Are we at the edge of another pandemic? H5N1

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That is a little bit hard to say. I studies H1N1 (the Spanish Flu of 1918) pandemic. I experienced something similar to this threat about 40 years ago. It was caused by chigger bites and it almost killed me. Perhaps what we are dealing with is a virus that crosses the line between a negative and positive RNA. It flips to the other side.

There are two versions of H5N1. One is called Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and it can be very deadly. But there is a more common type that causes only minor problems to humans. Flu, or influenza, is a contagious respiratory infection caused by a variety of flu viruses. Symptoms of flu involve muscle aches and soreness, headache, and fever. They may be two different sides of the same coin.

The other point is that this type of plague is so fast. As seen in H1N1, you can die within 24 hours of showing symptoms. So you have to have a plan of action in place from day one. So if I am correct and this upcoming plague is caused by insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, it is very important to act quickly because time is very short and once symptoms begin to appear it is almost too late.

For a few years when I was growing up as a teenager, I lived in Dallas, Texas. It is the site of the Texas State Fair. Each year they gave us one day off from school in order to attend the Texas State Fair. But now there is a pandemic taking place in animals called H5N1. So Texas has decided to test all Cattle before they are allowed inside the fair.

State Fair of Texas to test cattle for bird flu amid multistate outbreak

Fairs across the country have made changes as avian influenza has spread to dairy cattle.

Cattle at the State Fair of Texas this year must have a negative test for Avian Flu, also known as Bird Flu, completed within seven days of arrival as concerns about the spread of the virus have swept through animal exhibitions across the country.

Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated two cattle herds in Texas tested positive in the past 30 days. The State Fair of Texas is following requirements from the Texas Animal Health Commission to mandate lactating dairy cattle test negative for the virus within seven days of arriving at the fair.



America, land of the free, home of the brave.

Another look at H5N1 outbreak in humans around the globe.

Cambodia reports fatal H5N1 avian flu case

Cambodia's health ministry today reported another human H5N1 avian flu case, the country's tenth of the year, according to a statement translated and posted by Avian Flu Diary, an infectious disease news blog.

The patient was a 15-year-old girl from Prey Veng province who died from her infection on August 20. An investigation found that chickens had died in the village 5 days before the girl became ill and that she had touched and held dead chickens.

Two earlier cases this summer

Cambodia reported two other H5N1 cases earlier this summer, both from Svay Rieng province. The patients—a 4-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl—were both hospitalized for their infections and both had contact with dead poultry before they got sick.

The cases are part of an uptick in H5N1 cases in Cambodia, which has now reported 18 since early 2023.

So far, the clade of the H5N1 virus that infected the most recent patient isn't known, but many earlier infections involved an older clade called 2.3.2.1c, which is known to circulate in poultry in some Asian countries, including Cambodia. The H5N1 clade is distinct from the 2.3.4.4b clade circulating globally, including in the United States, where the virus has also infected dairy cows, poultry, and a few farm workers.

It seems like Australia is beginning to take the H5N1 threat seriously.

Scientists brace for highly destructive, seemingly ceaseless disease spread by birds: 'Not if, but when'

The Australian government has warned residents to prepare themselves for the spread of a devastating disease whose arrival appears to be inevitable.

As explained by the Guardian, "a highly pathogenic and contagious strain" of bird flu is likely to reach Australia through its Antarctic territory and Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean. The virulent H5N1 Avian flu strain has already killed millions of seabirds, wild birds, and poultry overseas.

Government agencies led by the Australian Antarctic Division were informed during a planning exercise earlier in August that the arrival of the disease was a case of "not if, but when."

The H5N1 strain was confirmed in western Antarctica in February and has also claimed the lives of an estimated 30,000 sea lions and 17,000 southern elephant seal pups in the Antarctic region, per the Guardian.

Dr. Louise Emmerson, a seabird ecologist with the Antarctic division, warned that the strain could arrive in Australia's Antarctic territory or on Macquarie Island when animals migrate back to the area during the spring.

According to the Guardian, Australia is the only continent in the world that has yet to experience the H5N1 strain of the bird flu. Since 2003, other variants have caused over 400 deaths in humans and over 900 cases.

I came across an article today that discussed a very unique research facility. The National Animal Disease Center, a government research facility in Iowa where 43 scientists work with pigs, cows and other animals, pushing to solve the bird flu outbreak currently spreading through U.S. animals — and develop ways to stop it.

The campus has 93 buildings, including a high-containment laboratory building whose exterior is reminiscent of a modern megachurch but inside features a series of compartmentalized corridors and rooms, some containing infected animals. That’s where scientists work with more dangerous germs, including the H5N1 bird flu. There’s also a building with three floors of offices that houses animal disease researchers as well as a testing center that is a “for animals” version of the CDC labs in Atlanta that identify rare (and sometimes scary) new human infections.

This facility is being used by the U.S. to experiment with diseases in animals. If they can find a cure for H5N1 in animals, then perhaps they can stop the transition to humans.

A bird flu outbreak is spreading among cows in the US. Scientists are hunting for answers

The research exposed four yearling heifers to a virus-carrying mist and then squirted the virus into the teats and udders of two lactating cows. The first four cows got infected but had few symptoms. The second two got sicker — suffering diminished appetite, a drop in milk production and producing thick, yellowish milk.

(Heifer are any young, female, domestic bovine that has not produced offspring. At birth, a female calf is often termed a “heifer calf.)

I came across an article from California.

COVID-19 Spikes This Summer in Calif. as the Bird Flu Lurks

There also have been reports of bird flu outbreaks in the United States this summer. Is that a new threat?

Chin-Hong said not in the short term, but “in the medium and long term, a big yes.”

One of the reasons this may be a big problem in the future is that the incidents of major influenza pandemics in the past, such as the 1918 flu, have all arisen from bird flu originally. Chin-Hong said the particular bird flu circulating now (H5N1) has been steadily crossing species from birds to various mammals in the past few years, picking up mutations that enable the virus to infect a new species like cattle.

“We are currently not controlling the outbreak in dairy cattle and the longer we fail to control it, the easier the chance that there will eventually be a mutation that allows it to enter humans efficiently and lead to human-to-human spread,” Chin-Hong said.

He said the whole reason the bird flu is more dangerous in humans is similar to the reason why COVID-19 was more dangerous in the early part of the pandemic: “Our bodies were simply not used to seeing this virus so there is no population-level immunity.”

The mortality rate of H1N1 was so fast and destructive, killing many millions of people in 1917. But then it seemed to go away. I suspect that a H5N1 pandemic in humans may follow the same path. When this version of a human pandemic begins it will be very deadly but the virus will quickly change as new variants develop. These variants will be more contagious but at the same time less deadly.

Also the other point that is worth mentioning is the depth of the infection. The human body is capable of dealing with one or two new virus cells. For COVID one has to have around 50 virus cells in order to catch the disease. So in my humble opinion, if one can limit the number of cells in the body, a person can develop an immune response. That may be the reason why I never got COVID. I was up and about even during the very beginning of COVID when it was so dangerous. But I took precautions to limit my exposure.

Last edited by jimmy m on 24 Aug 2024, 10:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

H5N1 is spreading through poultry in Poland.

Poland reports outbreak of bird flu on poultry farm, WOAH says

ARIS (Reuters) - Poland has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza, or bird flu, on a poultry farm in the west of country, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Friday.

The virus killed 5,854 poultry birds at a farm in the town of Swiebodzin, with the rest of the 14,730-strong flock slaughtered, in the first such outbreak since February, WOAH said, citing a report from the Polish authorities.

Another encrypted article showed up. I wonder what it says?

RI (Rhode Island) recommends high schools reschedule sports because of mosquito risk

PROVIDENCE – The state is advising residents and schools to consider rescheduling outdoor activities because of an elevated risk for mosquito-borne diseases in Rhode Island and neighboring states.

The "smart scheduling" recommendation suggests avoiding outdoor activities in the early morning or at dusk to reduce the risk of mosquito bites and catching diseases mosquitoes carry, including the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV).

Earlier this summer, Rhode Island announced 17 EEE virus findings and five WNV findings. The state reported the season's first case of WNV in a human last week.

The state agencies say it's also "notable that EEE virus and WNV has been detected in several Massachusetts and Connecticut communities bordering Rhode Island." Connecticut announced 27 EEE virus findings, 192 WNV findings, one JCV finding, one human case of WNV, and an animal case of EEE virus in a deer. Massachusetts has announced 262 WNV findings, 69 EEE findings, one human case of EEE virus, one animal case of EEE virus, and two human cases of WNV.

How dangerous are mosquito-borne diseases?

EEE virus is extremely rare in humans but about 30% of people with EEE virus die, and many survivors have ongoing neurological problems, according to the state agencies.

WNV is much more prevalent than EEE virus, but most people infected with WNV do not feel sick. About one in five people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About one out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal illness.

JCV commonly causes fever, headache and fatigue, and it can also cause severe disease, including encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

-- Put screens on windows and doors. Fix screens that are loose or have holes.
-- Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during the evening or early morning at sunrise and sundown (when mosquitoes carrying the EEE virus are most active). If you must be outside, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants and use insect repellent.
-- Use EPA-approved insect repellent with one of the following active ingredients: DEET (20%-30% strength), picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus or paramenthane. Always read the label and follow all directions and precautions.
-- Do not use insect repellent with DEET on infants under 2 months of age. Check the product label to find the concentration of DEET in a product. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that repellents contain no more than 30% DEET when used on children. Children should be careful not to rub their eyes after bug spray has been applied on their skin. Wash children’s hands with soap and water to remove any bug spray when they return indoors.
-- Put mosquito netting over playpens and baby carriages.
-- Remove mosquito breeding grounds.
-- Remove items around your house and yard that collect water. Just one cup of water can produce hundreds of mosquitoes; an unused tire containing water can produce thousands of mosquitoes.
-- Clean your gutters and downspouts so that they can drain properly.
-- Remove any water from unused swimming pools, wading pools, boats, planters, trash and recycling bins, tires and anything else that collects water, and cover them.
-- Remove or treat any shallow water that can accumulate on top of a pool cover. Larvicide treatments, such as Mosquito Dunks can be applied to kill immature mosquitoes. This environmentally friendly product is available at many hardware and garden stores and online.
-- Clean and change water in birdbaths at least once a week.

I consider West Nile Virus and H5N1 Bird Flu Virus to be like twins. Mosquitoes and other insects are transmission agents that transport the infected blood from one infected bird/animal/human to an uninfected bird/animal/human. Insects act as a transmission agent for the disease.

You are a good example of why people are so skeptical. This post is 10 pages long yet you've made a majority of the entries. It appears you are only trying to sell your book. I feel people also realize the purpose of drug companies is to make money. It is beneficial to them to convince you that you need their vaccine/ booster whether you really do or not

No I am not trying to sell a book. I am trying to provide a means of surviving the next pandemic H5N1. It is very different then COVID. It is many times more deadly and unlike COVID attacks the young and middle age adults. And it spreads so very quickly.

They missed something.
They missed something that was very, very important.
They missed RATS.

As H5N1 is moving up the line of many, many animals, there is one animal that should be watched very closely. It is a relative of mice. The animal is rats. Rats live in major cities in large numbers.

According to Oh, Rats! Chicago Tops Orkin’s Rattiest Cities List for Ninth Consecutive Year

The top 20 cities in the U.S. for RATS are:

1. CHICAGO
2. LOS ANGELES
3. NEW YORK
4. WASHINGTON, DC
5. SAN FRANCISCO
6. PHILADELPHIA
7. BALTIMORE
8. DENVER
9. DETROIT
10. CLEVELAND-AKRON
11. MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL
12. SEATTLE
13. BOSTON
14. ATLANTA
15. INDIANAPOLIS
16. PITTSBURGH
17. HARTFORD
18. COLUMBUS, OH
19. MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE
20. HOUSTON

The number of rats in the U.S. is enormous. For example one article claims there are around 3 million rats in New York City alone.

So in my humble opinion, if we are recording H5N1 bird flu in cats and mice, they will probably show up in RATS (that is if we take a close look for them). If they are in RATS then they are present in our large cities in the U.S.

I came across an article that discusses the H1N1 pandemic that struck the world in 1918.

Why So Lethal?

Most influenza outbreaks show a mortality curve that is U-shaped, with most victims being either the very young, or very old. The 1918 influenza was unique; its curve is W-shaped, with a high incidence of mortality at the mean of 28 years old. Both younger and older victims had less mortality than was expected for this outbreak as well. It is now suspected that prior contact with earlier influenza strains either strengthened or weakened the immune system of the population at the time, depending on which strain they were exposed to earlier in life.

Influenza attacks the immune system of its host through the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) antigens that protrude from its surface. There are 15 different HA shapes and nine NA; this is where virus subtypes get their name H1N1, H5N1, etc. These foreign antigens cause a response in the immune system, which sends defenses to fight off the intruders. Dendritic cells engulf invading antigens and "read" them, then travel to the spleen and lymph nodes, where other white cells "learn" that the new antigens are invaders. They in turn produce killer cells and antibodies to go fight the infection. Enzymes are also released, killing targets, raising body temperatures, and communicating with white blood cells to send them where they are needed. Body aches, a familiar symptom of the flu, are caused by the bone marrow churning out thousands of white blood cells to defeat the invading virus. After an illness, some of these white blood cells "remember" these specific antigens and the person's immune system will recognize and kill the virus off in short order should it invade again. For many diseases, this is enough to render the person immune to the antigen and to the microorganisms that cause it.

Influenza, however, has antigens that mutate very quickly, and the immune system has a difficult time keeping up. This is called "antigen drift.” Antigen drift is the reason a new vaccine is for seasonal flu is required each year; epidemiologists have to guess which strain with which mutations is likely to be the one circulating that year. When the antigens shift, the body no longer recognizes them as invaders, and few people will have immunity to the new virus. In this way a disease can quickly explode in an unprotected population.

A second factor in the virulence of influenza, particularly for young adult victims, was the virus' ability to trigger a "cytokine storm," an immune system overreaction in which cytokines activate immune cells to fight the infection. The immune cells then signal more cytokines to active yet more cells. In some diseases, this can start an unending feedback loop where more and more cells are sent to fight the infection and they in turn signal more cells to come. Because young people have more robust immune systems, they disproportionately suffered from this complication. Cytokine storms caused viral pneumonia, severe Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), organ failure, and heliotrope cyanosis, in which the patient turned blue due to lack of oxygen in the bloodstream. It could also render the patient vulnerable to opportunistic diseases such as bacterial pneumonia.

What role did RATS and INSECTS play in World War I and the rise of a H1N1 pandemic called the Spanish Flu?

According to Wikipedia

Trench rats were rodents that were found around the frontline trenches of World War I. Due to massive amounts of debris, corpses, and a putrid environment, rats at the trenches bred at a rapid pace. The rats likely numbered in the millions. The rats played a role in damaging the soldiers' health, psyche and morale and were responsible for lack of sleep, adding to the filthy conditions and unsanitary hygiene in the trenches. As such, the trench rats left a lasting impression on the Allied soldiers who served on the Western Front, with veterans who served in the French and British armies speaking about their horrible experiences with rats during interviews.

When living in the trenches along the Western Front, food and waste created by soldiers drew the rats in. The environment in the trenches was optimal for a rat's breeding ground: with an abundance of corpses, food, shelter, water and waste, the rats were able to breed quickly. Rats could be found wherever soldiers were; where they ate, where they slept, where they fought. There are estimations that show it is possible there were more rats than soldiers in trenches. Rats, being nocturnal creatures, would often be active during times when soldiers were trying to rest. Only those with high enough status would be given "anti-rat beds" while the rest of the soldiers would have practically no form of protection against them. It was not uncommon for rats to crawl across the faces of sleeping soldiers or even eat food straight from soldiers' hands as they became more accustomed to human presence. Attempts to separate food from the rats would prove to be futile, as rats were bold and snatched the food from the pockets of sleeping soldiers anyway. In addition to eating the food rations of soldiers, rats also had a proclivity to eat the candles of soldiers, taking away a source of light in an already dangerous environment.

Rats are known for carrying various contagious diseases. The close proximity between the soldiers and the rats led to these diseases being spread throughout the trenches. The most common of these would be typhus, bartonellosis (also known as trench fever), and leptospirosis. These diseases could take a massive toll on the soldiers, with trench fever possibly pulling a soldier away from the front lines for months at a time. Rats were carriers of lice. Lice can also transmit disease and played a role in spreading trench fever amongst the soldiers.

Like Mosquitoes, Lice is another insect that is know to spread diseases.

Anoplura are important parasites of both humans and animals. In humans, louse infestation is known as pediculosis if caused by head or body lice, and as pthiriasis if caused by pubic lice. Pediculosis is a contagious parasitic infestation, transmitted from human-to-human by close contact or, in body lice, via infested clothes or bed linen. The most common louse infestation in humans is pediculosis capitis (caused by Pediculus humanus capitis), particularly affecting school children between three and 11 years, and clinically manifesting as scalp pruritus. It is estimated that head lice infest more than 100 million people worldwide. Pediculosis corporis (caused by Pediculus humanus humanus) is a major public health concern, mainly occurring in crowded human communities, such as refugee camps or shelters for homeless, where hygiene is poor and clothes or linen are not washed regularly. At homeless shelters in Europe, the prevalence of body lice can reach over 20%. The clinical signs of body lice infestation include intense pruritus and cutaneous rash, associated with allergy to the bites. In chronic infestations, the skin becomes thickened. Pubic lice, Pthirus pubis, cause pubic pruritus.

Due to their blood feeding behaviour, body lice can transmit a great variety of diseases.

Lice (Phthiraptera) - Factsheet for health professionals

Indian state culls chickens after bird flu outbreak

The state of Odisha in eastern India has culled more than a thousand chickens after a positive test for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza, or bird flu, a state government official told Reuters yesterday.

The epicentre of the outbreak was in the Puri district, about 30.5 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar, and follows the recent death of 1,800 birds at a local poultry farm.

“We are going to cull about 20,000 birds,” Additional Director of Disease Control, Dr. Jagannath Nanda told Reuters.

I have come to the conclusion that RATS play a role in the transmission of H5N1 in cities big and small throughout the United States. But where is the research? Millions of rats live in many of our large cities. They are hidden. But where is the research that explores this thought? I dug deep, really deep, and found some from a published article from 2016.

The role of rodents in avian influenza outbreaks in poultry farms: a review

The article begins by saying:

Wild migratory birds are associated with global avian influenza virus (AIV) spread. Although direct contact with wild birds and contaminated fomites is unlikely in modern non-free range poultry farms applying biosecurity measures, AIV outbreaks still occur. This suggests involvement of other intermediate factors for virus transmission between wild birds and poultry. This review describes current evidence of the potential role of rodents in AIV transmission from wild birds to poultry and between poultry houses.

So what is the definition of a rodent?

The single largest group of mammals is the Rodentia. Most non-flying mammals are rodents: there are about 1,500 living rodent species (out of about 4,000 living mammals overall). Most people are familiar with mice, rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs, which are commonly kept as pets. The Rodentia also includes beavers, muskrats, porcupines, woodchucks, chipmunks, squirrels, prairie dogs, marmots, chinchillas, voles, lemmings, and many others.

Rodents are found native on all continents except Antarctica. One particular family of rodents, the Muridae, contains over 1100 species: over a quarter of all mammal species are rats, mice, voles, muskrats, lemmings, hamsters, gerbils, and other members of the Muridae. However, rodents show perhaps their greatest diversity of form in South America, which was an isolated continent for much of the Cenozoic. A few of these distinctive South American rodents include mountain viscachas, rabbit-like forms that inhabit dry mountainous regions; Patagonian cavies, very rabbit-like, fast-running forms with elongated ears and short tails; the coypu or nutria, a large marsh-dwelling rodent that has been introduced into North America and is hunted for its fur; and various burrowing forms such as pacas and tuco-tucos. Other South American rodents include guinea pigs, chinchillas, and New World porcupines (one species of which has dispersed into North America). The capybara, yet another South American species, is the largest living rodent. About the size of a pig, and reaching a maximum weight of 50 kg (110 pounds), the capybara is truly a rodent of unusual size. Capybaras live along rivers in the llanos (plains) of South America, and are often hunted or even ranched for their meat.

Introduction to the Rodentia

As bird flu cases go underreported, health officials risk being slow to notice if the virus were to become more contagious. A large surge of infections outside of farmworker communities would trigger the government’s flu surveillance system, but by then it might be too late to contain.

Bird flu cases are going undetected, new study suggests

I agree with that statement. We are flying blind. We have limited our surveillance to only farm workers. We may be in the middle of a very dangerous epidemic. But totally unaware and when it becomes so large that it can no longer be hidden, A STATE OF PANIC will take place.

“We need to figure out what we can do to stop this thing,” Gray (Gregory Gray, the infectious disease researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch) said. “It is not just going away.”

But testing for bird flu among farmworkers remains rare, which is why Gray’s research stands out as the first to look for signs of prior, undiagnosed infections in people who had been exposed to sick dairy cattle — and who had become ill and recovered.

Gray’s team detected signs of prior bird flu infections in workers from two dairy farms that had outbreaks in Texas earlier this year. They analyzed blood samples from 14 farmworkers who had not been tested for the virus and found antibodies against it in two. This is a nearly 15% hit rate from only two dairy farms out of more than 170 with bird flu outbreaks in 13 states this year.

One of the workers with antibodies had been taking medicine for a lingering cough when he agreed to allow researchers to analyze his blood in April. The other had recently recovered from a respiratory illness. She didn’t know what had caused it but told researchers that untested farmworkers around her had been sick too.