Letter to the New Zealand Listener (Nov 5-11)

Bird Flu

1 It has been around for many years.

2. It is species-specific.

3. If it mutates it may or may not affect humans.

4. Most mutations fail to survive.

5. It could swap its genetic structure with pig flu and give a disease in pigs.

6. The present strain is not easily transmitted to humans without large doses of the virus inhaled from infected birds.

7. It is not easily transmitted from human to human – no cold, with a sneeze or cough. It causes severe pneumonia.

8. Avian flu is being monitored by the World Health Organisation. Any viral change will be observed and any epidemic isolated and its spread slowed. This is not 1918. Public health measures are worldwide – eg, Sars.

9. As to any direct treatment of influenza, it will take about six months to prepare a vaccine against any new virus.

10. Drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza have been around for past known influenza virus epidemics – eg, H2, Hong Kong, etc. They were then not used by doctors for patients because of their lack of effectiveness. By the time the patient had developed flu-like symptoms it was too late to use the medication.

11. If there is a new human influenza virus, we do not know how it will behave and what will treat it.

12. There are large vested interests wanting to promote the idea of a pandemic threat for (a) research institutes looking for funds (b) drug manufacturers promoting product (c) unproven protective equipment.

Media hype is pushing it all along.

The sky is not falling in. There are many more serious threats to world health, such as AIDS, TB, malaria, that are already killing millions.

There are so far about 60 human deaths worldwide from avian flu.

If there is a major new strain it is likely to come from southern China or an Asian country where people live alongside pigs and poultry, and may get both human and bird flu.

I ask people to be rational. Don't waste your money. Wait until the WHO does its job, and attend to personal hygiene.

The lack of scientific knowledge portrayed by the reporting of the information on bird flu is disturbing. The avian virus, thus far, is bird-specific – i.e., does not spread easily to humans.

Dr Terry Jones A GP of 35 years' experience (Papamoa)