Next flu pandemic could wreak global havoc, scientists warn

By Anita Manning, USA TODAY

The warning sirens are screaming: A deadly, contagious strain of flu will emerge, possibly soon, flu experts say, and the world is not ready to deal with it.


Pandemic influenza occurs periodically throughout history, causing widespread illness and death, overwhelming medical systems and wreaking chaos in societies. These viruses are highly contagious, and because they are new, no one is immune.


Influenza is serious enough, killing an average of 36,000 people in the USA every year, but because it is caused by strains of the virus that are known to be circulating in the world, vaccines can be prepared to prevent it. This year, a strain that doesn't match up exactly with those in the vaccine has emerged and raised serious concerns, but experts believe the vaccine will still offer some protection.


Using current technologies, it takes as long as six months to create flu vaccines.


"The world will be in deep trouble if the impending influenza pandemic strikes this week, this month, or even this year," write international flu experts Richard Webby and Robert Webster of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.


In an article in Friday's Science, they argue that new methods to produce flu vaccines rapidly are known, but have not yet been tested. "What's necessary is to do trial runs and demonstrate these (new vaccines) are safe," Webster said during a press briefing.


Also needed is a stockpile of anti-viral drugs that can be used to treat or prevent the spread of flu. Current supplies would last only days in a pandemic, Webster said, "but no country has yet invested in stockpiling."


It was international flu surveillance that helped alert the world to SARS this past spring.


In addition to new vaccine technologies and anti-flu drugs, he says, "you need the best surveillance possible, particularly in places where you think a virus might emerge."


It has been more than 30 years since the last pandemic, and "we're overdue," Webster says.


"Flu keeps knocking on the door. We've seen enough incidences over the past three or four years to make us very alarmed."



http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&ncid=676&e=9&u=/usatoday/20031201/ts_usatoday/12043541

morpheus, thank you for spreading panic you brainless pussy dimwit.

Last year we had a terrible SARS epidemy. You see with SARS, you only had a 91% chance of survival, and horrible symptoms like "headache" and "overall discomfort". Jesus Christ run for the hills.

Now we have another enemy. The "flu". Oh my god, watch out plague. This one is going to wipe us out. I am 20 in January, and i never tried a flu vaccine in my life. And look at me, i am alive and kicking.
Pray to your gods. The flu is coming. Lord knows how we are going to survive. It does not matter that each one of us goes through cold or flu or influenza at least once a year.

morpheus stop being such a pussy speading panic all over the place.

i heard that the plague is gonna make a come back next summer, its gonna rock

it's not called spreading panic, it's called giving out relevant information pertaining to everyone in an attempt at educating the masses in hopes of some type of prevention.

"A deadly, contagious strain of flu will emerge, possibly soon, flu experts say, and the world is not ready to deal with it."

unfortunately, you, in you're infinite almost (chuckle) 20 years of wisdom, have once again missed the point. good job.

and please, keep these arguments coming. one thing i simply love to do is make people such as you look like the fools that you truly are. and considering you're such an easy target, it makes it just that much more enjoyable for me.

nice
very nice
i love hearing bout new epidemies :D
its kinda interesting what a lil thing can make to this "great civilization"
will be as funneh as the SARS i hope...
every once in a while u get new stuff like that, and humanity finds it hard to fight it...
that just shows us that us much as the human are intelligent, they cant fight lil bacterias and sh!t :D

btw, at least it aint the black plague... that would be kinda hard to us :D

well, there have been rumours floating around for a while now about the plague and biological weapons. if that came to a head, we'd really be screwed.

jsut remeber if you have fire around you the black plague with not effect you if you don't come in physical contact witha person that has it, a pope or a king ordered huge flames beside his chair, it kills whatever causes it the batceria or virus or whatever

I guess he got burned alive instead :>

yeah....i could really care less cause you can pretty much only get the "flu" if your a moron and dont like washing hands, or you like to share food with everyone you know and decide, "HEY!i'm gunna go eat my lunch with my dirty-ass hands today!" Only morons get the flu. and BTW flu shots dont even work, the flu mutates to different strains so much that they can only vaccinate you for 1 strain and the other ones can still get you. not much to be scared of :(

hmm
than i guess the black plague wont get me if i burn myself...
anyone up for a good case of spontanious combustion? that can stop me from gettin the black plague...
i can also drink 29 liters of good old vodka, my body will be so hot nothing will affect me...
(i know ill be laughing bout this reply when ill be sober :D)

have u guys heard of the "Spanish Flu"?

BMF, it aint the ordinary run of the mill strain.. when it pops up again(and it will) it will kill almost every 4th person on th planet..(according to my science teacher)

dont call morph a pussy for stating the facts.. chances are u might be around to drop your nuts aswell when it comes around..

ack! enough flaming about the flames i get it =/

Yeah, I think I've heard of Spanish Flu, didn't that happen in the 1910's?

well, the seriousness of this is real enough for hospitals across the country to make the MANDATORY requirement of wearing a face mask as of entering if you have any type of flu symptoms, so...

I'm not really worried; Australia has some of the strictest customs in the world, and John Howard's sitting there with a shotgun, shooting everyone that trys to sail in.

quote:well, the seriousness of this is real enough for hospitals across the country to make the MANDATORY requirement of wearing a face mask as of entering if you have any type of flu symptoms, so...

DUH its a hospital dude. Sick people go there

Stop whining like a bunch of school girls. "Omg we all gonna die!!" Who gives a [:-censored].

quote:Originally posted by BMF

DUH its a hospital dude. Sick people go there


well, at least we now know that you somewhat have a grasp for the obvious, but unfortunately, you've once again totally missed the point. the point in wearing the masks is to prevent the spread in an attempt to hold off an epidemic.

quote:Originally posted by BMF

Stop whining like a bunch of school girls.


as the old adage goes, "practice what you preach"


quote:Originally posted by BMF

Who gives a [:-censored].



and if you truly don't give a [:-censored] why do you reply? oh, i'm sorry, i forgot. you're only here to seek attention again. well, now that you've gotten your "fix", hopefully you'll be able to sleep better tonight.

i sleep like a baby, but thanks for your concern

glad to know it, and glad i could be of help. now if i only could help you to quit acting like a baby... well, i guess that would take a miracle from god. oh well, i tried at least.

all the flu is, is natural selection my friends, the stronger survive, the weaker die. its all the circle of life :)

OH NO! 11 CHILDREN DIED THE HANDS OF THE FLU IN THE US. More people have died from kissing their dogs.

BMF: For the record, I wasn't whining.

Even more perished from sexual intercourse with their pet lizards...

well dont hope it hits Europe SARS didnt

frogboy: For the record, I am proud of you

i died of kissing my dog...

quote:Originally posted by BMF
morpheus, thank you for spreading panic you brainless pussy dimwit.

Last year we had a terrible SARS epidemy. You see with SARS, you only had a 91% chance of survival, and horrible symptoms like "headache" and "overall discomfort". Jesus Christ run for the hills.
once again, i laugh my ass off thanks to BMF

just dont post an ebaums pic

well, well, there's aerial, enjoying another half baked argument. who would've guessed it?

and bmf, the temp in hell must've just dropped a few hundred degrees, because for once, i actually agree with you. (about ebaums, that is. which is of course, one of aerials favorite hangout spots)

lol... BMF having a 91% chance of survival isnt that good you know and considering the hype/money that had been thrown by governments around the world into finding a cure for SARS, clues u into its seriousness...

... And John Howard shooting everyone that tries to swim into Australia is good.

that too... :)