May Persist on Feathers

Fallen from Domestic Ducks

ScienceDaily (Aug. 22, 2010) — Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) may persist on feathers fallen from the bodies of infected domestic ducks and contribute to environmental contamination. Researchers from the National Institute of Animal Health, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan report their findings in the August 2010 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Since the emergence of Asian avian influenza virus in 1997, it has spread to Europe, the Middle East and Africa causing significant mortality and economic loss in the poultry industry. Although the virus is mainly found in waterfowl and transmitted through fecal contamination in water, humans as well as other mammalian species have contracted the virus through close contact with infected birds.

A prior study showed that H5N1 could replicate in the skin cells of feathers and further suggested that those that drop off the body could potentially contaminate the environment. Here, researchers evaluated the environmental risk posed by contaminated feathers by inoculating domestic ducks with H5N1, collecting feathers, feces and drinking water three days following, and then storing them at 39 degrees and 68 degrees Fahrenheit for 360 days. Results showed that H5N1 persisted the longest in feathers at both temperatures.

“These results indicate that feathers detached from domestic ducks infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) can be a source of environmental contamination and may function as fomites with high viral loads in the environment,” say the researchers.

In New Twist To Pandemic

ScienceDaily (July 10, 2009) — The strain of influenza, A/H1N1, that is currently pandemic in humans has been shown to be infectious to pigs and to spread rapidly in a trial pig population.

In research published July 9 in Journal of General Virology, Dr Thomas Vahlenkamp and a team of virologists from the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut in Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany, experimentally infected five pigs with the strain of swine flu that is causing the current human pandemic. Within four days the virus had spread to three uninfected pigs housed with the infected ones and all pigs were showing clinical signs of swine flu.

“Although in the early stages of the swine flu pandemic there were worries that humans would catch the virus from pigs, this has so far not been documented and pigs and other animals have not been involved in the current spread of A/H1N1 influenza in humans,” said Dr Vahlenkamp, “However, with the increasing numbers of human infections, a spill over of this human virus to pigs is becoming more likely. The prevention of human-to-pig transmissions should have a high priority in order to avoid involvement of pigs in the epidemiology of this pandemic”.

Although the virus spread quickly to the non-infected pigs, it did not spread to five chickens that were housed together with the pigs. This may imply that while the virus can pass from human to pig it does not pass from pig to chicken. The experiments were done under strict containment conditions (Biosafety Level BSL3+), to prevent any further transmission of the virus from the infected pigs.

The scientists recommend that persons who are suspected of having swine flu should not be allowed to have contact with pigs and that regulatory bodies should agree on appropriate restriction measures for swine holdings where A/H1N1 infection is detected. Experiments are underway to determine whether currently available vaccines may be able to provide pigs with a certain immunity to stop a potential spread of the virus.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 21st April 2010

Around 1990 I began to have sinus problems. At first it was just a running nose for a few hours, and I would think I was
getting a cold. Gradually it became more frequent and longer. I would feel extreme fatigue, my nose would run
continuously for 2 or 3 days at a time. During that time it was all I could do to drag myself around the house.
In March 2003, I began to memorize as a form of meditation and relaxation. The improvement on my health and nose were quite dramatic, but difficult to maintain. Sometimes I would be up at two or three o’clock in the morning,
memorizing and meditating to try to stall off a sinus attack. There was hardly a time when I was not tight and aching in the face with the feeling that I needed to sneeze.
Christmas at the end of 2003 I visited with my Sister and she brewed up some bush tea for me. The effect was unbelievable and unexpected. Within a week my sinus dried up, the tightness and feeling I needed to sneeze left.

My nose was normal for the first time in years! My energy levels rose, and I could function normally. My whole body seemed to go through a detox.
I now take the bush tea every few weeks, or when there are colds and flu around. Not only does my nose never give trouble, I just don’t get colds, flu  and other illnesses
For me the impact of mind power, belief, a positive attitude and the bush tea have been life changing.

Meditation and Memorizing

I have included this section for the few who have an interest in meditation or memorizing. For those who do read on, this is my experience, and may not reflect yours or your views. Thats great, we re all different.
I must also say, I am not a doctor, or medical person, trainer in meditation or the like. In fact for a long time meditation was something I thought to be just sitting, relaxing, studying quietly, prayer and so on. Beyond this I did not consider it to be a state or experience into which our mind can enter.
My experience has now convinced me that meditation is a state of consciousness we can learn to enter and experience.
Before I share my concept and try to explain it; a couple of observations.
I am a Christian and my change of understanding did not come easily. Meditation in the western world generally owes its beginnings to Eastern and Oriental Philosophies. In the western world many people of the Christian faith have viewed meditation with suspicion, and distrust. For many Christians, meditation has been considered dangerous.

This was perhaps partly due to the idea that in meditation one “empties” their mind. Christianity, in general teaches that good and evil are two personal beings in conflict with each other in the universe! The universe is the arena in which this conflict
takes place rather than their identity. And so, to empty ones mind raises the concern of allowing evil to enter because we are in that arena!
On the other hand Eastern meditative philosophy tends to view the universe as a balance between positive and negative.
Somewhat like the two ends of an apple core. One entity, two poles. This philosophy does not necessarily understand there to be a God or individual entity as such, who is separate from the universe, but rather the sum of its total.
I feel that Christians and those who shun meditation have missed something that can increase healing, health and balance in life. It is possible that Eastern philosophies also come short of explaining what is so often a tension between positive and negative or good and evil. Perhaps meditation is more aligning our mind and body with good, and positive than it is balancing positive and negative or good and evil.
My meditation experience began when I sat down to memorize a short passage. As I focussed on the words and ran them through my mind I began to “switch off” to what was going on around me. As I became more absorbed in what I was doing, other thoughts and “racket” going on in my brain began to get pushed away or shut down. Eventually my mind reached a place where the words I was memorizing were the only thing in my mind, and they were not verbalized.
My mind was operating almost from a subconscious level. The sense of relaxation and de-stress was remarkable. It was physically tangible.
Let me give you an example of how this worked for me. Read the next sentence carefully, BUT as you do, take note of other thoughts that go through your mind, are you ready?
“I can climb mountains”. Now reflect for a moment. What other thoughts went through your mind at the same time as you read that phrase? Analyze these other thoughts for a moment, and compare them with how you read the phrase “I canclimb mountains”. If you are like me, I verbalize most things in my mind as I read them. But other thoughts that gothrough my mind as I read are less verbalized. They are more on the thought level. By the way, did you know that people who can speed read have learnt to read at the thought level. They do not verbalize every word or phrase in their mind. It
is a powerful tool.
Just try this. Sit back, relax, breath deeply and slowly for a minute or two. Now run the phrase “I can climb mountains”through your mind. Do not verbalize it. Run it down to the point where it is purely thought level. Hard? But did you notice that as you did that, other clutter and verbalized thoughts began to get pushed out of your mind?
If you do this for 10-15 minutes you will be amazed at what can happen. A sense of relaxation, energy, and balance can be yours. But, please, don’t sit there thinking about when it is going to happen, or trying to analyze if what you are doing
is working. That is clutter that will stop your mind entering the level of healing, relaxation and release of positive chemicals into your system.

How To Memorize
For me there are three levels or stages to memorizing. The first is where you have learnt something to the stage you can recall it verbally in your mind. The second is when you can say it out loud – in private! The final stage is where you can say it in public! Having said that, if you have a “photographic memory” you will probably just read something through several times and have it perfect.

Most of us have to work hard at it!
Reaching the first stage requires several steps. Let’s say you are memorizing a poem. Read it through several times, getting a feel for the content, creating pictures in your mind to bring it to life. Learn the first line or phrase. Do this in parts if you need to. You may find it useful to either visualize the words, or create pictures in your mind that link to the words for recall.
Next, learn the second line or phrase. Once you have done that, put the two together, and run them through your mind as a whole. Continue this process for each section. Often linking blocks or phrases is where you will have a memory loss!
Be sure to link two or three blocks together and repeat them to create good connections and flow. I am a visual person,so I create a sequence of pictures to keep the flow.
Now move to the next level. Verbalize your poem (in private). You will need to do this several times. Try starting at
different points in the poem. This will help remove those “memory loss patches”! Next try saying your poem in front of others. This is where you will suddenly find out how well it is in your mind.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 3rd April 2010

FAME Pharmaceutical, a local company based in Yangon, has successfully produced a A(H1N1) vaccine, Flower News reported on March 2.

The medicine was produced using Shikimic acid extracted from the Chinese star anise. The acid helps prevent the spread of the A(H1N1) virus, said U Tin Maung Aye, a director of Fame Pharmaceutical.

Roche, an international pharmaceutical company, produces the Tamiflu vaccine based on the Oseltamivir compound derived from the Chinese star anise.

“The [production] method will be different. But we are producing a similar formula to Tamiflu. It can be used even before A(H1N1) symptoms are diagnosed as a preventative measure,” U Tin Maung Aye said.

Protect yourself, protect your community

A new FREE vaccine to protect Australians from pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus is ready. Panvax® H1N1 vaccine was registered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration on 18 September 2009.
There is clear evidence of serious or fatal health complications for some people who catch this flu. It is a new strain of flu that spreads easily from person to person, and experience in other countries shows that this is not just a winter flu – it could come back during spring and summer.

Vaccination is the safest response for the community, particularly as large numbers of people continue to be infected, and some are suffering serious health complications. By getting vaccinated you can protect yourself and help stop this flu spreading.

How a vaccine works

Panvax® H1N1 Vaccine contains extracts of protein from the new flu strain. Once you get vaccinated, proteins prompt your body to produce antibodies to protect you from the virus.
Protection after vaccination varies from person to person, but people generally start producing the antibodies that provide protection two weeks after the vaccination. Protection is expected to last for at least one year.

This vaccine does not contain live virus and cannot give you influenza.

People who should get immediate vaccination

All people can get vaccinated but some people are more at risk of severe outcomes if they catch this flu. Vaccination is strongly recommended for:

• Pregnant women
• Parents and guardians of infants up to six months old
• People with underlying chronic conditions, including:
  • heart disease;
  • asthma and other lung diseases;
  • cancer;
  • diabetes;
  • kidney disease;
  • neurological disease;
  • other chronic conditions (talk to your GP)
• People who are severely obese
• Indigenous Australians
• Frontline health workers
• Community care workers

Where do I get vaccinated? How do I get this vaccine?

Vaccinations will be available from 30 September. Vaccination will be available from a range of locations, including GP offices, vaccination clinics, hospitals and health centres. To check vaccination location in your State or Territory, go to:

Health department websites and phone numbers

WA: call 1800 186 815 or visit http://www.health.wa.gov.au/swine_flu/home/
SA: call 1800 022 222 or visit www.flu.sa.gov.au
VIC: call: 1300 882 008 or visit www.humanswineflu.health.vic.gov.au
TAS: 1800 358 362 (1800 FLU DOC) or visit www.pandemic.tas.gov.au
ACT: call 02 6205 2300 or visit www.health.act.gov.au/flupandemic
NSW: visit www.emergency.health.nsw.gov.au/swineflu/vaccination/index.asp, or call 180 2007 for your local Public Health Unit contact
QLD: 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or vist www.health.qld.gov.au/swineflu/html/vacc.asp
NT: call 08 8922 8044 or visit www.swinefluvax.nt.gov.au

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 18th October 2009

Can be fatal if not treated

It  is an extremely severe form of pneumonia. The cause of Legionnaires’ disease is a bacterium, specifically the bacterium called legionella. This is a disease that is difficult for people to transmit between each other.

Most people come down with this disease by inhaling bacteria out of the air. There are specific groups of people that are more at risk for coming down with this disease. The specific groups of people that are at a high risk for this disease are people that smoke, adults that are older, and people with weakened or damaged immune systems.

Legionella bacterium is also a type of bacterium that can result in a specific type of fever called Pontiac Fever. The Pontiac fever is a milder type of fever that resembles the common flu.

Has been found in commercial air conditioner units and potting mixes with a high level of stagnant moisture.

The good news is that this fever is usually an illness that clears up on its own without serious medical treatment. Most people do not realize that Legionnaires ’ disease can be fatal if it is not treated. The good news is that antibiotics can easily cure the disease, but catching the disease early on is the key to successful treatment.

There are several common symptoms that are related to this unusual disease. In most cases the first symptoms develop anywhere from a couple to fourteen days after taking in legionella bacterium.

Some of the symptoms that you can come down with include headaches, muscle pains, chills, and a fever of over 104 F. By the time you actually have the disease in your system you can also have symptoms of chest pain, fatigue, and loss of appetite. In very severe cases you can even come down with a symptom of mental confusion.

Knowing when to see a doctor can be difficult if you think you have this disease. If you have any of the symptoms you should monitor them extremely closely. If you think you have the disease because of symptoms that you have you should immediately seek medical attention at the doctor’s office.

The key to stopping this disease in its tracks is catching it early in the piece. If you fail to catch this disease early on it will be more difficult to treat. By diagnosing it early you can stop it from spreading to other parts of your body.

If you do come down with the disease you should not panic.

Be aware that it is a disease that is completely treatable so just stay calm and take care of your body!

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 24th August 2009

The latest outbreak of swine flu that has millions of people across a variety of countries sweating like pigs with worry is not the typical swine flu that affects pigs primarily. Swine flu is a new strain of flu that originated in Mexico.

It is a combination of strains of bird, pig, and human flu.

It is important to understand exactly what Swine Flu is and how you can protect yourself from it.

You do not need to be overly concerned or panicked, but you should act with some  caution. The first strain of the flu was found in Mexico and then it began to spread to other parts of the world. As a result WHO raised the pandemic level all the way to level 5. This is one level below a full blown pandemic. By the end of spring of 2009 the Swine Flu had subsided, but health officials were still concerned about it coming up again in the fall.

Swine Flu has been extremely over rated. The reason for this is that thousands of people die from influenza each and every year. The Swine Flu has only killed a few people which is a small number compared to how many deaths fever causes annually.

Usually influenza causes about 350,000 deaths each year.

Most of these influenza deaths are in older people who have weaker immune systems. Some pigs in Canada were even diagnosed with the H1N1 Flu, or Swine Flu. As a result millions of people stopped eating pork. This is not necessary because cooking meat kills the flu. In Egypt, hundreds of thousands of pigs were slaughtered because of the fear of Swine Flu.

One of the most dangerous things about this flu is that it can live on non-living objects. That means if someone has swine flu and coughs on a counter, you can get the flu by touching that counter. That is the main reason as to why people are so scared about this specific strain of the swine flu.

You may want to walk around with a disinfectant so that you can use it on your hands to prevent from getting the swine flu. Washing your hands is one of the best things you can do to prevent yourself from contracting the H1N1 virus. As long as you wash your hands and stay away from sick people you should have no problem avoiding the swine flu.

There is also talk of a vaccine in the works for this particular strain of swine flu but it may not be available until late 2009.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 24th August 2009