Health Ministry Puts Thailand On High Alert For Bird Flu

[Buchholz]

Although there is no vaccine for the bird flu, a regular flu shot will probably go a long way to reducing the risk of getting it.

Is there any medical basis behind saying that?

Center for Disease Control says just the opposite.

>>Does seasonal influenza vaccine protect against avian influenza infection in people?

No. Seasonal influenza vaccine does not provide protection against avian influenza.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/qa.h

As I said, and I was told my an infectious disease specialist here in Thailand, it will probably go a long way toward 'reducing the risk'. It doesn't prevent it, but then a vaccination doesn't necessarily prevent the target disease anyway.

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Oh ok, thanks.

I think I'll stick with the CDC's stance that it simply does not provide protection, which I interpret as "to any degree", as otherwise they would have said it does reduce the risk to some degree.

You are correct that vaccines do not prevent a disease, but they do reduce the risk of contracting a disease. If the seasonal influenza vaccine did reduce the risk of contracting avian influenza, the CDC would have said that, but they are of the expert opinion that it does reduce the risk.

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btw, that CDC Q&A link provides a lot of very helpful advice and information on other aspects regarding avian influenza from the world authorities on the issue.

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Edited March 6, 2013 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

I hope it's not a bird flu caught from a chicken :

Yesterday I've eaten a pad thai chicken in a little restaurant soi 38 (Sukhumvit, Bangkok), located far on the right in the soi 38 but I don't know the name of the restaurant

the chicken was all grey, the taste was really awful !

I've wanted to eject that from my mouth, but the owner was looking at me, and I was a bit dissapointed about "lose their face" concept...

so I've eaten just one piece of chicken, and sorted out the other piece of chicken on the side of the plate...

4 hours later I've been sick like hell, 45 minutes over the toilets, I was more than 20 hours ago, and I still feel weird...

I hope it's just a little food intoxication and not a bird flu (that I suppose would take 3-5 days to really appear... but maybe there are some precursor symtoms like that ?)

By the way, it's now the time to stop pad thai "chicken" for pad thai "prawns"... for a while

The CDC fact sheet link covers symptoms, amongst other aspects

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm

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Edited March 6, 2013 by Buchholz

[Ian Curtis]

Think I'll have to stop going out with birds!

[Buchholz]

Think I'll have to stop going out with birds!

Foxes are much better.

.

[abq2020]

flu shots are absolutely worthless and I still find it amazing that people here still get them.

The research is out there and still hands down the best defense and cure for the flu is vitamin D.

A shot of mercury, msg, antifreeze, egg proteins, dna from monkeys, cows, pigs, eggs, and viruses

in some kind of autoimmune response causing base just doesn't make sense to me.

While I would agree that some flu shots have been, are, or will be worthless, most are at least helpful, if not a necessity, for "at risk" populations (children, elderly, etc.). The specific targeted protections of almost every flu vaccine are determined in advance of each flu season based on educated guesses (epidemiological predictions) regarding expected strains of virus for that year. Never can precisely predict strains, mutations, contacts, infectiousness, etc...sometimes they guess right, and sometimes they don't. When it comes to the recent avian and pig flu outbreaks, the vaccines were or are being developed based on current virus make-up. When virus mutations occur, and they will, the existing vaccines likely will be or become ineffective or less effective. All of that you and everyone else reading this already know.

Regarding research on the topic. That with which I am familiar strongly supports protection via vaccines, especially for referenced at-risk populations. WIth a few exceptions, the vast majority of research has found (and will always find I surmise) that prevention by vaccine is the most effective alternative. Of course avoiding contact with the virus is the best prevention,but who can control that unless we live in a clean bubble.

Also, there in no cure for the flu. There are medicines which help to lessen the effect of the symptoms; however, there is no cure. Not antivirals, not 'Old Wife's Remedies,' and not Vitamin D. Could you kindly provide the research references/citations which support your assertions regarding that? Thx.

[isaanpaul]

MaiThai your symtoms sounds a bit like denge fever?

I'm not surprised so many people are so ignorant on this subject

I used to get a "flu" shot EVERY year for 10 years in my birth country BEFORE the sick season hit practically like clockwork, a vaccine normally came out in October and I NEVER got horribly sick from any flu virus after getting one...

Been in Thailand for many years now and have NEVER seen offer of a flu shot ANYWHERE ANYTIME and been horribly sick three different times (and avoided going anywhere so not to make anyone else feel like me)

I did have to drag myself down to the closest pharmacy for some antibiotics each time which knocked "the bug" down within a couple days...

This last ( recent ) episode I seriously thought I was going to die and still don't have any idea where I caught the bug, could have been any handrail, doorknob, (beer condoms which I ALWAYS avoid now) or could have been money handed back to me after shopping...

Been ripped-off twice now by clinics misdiagnosing a problem then selling me drugs that were completely ineffective , hospitals are much better and relatively inexpensive in my experience

I suspect I will likely meet my demise by getting hit by a WORTHLESS and DANGEROUS oversised tour bus or some idiot on a Harley-Davidson/pissant scooter driver racing in and out out of traffic before I die of any form of bird flu, at least you can hear the Harley-Davidsons coming from two miles away

It only takes one moron carrying a flu bug to get 100 people or more sick

RANT over...

MaiThaiMai

[ataloss]

Senior doctor at a local hospital warned me off when I went there recently for a flu shot. I took his advice. Happy to hear the CDC advises against it, too.

Trouble is, I'm only now recovering from a 3-week bout of what I suspect is the flu: damned if you do, damned if you don't, it seems.

I stayed home, wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Not sure now, how to prevent my coming down again with the flu...seriously bad news.

[Buchholz]

Senior doctor at a local hospital warned me off when I went there recently for a flu shot. I took his advice. Happy to hear the CDC advises against it, too.

Trouble is, I'm only now recovering from a 3-week bout of what I suspect is the flu: damned if you do, damned if you don't, it seems.

I stayed home, wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Not sure now, how to prevent my coming down again with the flu...seriously bad news.

.

You didn't say what what type of flu shot you went to to the hospital to get, so just to be clear on the CDC's stance.

They are only advising that the seasonal flu shot does not provide protection against the bird flu and so advise taking a seasonal flu shot for that purpose.

If someone wants to have a season flu shot to provide protection against the seasonal flu, they do recommend that.

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Edited March 7, 2013 by Buchholz

[blackthorn2005]

Oh dear, I have just returned from a visa run to Burma, yes I said Burma, not Myanmar. There was a Russian male in the minibus, who clearly did not shower this morning, he really stank, unfortunately he sneezed all the way there and all the way back, no tissues of course.

[Buchholz]

Oh dear, I have just returned from a visa run to Burma, yes I said Burma, not Myanmar. There was a Russian male in the minibus, who clearly did not shower this morning, he really stank, unfortunately he sneezed all the way there and all the way back, no tissues of course.

the solution

[MaiThaiMai]

MaiThai your symtoms sounds a bit like denge fever?

I'm not surprised so many people are so ignorant on this subject

I used to get a "flu" shot EVERY year for 10 years in my birth country BEFORE the sick season hit practically like clockwork, a vaccine normally came out in October and I NEVER got horribly sick from any flu virus after getting one...

Been in Thailand for many years now and have NEVER seen offer of a flu shot ANYWHERE ANYTIME and been horribly sick three different times (and avoided going anywhere so not to make anyone else feel like me)

I did have to drag myself down to the closest pharmacy for some antibiotics each time which knocked "the bug" down within a couple days...

This last ( recent ) episode I seriously thought I was going to die and still don't have any idea where I caught the bug, could have been any handrail, doorknob, (beer condoms which I ALWAYS avoid now) or could have been money handed back to me after shopping...

Been ripped-off twice now by clinics misdiagnosing a problem then selling me drugs that were completely ineffective , hospitals are much better and relatively inexpensive in my experience

I suspect I will likely meet my demise by getting hit by a WORTHLESS and DANGEROUS oversised tour bus or some idiot on a Harley-Davidson/pissant scooter driver racing in and out out of traffic before I die of any form of bird flu, at least you can hear the Harley-Davidsons coming from two miles away

It only takes one moron carrying a flu bug to get 100 people or more sick

RANT over...

MaiThaiMai

I guess it might have been DF, I did notice an unusual bite mark on my left calf just before I was feeling very ill...everything AOK now.

Next time, no matter how crappy I feel, I'm heading to the pharmacy for some antibiotics ...

My only real fear is they won't do the job anymore some day down the road