Swine flu pandemic fears

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bio tech stocks running......?

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15182

Mexico swine flu deaths spur global epidemic fears
Texas officials keep wary eye out after 2 San Antonio teens recovered from the virus.
By Mark Stevenson

ASSOCIATED PRESS


Saturday, April 25, 2009

MEXICO CITY — An unusual strain of swine flu is being blamed in the deaths of dozens of people in Mexico, where authorities closed schools, libraries and theaters in the capital Friday to try to contain an outbreak that has raised concerns of a global flu epidemic.

Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordoba said 68 people have died of flu, and the new swine flu strain had been confirmed in 20 of those deaths. At least 1,004 people were sick from the suspected flu, he said.

The virus — which combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers haven't seen before — also sickened at least eight people in Central Texas and California, though all have recovered.

"We are very, very concerned," World Health Organization spokesman Thomas Abraham said. "We have what appears to be a novel virus, and it has spread from human to human. ... It's all hands on deck at the moment."

In Texas, state and local officials are working to stop the spread of the swine flu.

Epidemiologists are concerned because the only fatalities were in young people and adults, an unusual pattern reminiscent of the 1918 flu pandemic, which killed at least 40 million people worldwide.

The World Health Organization was convening a panel to consider whether to raise the pandemic alert level or issue travel advisories.

Given how quickly flu can spread, if these are the first signs of a pandemic, then there are probably cases incubating around the world already, said Dr. Michael Osterholm, a pandemic flu expert at the University of Minnesota

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/world/04/25/0425flu.html

 

[UBIQUITOUS]

Mexican swine flu - is this the big one?

I've always wanted to start a doom and gloom thread, so here is is!

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-new...le-killer-flu-in-mexico-us-20090424-ai36.html

Authorities rush to tackle killer flu in Mexico, US
April 25, 2009 - 6:54AM
Mexican and US officials on Friday took emergency measures to contain outbreaks of a new multi-strain swine flu blamed for scores of deaths in Mexico and seven infections in the United States.
The World Health Organization in Geneva said 60 people had died from suspected swine flu in Mexico, while Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova confirmed 16 deaths and said authorities were probing 50 more possible fatalities.
Mexican officials warned people to avoid crowds or using the subway as they launched a massive vaccination campaign in the country's sprawling, densely populated capital.
"The confirmed (deaths) from the virus are 16. They're studying the cases of 50 more patients who died," Cordova said on Milenio television.
Authorities were probing 943 possible infections.

What I find slightly concerning is this article from some Aussies in 2001, which put Spanish flu down to pig flu RNA! Any scientists out there?

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1263-1918-spanish-influenza-pandemic-down-to-pig-flu-rna.html

1918 "Spanish" influenza pandemic down to pig flu RNA

The joining of genetic sequences from pig and human influenza created the deadly strain that killed up to 40 million people around the world in 1918 and 1919, say Australian researchers.
Unlike other flu outbreaks, which prey heavily on the old and the young, the 1918 "Spanish" flu killed many healthy people in their prime. "It tended to give people pneumonia," says virologist Mark Gibbs, who led the research at the Australian National University in Canberra. "That suggests that it infected much deeper in the lungs than influenza normally does - that it had a different tissue specificity."
Flu pandemics are thought to arise when a human flu virus acquires a bird flu gene, which helps it evade human immunity. Smaller pandemics in 1957 and 1968 were triggered this way. But the ANU team found no trace of genetic material from avian flu in a key gene that helped the 1918 virus infect cells. Instead, they identified a fragment of a gene from a pig flu strain.
The new analysis boosts researchers' knowledge of the way human influenza can mutate - which will be vital for understanding how another pandemic might arise in the future, says the team.

Lung biopsies

Jeffery Taubenberger of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Rockville, Maryland isolated gene sequences for the 1918 virus in 1987. These samples were found in lung biopsies from two American soldiers who succumbed in 1918, and in the lungs of a third victim who was exhumed after 80 years from a grave in the permafrost soil of Alaska.
When Taubenberger analyzed the 1918 gene sequences - specifically a gene called hemagglutinin, which helps the virus infect cells - he found no evidence that it came from birds, and no clues regarding the source of the virus's aggressiveness.
Gibbs took a different approach. Rather than analyzing hemagglutinin as a whole, he used special software to see if different parts of the gene came from different sources. He found the middle half of the gene seemed to come from a pig virus.
This pig segment might alter the virus's tissue specificity - pushing it deeper into the lungs - and also help the virus escape human immunity. Gibbs believes the virus acquired that gene segment just months before the pandemic started, and "it seems very likely that this triggered the pandemic."
However, some researchers are doubtful. Taubenberger says the middle part of the hemagglutinin gene appears pig-like because this gene has evolved more slowly in pig viruses.
Gibbs counters that less than ten per cent of the 1918 hemagglutinin gene would evolve slowly (and therefore appear pig-like) for this reason, whereas his results show that fully half the gene comes from pigs.
Journal reference: Science (vol 293, p 1842)

 

[UBIQUITOUS]

Re: Mexican swine flu - is this the big one?

I've always wanted to start a doom and gloom thread, so here is is!

..and then I find out that Metric beat me to starting the same topic by 3 minutes!! Any chance of having his rolled into mine??

 

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better yours is merged into mine....at least mine has a link to stocks .......

oh, tis done.

 

[mr meathead]

Re: Mexican swine flu - is this the big one?

watch for massive run on biota holding monday- according to some scientists in the know - this latest swine flu is a combination of humane pig and bird flu genetic material - and roches tamiflu is 99 % sure to be rendered useless very soon as it is already showing near 100% resistance to common H1N1 human flu world wide - leaving biotas relenza as the only anti viral to fight the ensueing pandemic which has started in mexico with 1000 infected incl 500 hospital staff and 68 dead as of today - plus spread to ca , tx and poss new york. WHO meeting tonight to decide on lifting pandemic alert from level 3 to poss 6 - sealing boarders mexico and usa if it speads to a third country we are likely to see major panic and in an already stressed economy it couldn't come at aworse time - unless you own bta or gsk shares of course.

 

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This is the first time that we’ve seen an avian strain, two swine strains and a human strain,” said Daigle, adding that the virus had influenza strains from European and Asian swine, but not from North American swine.

strange that it has euro and asian pig strains but not a strain from the americas where it is supposed to have originated. many on the net are openly saying it is a weaponised flu virus.

 

[Wysiwyg]

I remember having a few chops at IMU during the bird flu scenario. They also have a porcine drug too but the trials and lead time with these companies is very very long.

 

[mr meathead]

for an answer to that check out henry nimens web site recombinomics - he should have the gene sequences worked out very soon

 

[Sean K]

Re: Mexican swine flu - is this the big one?

watch for massive run on biota holding monday-

I agree, and could last a few days depending on the news out.

I'm going to Mexico on Friday so I might put a Relenza order in myself!

 

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Re: Mexican swine flu - is this the big one?

I agree, and could last a few days depending on the news out.

I'm going to Mexico on Friday so I might put a Relenza order in myself!

and perhaps quarantine for you apon return...?

 

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pandemic flu model.....we are 14 days in.. http://www.lanl.gov/news/images/bird4x3red.mov

 

[Calliope]

I think the most disturbing aspect of the Mexican outback is that all the deaths so far have been otherwise healthy young adults. The majority of Spanish flu deaths were in the same age group. Millions of healthy young ex-servicemen who had survived WW 1 succumbed to the flu.

 

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I think the most disturbing aspect of the Mexican outback is that all the deaths so far have been otherwise healthy young adults. The majority of Spanish flu deaths were in the same age group. Millions of healthy young ex-servicemen who had survived WW 1 succumbed to the flu.

yes...flu fatalities occur when there is a cytokine storm in the body which happens if a persons immune system is very strong.

very young and older people seem to survive it better...just like 1918....

 

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sky news just reported a UK cabin crew member taken to hospital with flu like symptoms.......

someone is getting worried when an incident such as this makes news...

 

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current know outbreaks. pretty sure you can add the uk to this list...

Mexico City

Imperial County, California

San Diego County, California

San Antonio, Texas

Long Island, New York

Queens, New York

Chappqua, New York

Kansas

Ontario, Canada


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...-die-swine-flu-outbreak-Cases-spread-U-S.html

Cabin crew member in hospital after flight from swine flu-struck Mexico

World Health Organisation has warned countries to be on alert for any unusual flu outbreaks

A member of cabin crew was taken to hospital with "flu-like symptoms" today after falling ill on a British Airways flight from Mexico City to Heathrow.

The World Health Organisation has warned countries to be on alert for any unusual flu outbreaks after a swine flu virus was implicated in possibly dozens of human deaths in Mexico.

The BA employee, who has not been named, has been taken to Northwick Park hospital in Harrow, a hospital spokesman said.

He added: "He has flu-like symptoms and is responding well to treatment. The patient was admitted directly to a side room and the hospital is scrupulously following infection control procedures to ensure there is no risk to any other individual in the hospital."

The man was taken from flight BA242 which landed at 2pm today, a BA spokesman said.

A Health Protection Agency spokesman said: "We are aware of a patient admitted to a London hospital with reported travel history to Mexico.

"As a precautionary measure the patient is being tested for a range of respiratory and other illnesses in line with UK health guidance. At present there have been no confirmed cases of human swine flu in the UK or anywhere in Europe."

A spokesman for Hillingdon Council, which is responsible for the health of people passing through the airport, said: "As the port authority for Heathrow Airport we already have Health Protection Agency doctors in each of the airport's terminals at all times.

"Should we receive instructions from the Department for Health or the Health Protection Agency we will be well placed to respond appropriately."

World Health Organisation director-general Margaret Chan has said the outbreak in Mexico involves "an animal strain of the H1N1 virus".

The flu virus, which is suspected of killing at least 60 people in Mexico, has the potential to become a pandemic, she said.
[link to www.guardian.co.uk]

 

[michael_selway]

bio tech stocks running......?

https://www.aussiestockforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15182

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/world/04/25/0425flu.html

Hm what specific stocks are FLU related?

IMU - Imugene Limited (IMU) specialises in the development and commercialisation of animal health products for pigs and poultry, including vaccines and productivity enhancers. IMU also owns the worldwide rights to the Fowl Adenoviral Vector Delivery System for poultry and the Porcine Adenoviral Vector Delivery System for pigs.

BTA - Biota Holdings Limited (BTA) is an Australian based, anti-infective drug development company. They specialise in the discovery and development of pharmaceuticals, focusing on research for the treatment of viral respiratory diseases, particularly influenza.

Any others?

Thanks

MS

 

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Hm what specific stocks are FLU related?

IMU - Imugene Limited (IMU) specialises in the development and commercialisation of animal health products for pigs and poultry, including vaccines and productivity enhancers. IMU also owns the worldwide rights to the Fowl Adenoviral Vector Delivery System for poultry and the Porcine Adenoviral Vector Delivery System for pigs.

BTA - Biota Holdings Limited (BTA) is an Australian based, anti-infective drug development company. They specialise in the discovery and development of pharmaceuticals, focusing on research for the treatment of viral respiratory diseases, particularly influenza.

Any others?

Thanks

MS

good post.

 

[MrBurns]

Swine flu has pandemic potential.

Forget nuclear bombs and the Taliban, if anything will wipe us from the face of the earth it will be something like this.............one day......

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says a new strain of the flu virus, suspected of killing more than 60 people in Mexico, is a potential pandemic.

The WHO says the outbreak is already an international public health emergency.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/26/2552746.htm

 

[MrBurns]

Re: Swine flu has pandemic potential.

Forget nuclear bombs and the Taliban, if anything will wipe us from the face of the earth it will be something like this.............one day......
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/26/2552746.htm

Wow the mods around here are quick, I started a new thread on this subject not seeing this one and they flicked my post over to here immediately, big brother is watching

 

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yours was the 3rd started mr burns....