Ineffective Flu Anti-virals

Many think we are in much better shape to deal with a flu pandemic than we were in 1918. Unfortunately, the US is lacking in many areas. Antivirals have been stockpiled, but the virus sweeping throiugh Asia is resistant to Amatadine and Ramantadine. About the only drug left is Tamiflu.

However, heroic efforts using Tamiflu were ineffective for 102 tigers at a zoo in Thailand

www.recombinomics.com...

They were euthanized and another 45 died from the flu.

Efforts are also under way to develop effective pandemic vaccines, but they have yet to be tested, and even if they prove to be safe and effective, there is a significant lag between injecting eggs to growth teh virus and injecting arms to protect.

A major pandemic this season would sweep across the globe, with little hinderence. Masks and quarantine are marginal weapons.

It is little known today that the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic killed more people that World War 1...

Originally posted by Flange Gasket
It is little known today that the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic killed more people that World War 1...

Yes, estimates range from 20-50 million deaths. Moreover, most of the dead were young (20's and 30's) and death could be quite sudden. There were some reports of bridge players actually dropping dead at the table.

H5N1 has a lot of similatities
www.recombinomics.com...

Farmers see flocks of chickens that look fine in the morning, and all are dead by noon, with blood oozing out of all orafices.

In humans the case fatality rate is exceedingly high. If you go into the hospital, odds are 3-1 against coming out alive.

Well - all this goes down better on the Health forum, but I would just add that the homeopaths had great success with Arsenicum and Gelsenium during the 1918 pandemic, while the allopaths had all their's dropping like flies