progress
towards a better understanding of the 1918 event has been bedevilled
by the unavailability of viruses from the pandemic. Now, Reid et al.1
describe formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival lung tissue from
two US soldiers, and formalin-fixed, frozen lung tissue from an Inuit
woman buried in permafrost in Alaska, all of whom succumbed to the
1918 pandemic.
It is known that substitution of the HA gene of a prevailing human
influenza A virus through reassortment is the basic requirement for
the genesis of a new pandemic virus. Reid and colleagues have
determined the entire HA sequence of 1701 nucleotides in 22
overlapping fragments of one archival sample and the HA1 domain of the
HA gene of the other two, and found a high degree of conservation.
Phylogenetic analyses of the sequence indicate that it is mammalian
and is located at the root of human and swine clades. However, it
seems to be more closely related to avian than any other known
mammalian HA sequence, and it may have been introduced into humans
around 1915.
Assuming that the sequence of the HA gene that Reid and colleagues
presented faithfully represents the 1918 virus (and it had not been
passaged in the laboratory) and that the gene had been undergoing
rapid evolution in the way newly introduced H2, H3 and H5 HA avian
genes have done2, 3, there is in fact every possibility that the virus
was introduced into the human host well before 1915 and had an avian
ancestry. This suggests that the 1918 virus had been 'smoldering' in,
or adapting to, the human host, and offers some support to the earlier
suggestion that the human and swine lineages were derived from a
common avian-like ancestor around 1905 (ref. 4).
But can this genetic data be reconciled with epidemiological
observations of influenza in southern China before and after 1900? In
the first phase of the 1918 pandemic in Canton (now called Guangzhou)
in Guangdong Province adjacent to Hong Kong, most cases at the June
outset were in people 11-20 years of age, with a male
preponderance, whereas in October of that year most were between 11 and
15 years of age5. Mortality was relatively low. This is in contrast to
the situation in Europe and the US in 1918, in which all ages were
apparently affected, with most deaths occurring in young adults and
particularly 15- to 34-year-olds6, 7, suggesting that people in these
regions had not experienced as extensive previous exposure to H1-like
viruses as those in southern China seem to have experienced.
Thus, in Canton at least, those born between 1898 and 1907 would have
had little or no antibody to the H1 subtype, implying that an H1-like
virus may have been circulating before 1898 and from 1907 to 1918. If
this is so, and if the seroarchaeological data on the occurrence of
H2- and H3-like subtypes in Europeans and Americans from 1889 to 1917
(reviewed in ref. 6) are applicable to the southern Chinese of the
time, it seems likely that not only did an H1-like virus circulate in
southern China from 1907 to 1917 but also it would have co-circulated
with an H3-like virus perhaps in the same way that H1 and H3 subtype
viruses have been co-circulating in the third quarter of this century.
Indeed, it was in Canton in September and October 1888 that "the first
recorded appearance of the modern influenza epidemic" was made8, an
epidemic that apparently gave rise to the pandemic of 1889 caused by
an H2-like virus that, as might be inferred from the above, would have
co-circulated with the already-established H1-like subtype until 1898,
when both subtypes were presumably eclipsed by the H3-like virus.
These data indicate that over the last 110 years or so, an H1-like
virus was present at least in southern China for about 70 of those
years, during which time it has recycled on four occasions, once with
an H2-like virus and three times with H3 or H3-like viruses.
How long before 1888 might the H1-like virus have occurred in humans?
Linear regression analysis of the nucleoprotein (NP) genes of a range
of avian, swine and human H1N1 viruses extrapolate a common ancestor
of current human influenza viruses to 1837 (ref. 9). This raises the
possibility that an H1-like virus may have existed in humans, at least
in southern China, for some 50 years before the earliest
epidemiological evidence of its presence there (in 1888).
So where does this leave the idea that the 1918 pandemic had its
origin(s) in Europe or the USA in late winter/early spring of 1918? I
believe that southern China was the source of the virus, in keeping
with the hypothesis that the region is a hypothetical influenza
epicentre for the emergence of pandemic influenza viruses10, and it
spread with the economy-driven movement of people out of Guangdong
Province. The influenza viruses of modern times (H3N2 and H1N1) in
Hong Kong SAR and Guangdong Province mostly occur year-round sometimes
with a minor peak in February and March and a single or major one in
the summer in June to September11, and there is no reason to suppose
that it would have been different in the early 1900s. In her
documentary on the 1914-18 World War, MacDonald noted that many
of the trenches were built by Chinese laborers who had been clustered
around camps in Montreiul, France12. From her text, it is clear that
those labourers were speaking the Cantonese dialect of Guangdong
Province
and it is plausible that they took with them to Europe and the USA the
'smoldering' or adapting human H1N1-like virus.
Reid et al. plan to examine other genes from the 1918 virus, and it
remains to be seen what ancestral genetic images it will provide
towards understanding the 1918 'Spanish' flu virus. If these data
strengthen the idea that the virus originated in southern China,
perhaps the term 'Spanish' flu might be quietly dropped.
REFERENCES
Reid, A.H., Fanning, T.G., Hultin, J.V. & Taubenberger, J.K. Origin
and evolution of the 1918 "Spanish" influenza virus hemagglutinin
gene. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96, 1651-1656 (1999). | Article |
PubMed | ISI |
Webster, R.G., Bean, W.J., Gorman, O.T., Chambers, T.M. & Kawaoka, Y.
Evolution and ecology of influenza A viruses. Microbiol. Rev. 56,
152-179 (1992). | PubMed | ISI |
Claas, E.C.J. et al. Human influenza A (H5N1) virus related to a
highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Lancet 351, 472-477 (1998). |
Article | PubMed | ISI |
Kanegae, Y., Sugita, S., Shortridge, K.F., Yoshioka, Y. & Nerome, K.
Origin and evolutionary pathways of the H1 hemagglutinin gene of
avian, swine and human influenza viruses: co-circulation of two
distinct lineages of swine virus. Arch. Virol. 134, 17-28 (1994). |
PubMed | ISI |
Cadbury, W.W. The 1918 pandemic of influenza in Canton. China Med. J.
XXXIV, 1-17 (1920).
Noble, G.R. in Basic and Applied Influenza Research. (ed. Beare A.S.)
11-50 (CRC, Boca Raton, 1982).
Taubenberger, J.K., Reid, A.H., Krafft, A.E., Bijwaard, K.E. &
Fanning, T.G. Initial genetic characterization of the 1918 'Spanish'
influenza virus. Science 275, 1793-1796 (1997). | Article | PubMed |
ISI |
Cantlie, J. The first recorded appearance of the modern influenza
epidemic. Br. Med. J. 491 (29 Aug. 1891).
Gammelin, M. et al. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleoprotein suggests
that human influenza A viruses emerged from a 19th-century avian
ancestor. Mol. Biol. Evol. 7, 194-200 (1990). | PubMed | ISI |
Shortridge, K.F. & Stuart-Harris, C.H. A pandemic influenza epicentre?
Lancet ii, 812-813 (1982).
Reicheldelfer, P. et al. in Proceedings of the First Asia-Pacific
Congress of Medical Virology. (eds. Chan, Y.C., Doraisingham, S. &
Lind, A.E.) 412-444 (World Scientific, Singapore, 1989).
MacDonald, L. Somme. Macmillan Publishers Limited, London p. 189-193
(1984).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I thank K. MacPherson, (Department of History, the University of Hong
Kong) for historical advice.
"Assuming that the sequence of the HA gene that Reid and colleagues
presented faithfully represents the 1918 virus (and it had not been
passaged in the laboratory) and that the gene had been undergoing
rapid evolution in the way newly introduced H2, H3 and H5 HA avian
genes have done2, 3, there is in fact every possibility that the virus
was introduced into the human host well before 1915 and had an avian
ancestry. This suggests that the 1918 virus had been 'smoldering' in,
or adapting to, the human host, and offers some support to the earlier
suggestion that the human and swine lineages were derived from a
common avian-like ancestor around 1905 (ref. 4)."

Shortridge's conclusion is speculative.
Post by The Enlightenment
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # Historically, influenza pandemics spread from east to west.
FACT # Historical records have described sicknesses believed to be
influenza for more than 2000 years. The Roman historian Livy described
such a disease attacking the Roman army.
You will also note the same Roman Historian complaining of the taste
Roman women had for Chinese silk and the costs it brought to the Roman
coffers. The silk route was in full opperation. Note the huge size of
the Roman empire which could sail ships all the way to Britainand the
East.
Post by Doc Sapien
People in 15th century Italy
thought the sickness was caused by the influence of the stars. So they
named it "influenza." In 1781, influenza went from Europe to North
America to the West Indies and Latin America. It spread in Asia in
1829, then again in 1836. It also traveled to Indonesia, Russia and the
United States.
The fact that Italy, a country whose Venetian Republic was maritime
trading in the far east extensively.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # The 1918 flu should be called The Spanish Flu because it started
in...Madrid?
FACT # The 1918 flu should be called The American Flu because it
started in Fort Riley, Kansas, on March 4 1918.
It started in France, near the Spanish border. It appears to have
been brought in by Chinese and Vietnamese workers who built many of the
trenches and docks used in WW2. It was from there transmited to the
USA.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain suffered high casualty...
FACT # It was named Spanish Flu because Spain press was transparent.
Spain was the first nation to tell the truth about their REAL casualty
rate.
About the only thing you've said that is part correct.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # Unlike "non-transparent" China and "inapt" Asian nations, U.S.
governments today can always be relied upon to deal with pandemics, for
they dealt "transparently" with 1918 outbreak and "aptly" with the
reemergence of H1N1 in New Jersey 1976...
Attenuated no doubt.
It seems you are a Chinaman on some kind of agenda.
Post by Doc Sapien
FACT # Due to wartime Sedition Act and nationwide media blackout, the
deadly Kansas camp infection spread nationwide within a week, infected
25% of US population, and killed 675,000 Americans within a year. It
spread via US war fleets to the rest of the world and killed 50 to 100
million humans.
Because it was brought to military personel by asian workers brought to
Europe to help build docks and trenches.
The UK had NO flu during the entire periode of ww2 because it was cut
of from much of the far east.
When the same virus re-emerged in Fort Dix, New Jersey
Post by Doc Sapien
1976, again in a military camp, more Americans were killed by a panic
vaccination program than the flu. Subsequently, and conveniently, this
mutated New Jersey H1N1 strain was named "Russian" Flu after Russia got
hit more than a year later. Another opportunity to investigate
environmental cause of H1N1 mutation was lost to US politician "blame
the foreign devils" habit.
Myth # Human-affecting bird flu viruses always mutate/species jump to
farmers and vets at European and Asian chicken farms...
Myth # Those are weak mutations. The deadliest human killing bird flu
seem to have cross species to American (and Roman) armies. Mutant bird
flu viruses seem to like to cross breed with young virile uniformed
white males, physiologically some of the "toughest" humans. Now that's
not funny.
Myth # It is not important whether it is called Spanish or American
flu...
FACT # It is important to name the American Flu 1918 correctly, for the
sake of naming tradition consistency, and more importantly the purpose
of understanding the HUMAN and ENVIRONMENTAL condition which gave the
human race the most deadly flu pandemic in human history. 90 years
later, scientists still can't tell us what at Fort Riley and Fort Dix
caused the jump to YOUNG military personnel, and how to PREVENT IT FROM
HAPPENING AGAIN.
Becuase the flu was transmited to American military personel from the
large numbers of asian workers providing labour in WW1.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia is scary and "may" kill
millions...
FACT # Current "new" H5N1 Bird Flu in Asia killed 65 people in densely
populated Asian cities since 1997. In contrast, assorted mutant bird
flu viruses routinely killed up to 50,000 Americans every winter.
Myth # Bird flu virus tend to jump to ethnic Asians, in Asia...
FACT # Bird flu virus jumped to ethnic whites in Kansas 1918, and in
Netherlands 2003; many Atlantic-origin pig, sheep, deer, horse, cat flu
viruses jumped to Americans and Europeans in recent history. Viruses
tend to sneak pass species barrier, race genes, and xenophobic
thoughts.
Ah that 'xenophobic' word. It's pretty certain now that you are a
chinese defending the appaling agricultural practices of China: Human
Faeces in vegetalbles, a variety of animals such as fowl, fish and pigs
feeding of each others waste and in close contact. Plenty of
opportunity for viruses to cross the species barrier.
It even happens in markets where bloody slaughtering of mulitple
species takes place.
China needs to reform its argricultural hygene. Spitting needs to be
baned as well.
Post by Doc Sapien
Myth # Bird Flu is an Asian economic and spiritual problem, wasting 1.5
million chicken lives in Hong Kong 1997 alone...
FACT # Bird Flu is a regular economic and spiritual headache in US and
Europe, each mutating their own unique strain of bird flu; Pennsylvania
killed 17 million birds in 1983 outbreak, Italy killed 13 million birds
in 2000 outbreak, Netherlands killed 30 million birds within a week in
2003 outbreak...and so on. This is just birds, not cows or swine. High
time to examine farming methods, old, new, east, west?
Myth # Terrorists are probably stockpiling religious viruses to kill
us...
FACT # Terrorists families are usually the first victims in a pandemic.
The old American doctor who dug out the 1918 H1N1 virus from an Alaska
corpse [in the name of vaccine re$earch] wore only a basic mask and
gloves. SHEESH. Now we have H1N1 sitting in an American university lab.
Let's pray he and CDC and vaccine corps have only the interests of 6
billion *human beings* in mind, and keep up very high security - from
the virus - to begin with.
Myth # Cure pays better than prevention, so it's ok to risk unleashing
a new mutant H1N1 on the human race for a H5N1 cure...
FACT # Viruses are probably more intelligent than clever scientists.
Viruses have no ego and greed issues. They just spread when given a
nice condition. An old American doctor's nice warm body is as
inhabitable as young American soldiers.
Myth # Flu drugs alone prevents fast virus spread
FACT # Most hospital building structures, particularly ventilation and
lack of natural sunlight, help virus spread. Military activities help
virus spread. War time media blackout help virus spread. Thoughtless
farming help virus spread. Mutant viruses thrive on both human egomania
and human stupidity.
Myth # The problems are always caused by Those Savage Foreigners
FACT # The problems are always blown up by EGO, IGNORANCE, GREED and
DISHONESTY *AT HOME*.
It's pretty certain now that you are a chinese defending the appaling
agricultural habits of china. Human Faeces in vegetalbles, a variety
of animals such as fowl, fish and pigs feeding of each others waste and
in close contact. Plenty of opportunity for viruses to cross the
species barrier.
Post by Doc Sapien
Keep yourself and loved ones informed. Don't let lies and fear-mongers
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/s/sp/spanish_flu.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/group/virus/uda/index.html
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