Fresh from the Travel Clinic--Recommendations for India
Oct 20th, 2005, 08:18 PM
#21
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Hi Kathie-sorry if I did not make myself clear, however I wanted to know if there is a vaccine for the virus that is transmitted from bird to human, not for one for which the condition does not exist, at present. i.e.human to human.
I ask this question because a previous poster (shazip)on this thread said "Too bad vaccinations won't be avaialble before we leave". I wanted clarification on if there is a vaccine for bird to human infection. Thanks a lot for your help.
I ask this question because a previous poster (shazip)on this thread said "Too bad vaccinations won't be avaialble before we leave". I wanted clarification on if there is a vaccine for bird to human infection. Thanks a lot for your help.
Oct 21st, 2005, 05:56 AM
#22
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I am pasting an article re: recent fatality in kanchanaburi from BBC website
I think the chances of dying from a cyclo or tuk tuk impact are far greater than avian flu unless of course you drink those smoothies !
A 7-year-old boy in Thailand has tested positive for bird flu, two days after his father died from the disease, a Bangkok hospital has said.
But Siriraj Hospital stressed they did not believe the boy, who is recovering, had caught the virus from his father.
The 48-year-old farmer was the 13th person in Thailand to die from the flu.
The man is said to have slaughtered and eaten a sick bird in his home province of Kanchanaburi, where avian flu outbreaks were reported this week.
Initial tests on his son, Ronnarit Benpad, failed to confirm he had H5N1, the potentially deadly strain of bird flu which killed his father.
H5N1 BIRD FLU VIRUS
Principally an avian disease, first seen in humans in Hong Kong in 1997
Almost all human cases thought to be contracted from birds
Possible cases of human-to-human transmission in Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam, but none confirmed
But new tests found the virus, said Prasit Watanapa, director of Siriraj Hospital.
"Two different tests, performed at two different laboratories, have produced a positive result. So the boy has the bird flu virus," Siriraj Hospital said in a statement.
But Mr Prasit stressed that the boy had, like his father, been in close contact with sick chickens. "There is no evidence that the boy contracted the disease from the father," he said.
The hospital added that the boy's temperature had since returned to normal and he was eating and playing.
Concern is mounting that the virus is making a major reappearance in Asia as the continent heads towards its winter, when the virus appears to thrive.
This week, China said it had culled 91,000 birds in an area around the site of an outbreak of the killer virus in Inner Mongolia, and Vietnam, the worst-hit country in terms of human deaths, saw its first outbreak in poultry since June.
I think the chances of dying from a cyclo or tuk tuk impact are far greater than avian flu unless of course you drink those smoothies !
A 7-year-old boy in Thailand has tested positive for bird flu, two days after his father died from the disease, a Bangkok hospital has said.
But Siriraj Hospital stressed they did not believe the boy, who is recovering, had caught the virus from his father.
The 48-year-old farmer was the 13th person in Thailand to die from the flu.
The man is said to have slaughtered and eaten a sick bird in his home province of Kanchanaburi, where avian flu outbreaks were reported this week.
Initial tests on his son, Ronnarit Benpad, failed to confirm he had H5N1, the potentially deadly strain of bird flu which killed his father.
H5N1 BIRD FLU VIRUS
Principally an avian disease, first seen in humans in Hong Kong in 1997
Almost all human cases thought to be contracted from birds
Possible cases of human-to-human transmission in Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam, but none confirmed
But new tests found the virus, said Prasit Watanapa, director of Siriraj Hospital.
"Two different tests, performed at two different laboratories, have produced a positive result. So the boy has the bird flu virus," Siriraj Hospital said in a statement.
But Mr Prasit stressed that the boy had, like his father, been in close contact with sick chickens. "There is no evidence that the boy contracted the disease from the father," he said.
The hospital added that the boy's temperature had since returned to normal and he was eating and playing.
Concern is mounting that the virus is making a major reappearance in Asia as the continent heads towards its winter, when the virus appears to thrive.
This week, China said it had culled 91,000 birds in an area around the site of an outbreak of the killer virus in Inner Mongolia, and Vietnam, the worst-hit country in terms of human deaths, saw its first outbreak in poultry since June.
Oct 21st, 2005, 06:28 AM
#23
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Hi, Lyndie, Sorry, I did misinterpret your question. However, the answer is still no, there is not yet a vaccine.
Boblax, thanks for a cut and paste of the article. I will continue to monitor the medical sources for what they are saying about it. The initial discussion is similar to what I said above. The man mosst likely conracted it from killing the chicken and handling the dead carcass, as that is a well-documented route of transmission. The fact that he ate the chicken may well be irrelevant.
This latest case is the first confirmed in Thailand since 2004.
Again, remember that the route of transmission is currently from chickens or ducks via direct contact with dead or dying birds or their feces. For most visitors it requires very little change in what you do in SE Asia to avoid risk. Personally, while I love markets. I will avoid the poultry areas of local markets. By the way, I travel to SE Asia at least once a year, and this has been my practice since the initial outbreak of the avian flu. As the cdc says, the most important preventive measure for transmisson of this and many other diseases is frequent hand-washing.
Boblax, thanks for a cut and paste of the article. I will continue to monitor the medical sources for what they are saying about it. The initial discussion is similar to what I said above. The man mosst likely conracted it from killing the chicken and handling the dead carcass, as that is a well-documented route of transmission. The fact that he ate the chicken may well be irrelevant.
This latest case is the first confirmed in Thailand since 2004.
Again, remember that the route of transmission is currently from chickens or ducks via direct contact with dead or dying birds or their feces. For most visitors it requires very little change in what you do in SE Asia to avoid risk. Personally, while I love markets. I will avoid the poultry areas of local markets. By the way, I travel to SE Asia at least once a year, and this has been my practice since the initial outbreak of the avian flu. As the cdc says, the most important preventive measure for transmisson of this and many other diseases is frequent hand-washing.
Oct 21st, 2005, 05:54 PM
#24
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Aloha Kathie:
How are you? Hope all is well. I think there is a vaccine to the avian flu...check this article
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=4969363
The problem is making enough of it in time. Could be wrong though
Aloha!
How are you? Hope all is well. I think there is a vaccine to the avian flu...check this article
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=4969363
The problem is making enough of it in time. Could be wrong though
Aloha!
Oct 21st, 2005, 08:04 PM
#25
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Hi, HT, I am well and preparing for the leeches in Borneo!
The article is a bit unclear about the details, as no vaccine has yet been released. They have an experimental vaccine, but it takes such a high dose to produce adequate numbers of antibodies that it has not been approved. Also, they are not releasing it because they don't fully know what form the virus may take if/when it mutates to allow person to person transmission. If there was a sudden mutation, they might well opt to release the vaccine they now have, but they are continuing to work on it for now.
It will be interesting to see whether political pressure is such that they will release it early.
The article is a bit unclear about the details, as no vaccine has yet been released. They have an experimental vaccine, but it takes such a high dose to produce adequate numbers of antibodies that it has not been approved. Also, they are not releasing it because they don't fully know what form the virus may take if/when it mutates to allow person to person transmission. If there was a sudden mutation, they might well opt to release the vaccine they now have, but they are continuing to work on it for now.
It will be interesting to see whether political pressure is such that they will release it early.
Nov 29th, 2005, 06:57 AM
#26
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I have a much simpler question on Malaria prevention in India-
We are going in 3 weeks to Delhi, Rajasthan, Agra and Varanasi. I have malerone for maleria but was warned by Dr. to also get DEET lotion for exposed skin and premetherin to spray on/soak my clothes. The clothes spray supposedly lasts 2 weeks. I don't mind the DEET lotion idea but do I really have to wear only clothes sprayed in this stuff for the entire trip? Sounds like I better get a gallon of the stuff or wear the same clothes for 2 weeks. Any advice would ease my mind.
We are going in 3 weeks to Delhi, Rajasthan, Agra and Varanasi. I have malerone for maleria but was warned by Dr. to also get DEET lotion for exposed skin and premetherin to spray on/soak my clothes. The clothes spray supposedly lasts 2 weeks. I don't mind the DEET lotion idea but do I really have to wear only clothes sprayed in this stuff for the entire trip? Sounds like I better get a gallon of the stuff or wear the same clothes for 2 weeks. Any advice would ease my mind.
Nov 29th, 2005, 11:29 AM
#27
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Pauolo...I think this is such a personal decision...but here is what we intend to do. We leave at the end of December and I'm not really sure that anything much is needed during this season. However, to be safe, we will be taking Larium. I will carry a small bottle of 20% or 30% Deet...don't take 100%. I may spray a couple of pairs of pants for when we are on the water and maybe a long sleeved shirt and take a small bottle with us.even though I think that is probably overkill.
Have a great time...I cannot wait..just have to get through Christmas day first!!
Have a great time...I cannot wait..just have to get through Christmas day first!!
