Darrell Miller asked:


When fall and winter arrive, does it seem like you always get sick? Don’t fear the changing seasons anymore - there is help. One of the most effective way to reduce the frequency of colds is by washing your hands on a regular basis. Studies have suggested that by washing your hands can reduce your chances of getting a cold by 50%. (1,2) Other ways of protecting your body from the dreaded yearly cold or flu is by taking an herb called echinacea.

Echinacea (pronounced eck-in-AY-sha) is a safe and effective herb to help the body fight off colds or prevent them entirely. When Echinacea is combined with other herbs that boost the immune system, you will get even greater cold and flu protection. (3,4)

You might be wondering what the difference is between having a cold and having the flu. Both have similar symptoms but very in severity. If you have a cold, you may experience sneezing, watery eyes, congestion, and runny nose. These symptoms usually last a week or so and make life miserable for a short time. With the flu, symptoms start out like a cold but taking a turn for the worst and escalating rapidly. Symptoms can consist of fever, chills, headache, dry cough, sore throat, runny and stuffy nose, severe fatigue, weakness, body aches, and muscle pain. The fever, muscle pain, and aches may go away in a few days with the flu, but the tiredness and fatigue can last weeks.

There are over 200 different viruses known to cause the flu. (1) Influenza viruses are classified by types. Type A, B, or C, each type is capable of causing the flu. People tend to catch a cold when the weather is cool and wet. When it is cold and wet outside, people tend to stay indoors more and more close contact with others pass the flu virus from person to person.

You might wonder why there is not a cure for the common cold or flu. The flu virus continually mutates and changes each year making it difficult to fight. With the increased use of antibiotics these viruses have managed to build up an immunity making it harder to fight every year. Research has developed over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to help treat the common cold or flu, but consuming such medicines might prolong the length of the disease and increase the length of the misery. There are also potential side effects of using OTC cold and flu medications. (5,6)

There are a variety of OTC medications available today such as decongestants to dry up the runny nose and relieve sneezing and watery eyes. For those aches and pains there is acetaminophen, aspirin, and ibuprofen. Aspirin and ibuprofen can help bring down a fever. Both of these fever reducing products come at a cost, they can cause gastrointestinal upset. (7,8) Also, aspirin should not be given to children because it has been linked to the development of Reye’s syndrome, a rare and possibly fatal illness. (1,2)

Acetaminophen used over a long period of time can cause liver and kidney failure. Daily doses of no more than 4000 mgs should be taken to prevent any kind of complications with acetaminophen. Decongestants can cause all sorts of problems such as high blood pressure, accelerated heart beat, heart palpitations, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, anxiety, and insomnia. Decongestants can increase the length of nasal congestion so use should be limited if possible. (9,10) The common cold or flu can leave you suffering if left untreated, but nobody wants to prolong the symptoms. Lucky for us there is another answer, echinacea, cedar leaf, and wild indigo root are natural remedies that can help reduce the severity and length of the common cold.

Contrary to the medical establishment’s belief, herbal extracts are really effective for colds and flu. Echinacea is one of the most effective remedies on the market today. This plant has a beautiful purple cone flower in the summer and helps treat common cold symptoms along with reducing infections after being exposed to them. (11)

Back when settlers came to America, they had trouble the first winter and the Native Americans inhabiting the land showed them echinacea to treat illnesses and injuries. Knowledge of herbs was passed down to settlers who discovered its ability to treat the common cold and flu. In 1920, doctors were prescribing echinacea and other herbs to help heal the body, but in the 1930s sulfa drugs came out and herbal remedies were quickly forgotten. Echinacea gave way to antibiotics to treat colds and flu in America, but over in Europe herbs are still used regularly. Scientists in Germany continued to study echinacea and its properties, now there are over 280 commercial preparations containing echinacea in Germany. (12) Also, in Germany a discovery was made by combining white cedar leaf and wild indigo root with echinacea, combined to increase immune system health which helps one fight off the common cold and flu.

Herbal extracts gained more interest in the early 1960’s where echinacea gained a loyal following ever since. To date echinacea continues to be and impressive herb against colds and flu. There are three varieties of echinacea available in your health food store. These popular varieties are echinacea angustifolia, echinacea purpurea, and echinacea pallida. Most studies done on echinacea were the purpurea and pallida variety.

Because echinacea works so well, there has been quite a bit of research done to discover why it helps so well with colds and flu. Antibiotics kill the disease that causes sickness, echinacea on the other hand boosts the immune system, to be specific echinacea boosts the production of macrophage an aspect of the immune system that engulfs bacteria and viruses killing them. Macrophage is the body’s first defense against invading bacteria and viruses. Echinacea also helps enhance the function of monocytes, blood cells that mature into macrophage. Echinacea boosts the number of natural killer (NK) cells and those cells activity in the body. NK cells are programmed to seek out and kill invading bodies such as viruses.

Echinacea also boosts the production of Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interferons. Along with echinacea, white cedar leaf and wild indigo both boost the production of TNF, macrophage and interferon production in the body.

Safety might be a concern to those who are considering echinacea, white cedar leaf and wild indigo as a remedy. The German Commission E recommends (GCE) the use of these herbs only if you do not have an autoimmune disease such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, HIV, or AIDS. Because these herbs boost the immune system, one with the above autoimmune diseases would not want over activation of their immune system which might progress the disease. Allergic reaction may occur in some who are allergic to rag weed or plants in the sunflower family. The GCE also recommends short term use of echinacea no more than 6 weeks. Wild indigo and white cedar leaf do not have this limitation and can be taken year round.

The amount of echinacea consumed by an individual should be measured by the age of an individual. For adults and children over 12, one should consume 7.5mg of standardized echinacea 3 times a day to fight a cold. White cedar leaf should be taken in 2 mg doses 3 times a day and wild indigo should be taken in 10 mg doses 3 times a day as well.

If you are around someone who has a cold, remember to wash your hands on a regular basis and the dosing of herbs mentioned above can be followed to help fight off a cold before it starts. Echinacea is used more often then any other herb in the United States this is because it works. Do not worry if you have not gotten a flu shot, there is hope in herbs such as echinacea, white cedar leaf and wild indigo root that can help boost your immune system to keep you strong and healthy throughout the cold season. These and many other wonderful herbs can be found at your local health food store.

References:

1. The Common Cold. National Institutes of Health Web site. Available at: www. niaid. nih. gov/factsheets/cold.htm. Accessed on April 30, 2001.

2. Flu. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. Available at: wwwcdc. gov/ncidod/diseases/flu/fluinfo.htm. Accessed April 30, 2001.

3. Wustenberg R, Henneicke-von Zepelin HH, Kohler G, Stammwitz U. Efficacy and mode of action of an immunomodulator herbal preparation containing echinacea, wild indigo, and white cedar. Adv Ther. 1999;16:51-70.

4. Henneicke-von Zepelin HH, Hentschel C, Schnitker J, Kohnen R, Kohler G, Wustenberg P. Efficacy and safety of a fixed combination phytomedicine in the treatment of the common cold (acute viral respiratory tract infection): results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study. Curr Med Res Op. 1999;15:214-227.

5. Karch AM, Karch FE. Let the user beware. OTC drugs aren’t necessarily ’safe when taken as directed.’ Am J Nurs. 2001;101:25.

6. Ornato JP. Over-the-counter stroke? Health News. 2000;6:3.

7. Hirschowitz BI, Hawkey CJ. Questions regarding future research on aspirin and the gastrointestinal tract. Am J Med. 2001;110(Suppl):S74-S78.

8. Hunt RH, Bowen B, Mortensen ER, et al. A randomized trial measuring fecal blood loss after treatment with rofecoxib, ibuprofen, or placebo in healthy subjects. Am J. Med. 2000;109:201-206.

9. Graf P. Adverse effects of benzalkonium chloride on the nasal mucosa: allergic rhinitis and rhinitis medicamentosa. Clin Ther. 1999;21:1749-1755.

10. Graf P. Rhinitis medicamentosa: aspects of pathophysiology and treatment. Allergy. 1997;52:28-34.

11. Robbers JE, Tyler VE. Echinacea. Tyler’s Herbs of Choice. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Herbal Press; 1999: 253-257

12. Foster S, Tyler VE. Echinacea. In: The Honest Herbal. Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press; 1999:143-145.



Cheryl

Abigail Franks asked:


Bronchitis is identified as being either chronic or acute. Acute bronchitis usually is limited into ration to anywhere from a few days to a week or two. It’s often accompanied by flu like symptoms. Once ill, you can expect to have several days, with limited or no productivity, and even more time not performing at your best. While chronic bronchitis tends to last months or even years, the symptoms are much less pronounced and debilitating.

Of these two basic bronchitis categories, acute bronchitis is typically associated with colds and flu like symptoms. The symptoms of acute bronchitis include:

1. A Feeling of Tightness or Constriction in Your Chest

2. Usually a Sore Throat

3. Congestion

4. Wheezing and Difficulty Breathing

5. A Low to Mid Grade Fever

In a business situation, you often see many people coming to work ill claiming it’s all for the good of the company. While I’m certain they have the best of intentions, viral influenza (flu) can be spread through direct person-to-person contact or indirectly in the air and on hard surfaces. This means that if someone who’s sick coughs and doesn’t cover their mouth, they can put everyone at the workplace at risk for contracting the illness.

So consider someone who dutifully covers her mouth when she coughs. While in the break room, she been pours yourself a cup of coffee and sits at the table, transferring ultramicroscopic infectious material to both the coffee pot, coffee cup and table. Anyone coming into contact with any of these physical items could then theoretically be at risk of contracting the flu bug and becoming ill.

Although most flu is viral in nature and therefore contagious, some acute bronchitis is bacterial and not contagious. Unfortunately, you need a medical degree and some tests to determine if someone who is ill is also contagious. The tips below should be considered as a strategy to limit your potential exposure to viruses that could make you sick.

1. Wash your hands. You can dramatically cut the risk of catching many common illnesses through careful handwashing and the use of hand sanitizers.

2. Clean your equipment. If you share an office cubicle, keyboard or telephone, use sanitizing hand wipes before starting your shift

3. Do virtual meetings. When possible, attend meetings virtually using a conference call system. The last time you are in contact with groups of people, the less risk of contracting an illness.

4. Use a paper towel to open doors. Remember the coffee cup example above in the break room? Same is true for doorknobs. If you can use a throwaway paper towel to open doors without looking like a germ obsessive crazy person, this is really a good idea.

5. Use care in the restroom. No guys, I’m not talking about your aim. Consider all surfaces suspect. That toilet or urinal handle has been used by many people before they wash their hands. Heck, it’s no secret that many people use public restrooms and not wash their hands of all. I suggest that when finished, thoroughly wash your hands than using the paper towel you dried them with, open the restroom door when you leave. You can then discreetly dispose of the towel anywhere, but have effectively limited your exposure to potential viral infections.

6. Get a flu shot.

Acute bronchitis can begin with an illness caused by a common influenza virus. Getting an annual vaccination can help protect you from influenza (the flu) and bronchitis.

7. Limit exposure to sick people

During influenza season consider limiting your use of public areas like a break room, kitchen or cafeteria.

8. Cover your mouth.

Be aware of people around you who don’t cover their mouths when they cough. Tried either avoid them or keep your distance when possible.

9. Avoid smoking and smoke whenever possible.

There are many chemicals, fumes and particle dust that can irritate and compromise bronchial passages. None more so however than smoking.

None of these tips should be considered absolute and should be used with a good dose of common sense. While walking around with a scuba tank and rubber gloves may be excessive, many of these tips can go a long way in limiting your exposure to viruses that can result in the flu or even bronchitis.



Dawn

Neelima Reddy asked:


Women suffering with asthma always have doubts that “will asthma medicine harm my child?” As five percent of pregnant women are asthmatic, this is a common problem. The important news is that asthma medicine is known to be very safe during pregnancy. So, pregnant women can enjoy asthma free pregnancy with asthma medicine.

Your asthma symptoms may get worse or may be better or does not change at all during pregnancy. If your asthma is severe, chances are it can become worse during pregnancy.

If you want a healthy baby, you should be healthy. It is very important to treat asthma in pregnancy because the risks of uncontrolled asthma in pregnancy are greater than the risks of asthma medicine.

There is no information about the safety of new asthma drugs in pregnancy because a woman who is pregnant and who might become pregnant does not take part in the safety tests during the testing of drugs, because of the fear of harming the baby.

Even the drug manufacturers do not take risk with unborn babies. New asthma drug should be avoided during pregnancy if possible.

But the old asthma medicine has been used from years. These old asthma medicines have been used for years during pregnancy and are known to be safe in pregnancy and the drugs which are not safe are not used as long before they are declared as unsafe.

Pregnant women have doubt about the use of inhalers. The doctors believe that the amount of medicine you get from an inhaler is small and goes directly to the lungs and it is not likely to harm your baby.

Effects of asthma in pregnancy:

Especially in the third trimester, asthma improves with pregnancy. Due to the increasing size of uterus, sensation of breathlessness occurs and this is mistaken as worsening of asthma.

Many women experience worsening asthma symptoms as they stop using asthma medicine due to the fear of side effects on the unborn child. Women who stop their asthma medicine have worsened asthma symptoms and are more at risk of early labor and poor growth of baby.

Asthma medicine and pregnancy:

Visit your doctor soon after realizing that you are pregnant to discuss about the best way to manage the symptoms of asthma with asthma medicine. The doctor will prescribe effective asthma medicine during pregnancy and continue to workout throughout your pregnancy to ensure the treatment is effective without side effects.

Taking asthma medicine during pregnancy:

• Follow the directions according to your doctor about when to take asthma medicine and how much dosage to take.

• Talk to your doctor before taking any new asthma medicine.

• Don’t stop taking asthma medicine unless and until your doctor tells you to.

Controlling your asthma in pregnancy:

• You have to take the asthma medicine as prescribed during pregnancy.

• Monitor your asthma using a peak flow meter and observe your breathing symptoms.

• Call your doctor if your asthma medicine is not working well.

• Avoid things that trigger your asthma attack.

• You can take a flu shot if you are pregnant during flu season. Visit Asthma Treatment



Jim

Leaftech asked:


Every year around Christmas time, the flu seems to hit businesses and schools across the country. As a business owner, you may wonder if it is good strategy to offer immunization shots to your employees in order to avoid the flu this season. In this article, we have put together some things to think about, both for flu shots and against them, when trying to make your decision.

Is cost a factor? For many adults, flu shots are not covered by health Canada. This means that the business offering flu shots to their employees will have to foot the bill. It’s usually around $15 for each shot, so you will have to keep your budget in mind!

How many of your employees are actually at risk? There is a reason why Health Canada offers flu shot clinics free of charge to certain portions of the population; they are most at risk. This includes senior citizens, elementary age school children, their parents, and health care workers. Outside of these people, the population at large is not as at risk for catching influenza and your efforts may not actually be worth it. Of course there is always the chance of an entire office being infected by one worker who IS the parent of a small child.

How much will employee down time cost you? When determining the relative costs of flu shots for your employees, it’s important to factor in how much money you stand to lose due to employees taking sick time with the flu. If all hands on deck during this season is critical to your bottom line, then offering immunization is not a bad idea.

How effective are immunizations? Finally, make sure that you understand the possible side effects of influenza immunizations. Sometimes people will actually get sick due to the shots, and that can really defeat the whole purpose.

When it comes to a business, it can be hard to decide what kind of health benefits to provide for your employees. Certainly the down time incurred during flu season can be a hassle, but this has to be weighed against the merits of obtaining flu shots and the relative costs.



Suzanne

Jenny asked:


Cold and Flu

Colds and Flu

(commonly known as the influenza). Colds are minor infections of the nose and

throat and Flu is an infection of the respiratory system. Colds are the most

prevalent infectious disease. Colds occur mostly in the winter (even in areas

with mild winters). Flu occurs in one to two weeks, but serious and potentially

life threatening medical complications, such as pneumonia, can develop in some

people. In an average year, the death of 20,000 people is associated with

influenza nationwide. Once you have jammed a cold, the symptoms begin in 1 to 5

days. colds and flu share many symptoms, it can be difficult (or even

impossible) to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Special

tests that usually must be done within the first few days of illness can be

carried out, when needed to tell if a person has the flu. The three most

frequent symptoms of a cold are nasal stuffiness, sneezing, and runny nose.

Throat irritation is often involved (but not with a red throat). Usually

irritation in the nose or a scratchy feeling in the throat is the first sign,

followed within hours by sneezing and a watery nasal discharge.

Common Cold begins when one of several different kinds of cold virus

attaches to the lining of your nose or throat. Your immune system sends white

blood cells out to attack this germ. Unless you”ve encountered it before, the

initial attack fails and your body sends in reinforcements. Your nose and throat

get inflamed and produce lots of mucus. With so much of your energy directed at

fighting the virus, you feel tired and miserable.

Cold Symptoms settle in between one and four days after you are infected by a

cold virus and typically last for about three days. At that point the worst is

over, but you may feel congested for a week or more. During the first three days

that you have symptoms, you are contagious.

Flu (Influenza) is an illness caused by a virus that comes on suddenly,

and causes symptoms such as fever, body aches, headache, fatigue, loss of

appetite, a dry cough, and a sore or dry throat. The flu is not the same as the

common cold, flu symptoms are usually more severe, and you will often miss more

work or school than you would with a cold.

Flu (Influenza) Symptoms fever is usually continuous, but it may come and

go. Fever may be lower in older adults than in children and younger adults. A

dry cough, runny nose, and a dry or sore throat. You may not notice these during

the first few days of the illness when other symptoms are more severe.

Colds and Flu

Prevention

Drink extra fluids to help flush it out of your body as quickly as possible.

Stay away from people who are sick so you are less likely to encounter a virus.

Wash your hands frequently, and keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and

mouth.

Get a yearly flu vaccine, especially important for people with asthma and other

respiratory diseases.

Wipe your nose in a way that keeps secretions on the tissue and doesn”t

contaminate your hands.

Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, which can make cold symptoms worse.

Gargle with warm salt water a few times a day to relieve a sore throat. Throat

sprays or lozenges may also help relieve the pain.

Keep an eye on the humidity of your environment so that your sinuses do not dry

out.

Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children less than 6 months

old.

Adults and children ages 2-64 with chronic medical conditions, especially

asthma, other lung diseases, and heart disease.

For more Health Articles kindly visit our website: http://www.getnutri.com/articles



Lillian

Groshan Fabiola asked:


Bird flu is not a problem that affects only the birds but the humans too. It is known that this condition is not treatable and more than that we have statistics that prove that more than half of the affected persons died.

It is also known that a vaccine was developed in order to prevent the spreading of the virus. This vaccine is not produced in large quantities and in case of a pandemic there is no chance for everyone that is affected to get one.

That is why it is recommended for the governments to consider stockpiling vaccine against H5N1 bird flu, before a pandemic starts.

When they realized the virus will not b stopped in Asia for at least a couple of years and that the risk of H5 is much higher the policy changed. The US government decided to ask manufacturers to make 4 million doses while other Europe countries choose to create a stockpile of 2 million doses each.

Specialists agree with the stockpiling but they do mention that in a world of over six billion people 4 million doses, or 2 million doses for each country is nowhere near enough to make a significant difference. The doses will only get to a small part of the countries population and at a global level no significant changes will be seen.

More than that until now the WHO said that making a stockpile of vaccines is useless. That is because nobody knows which flu will lead to a new pandemic.

The problems that occur in Asia and the unstoppable outbreaks makes even the specialists to change their minds. It is well known that the bird flu virus called H5N1 is making more and more human victims so the possibility of stockpiling occurs again. More than that, recent studies proved that the vaccine could provide some protection even if it does not exactly match the pandemic virus.

Another hard reality says that humans require two shots of the vaccine in order to get immune to a strain of flu that they have not developed before. For H5, a single shot is enough for priming people’s immune systems.

Now that it was proved that the vaccine is useful the only problem that occurs is the production of the vaccine. In US only half of the requested production is done. It is good to know that companies have a two to three-month window between production runs of ordinary flu vaccine to make H5 vaccine. Some even say that they can not do that because someone has to buy the production.

So, if you want to find out more about bird flu treatment or even about bird flu info please click this link http://www.bird-flu-info-center.com/



Crystal

Richard Stooker asked:


I wanted to title this article, “How to Make Money From the Bird Flu Pandemic,” but the more I think about it, the more I think trying to outguess events will just be too risky.

I’m sure that some people and companies will make a bird flu bet that pays off. They’ll buy stock in Roche or the companies that just got contracts from the United States government to make bird flu vaccines or in medical supplies or in some other way will make a killing.

But I think there’re too many unknown factors.

Will the virus ever become contagious to people? If so, will it retain its high mortality rate? Will it be quickly contained or will it spread?

Prices of goods and services rise and fall in relation to supply and demand. That’s basic economics.

The trouble is, depending on the answers to those questions and a host of other factors there will be numerous possibilities.

Commodities rose in price during the 1918 flu pandemic. Possibly scared Americans would rush to buy oranges in the mistaken belief they contain enough Vitamin C to protect them from bird flu. Or maybe they’ll be smarter.

Coffee is likely to be in short supply. We grow oranges in America but coffee must come from South America and Africa, two continents that’ll be hard hit by bird flu. Coffee futures would likely rise a lot. But if you buy and sell at the wrong time, you could still lose a lot of money.

Labor will be in short supply — but demand will also go down as all but essential businesses close down for the duration. Even if you’re a doctor or nurse, you may find yourself drafted for bird flu duty, not given a choice to bargain for more money.

Gold will no doubt spike up, as it always does during hard times — but at some point gold holders will want to sell some to raise money for food, and then the price of gold could collapse. Demand for gold jewelry would plummet during and after the pandemic.

I’ve seen people predict gasoline going up to $7 a gallon, but I think the pandemic could drop the price dramatically, because demand will drop.

People will not be driving to school or to work or to recreation or shopping malls. They’ll stay home as much as possible. Dead and sick drivers don’t buy gasoline. All trucks will stop running except those carrying food, water and medicines. All nonessential airplane travel will stop.

Currencies are commodities too, and intimately linked to politics. I have not see anyone else besides myself point out that a serious bird flu pandemic would redraw the political and perhaps the geographical map of the world.

If masses of people in a country are upset both by bird flu deaths and resulting economic shortages, they might well overturn their leadership. That means, the old money may become worthless. That means you should stock up on gold now.

Although I expect law and order challenges to occur in the U.S., I think the U.S. government will outlive bird flu. Same with Japan and most countries in Western Europe — though the massive number of immigrants from Muslim countries may pose more of a security hazard than we can guess, making me wonder about countries whose stability I’d have been certain of twenty years ago, such as France and Germany.

But could Gloria Magcapal continue to keep a lid on her enemies in The Philippines? Could China continue to repress its entire countryside and avoid splitting into sections? Could India, which has an extremely large number of ethnic minorities? Could the House of Sahd continue to control the government of Saudi Arabia?

Not all those countries would have violent governmental changes, but some would.

So I think the U.S. dollar, Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, euro, Swiss franc and yen will retain high value. I can’t say how they’ll move in relation to each other, but they’ll all likely retain a store of value.

Cash in strong currencies will be king in developed countries. Keep it safe — in government bonds.

Gold will be the winner in developing countries. And bank accounts in stable developed countries.

Oh, I just took it for granted that you understand that in the event of a serious pandemic stock markets around the world will scrape bottom.



Annie

Olga asked:


Scientists, led by a team from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, have discovered what they describe as the Achilles’ heel of the influenza virus, a finding that suggests it might be possible to end the ritual of the annual flu shot.

Yearly vaccination is currently needed because different strains of the virus circulate around the world regularly, owing to the germs’ rapidly changing genetic makeup. But the researchers reported today that they had found one pocket of the virus that appears to remain static in multiple flu strains, making it an attractive target for a vaccine, as well as .

If the research stands up to further testing, the flu vaccine might one day be more like the shots given to ward off measles, mumps, and polio. Children and adults would be inoculated once in their lives and have a universal shield against the various strains that hopscotch across the world — even the much-feared bird flu.

Such a vaccine is still years off — even if the quest succeeds — so the researchers have begun animal testing of a new medicine that would exploit the virus’s weakness and thwart flu infections once someone falls ill. Their early results suggest that the drug would work against the highly virulent avian flu, as well as the lethal "Spanish flu" strain that killed millions during a 1918 global epidemic.

One scientist not involved with the government-sponsored research described it as "trailblazing," and even specialists with more measured reactions agreed that it marked a potentially pivotal advance in understanding a virus that kills an average of 36,000 Americans annually and a quarter-million people worldwide.

The timing couldn’t be better, they said, as fears flourish that the world is overdue for a major epidemic, and as once-heralded flu drugs lose their punch.

"It’s the first time that a universal vaccine in terms of influenza viruses may really be on the horizon," said Peter Palese, a specialist in respiratory viruses at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He was not involved with the research.

The findings, detailed in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, are very much a made-in-Boston story: The discovery would not have been possible without the blood of 57 New Englanders donated a decade ago, which was used to build a library of 27 billion disease-fighting cells, called antibodies.

Scientists screened those antibodies and found 10 capable of stopping the bird flu. Next they tried the antibodies on the deadly 1918 strain. "Sure enough, it blocked that virus also," said Dr. Wayne A. Marasco of Dana-Farber and Harvard Medical School, who directed the research team. "And at that point, we knew we had something special."

Further analysis showed why: The antibodies targeted a specific spot on proteins that sit on the surface of the flu virus. Crucially, the antibodies landed at the same site on several flu strains.

Greatly magnified, those surface proteins resemble a lollipop. And it is the globular head of the lollipop where the flurry of genetic changes occur that make flu shots an annual event.

"You can imagine one season, it’s like a red lollipop. The next season, it’s a yellow lollipop. And the season after that, it’s a green lollipop," said Marasco, an infectious-disease doctor who specializes in treating cancer patients with compromised immune systems.

Most vaccines work by revving up the body’s disease-fighting cells, helping them to recognize and rapidly neutralize invading germs. The researchers realized that the disease fighters generated by existing flu vaccines — which contain killed or weakened whole viruses — head straight toward the biggest target, the globular head.

It is, in effect, a Trojan horse that prevents the body’s immune system from directing more of its firepower toward the stalk, where the scientists found the pocket that was so static. That site contains machinery that lets the virus penetrate human cells.

"Somehow, they’d have to make the vaccine so that the focus of the immune response would be toward the part that does not mutate," said Dr. Sharon Frey, a vaccine researcher at Saint Louis University. "That is not a trivial task. That is a major challenge."

The current work dealt with just influenza A, one of two predominant types of flu. But the scientists said they believe that a similar strategy could work with influenza B viruses, and that a successful vaccine would consist of a "cocktail" of immune system triggers.

"People tend to emphasize vaccines as the holy grail," said Robert Liddington of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in California, another of the study’s authors. But because of the complexity of developing vaccines, he said, it’s likely that antibody-based medicines will become available first.

Those drugs, known as monoclonal antibodies, are manmade clones of natural antibodies that act like guided missiles against invaders. The flu antibodies identified in today’s report have been used to make monoclonal antibodies that target the static stalk region.

So far, the medication has been shown to protect mice against multiple flu strains, though not all that were tested. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that if the drug works in other animals and, then, humans, he will conclude, "Wow, now you’ve really got something."

The research team, which also included scientists from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said it believes the drug could be ready for human testing by the 2011-2012 flu season. The researchers have not yet had extensive conversations with drug companies about making the medicine. Dana-Farber holds patents on the monoclonal antibodies and the discovery of the static region.

Such a drug, scientists said, could be crucial if a novel strain ignited a global flu epidemic, especially since a growing number of flu strains are becoming resistant to the main drug now available, Tamiflu. The new medicine, which would likely be far more expensive than current flu drugs, might initially be given to doctors, nurses, and patients whose disease-fighting capacity was already compromised.

If the drug is proved safe and effective, one flu specialist said strategies should be adopted to prevent overuse that might give the virus a chance to outwit this treatment, too.

"If we keep it in reserve," said Dr. Paul Biddinger of the Harvard School of Public Health, "we may have something of a silver bullet when the next pandemic strain comes."

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Vera

Lisa Copen asked:


You don’t have to get sick each winter. A few simple steps can blow those bugs away!

[1] How do you avoid a cold? Keep your hands away from your face and wash them often. Avoid people with colds, and ask your doctor if vitamin C may be helpful and safe for you.

[2] Although depression can easily be assumed to be a result of your chronic illness, you could be someone who has Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). If you find yourself blue between October and March, it may be because of the lack of sunlight, which can be a natural antidepressant. Ask your doctor.

[3] Feeling stressed about the holidays? Before reaching for that piece of pumpkin pie, grab a banana. Foods that are natural stress fighters include orange juice, yogurt, low caffeine intake, carbohydrates instead of sugar, and lots of water!

[4] Need a boost of energy? Here are some ideas that are recommended by health professionals. (a) Get out into the daylight at least thirty minutes a day, or at least pen up those blinds. (b) Exercise when possible, but never exercise when you have a temperature of 99.5 degrees F or above. (c) Eat vegetables! B-vitamins, found in whole grains, green vegetables, potatoes, and beans, keep your immune system primed and stave off winter bugs. They also help produce neurotransmitters in the brain, which moderate your moods. When your vitamin B supply is off-kilter, you’re more likely to feel depressed, stressed, anxious, and cranky. (d) Make personal time for yourself. Splurge on a new journal or some new pjs to get you through the winter months.

[5] There are over 200 viruses that cause the common cold. Before cold season hits, talk with your doctor about what is “normal” and “not normal” for someone with your illness—make a “cold plan.” This way if you get a cold, you will know how soon to call your doctor and what over the counter medications you can safely take. Talk to your doctor now about whether a flu shot would be recommended.

[6] Chapped lips bothering you? The Mayo Clinic recommends applying a moisturizer to your lips daily or as needed. You can use a lip balm or skin moisturizer. Generally, the greasier the products, the better. If all else fails, a humidifier in your home may help.

[7] Recent research has proven what we’ve known all along! Those who are more committed to their religious or spiritual beliefs, practice them frequently, and rely on them in their everyday lives receive significant mental and physical health benefits as a result!



Shannon

Richard Stooker asked:


With current vaccine technology a vaccine cannot save us from a pandemic of contagious bird flu.

Although criticized as fearmongering, the ABC made for TV movie First Contact: Bird Flu in America was overly optimistic. Neither us nor the French nor anybody else is going to development and manufacture a vaccine within two months using the technology of the past 50 years.

First, work on a highly targeted vaccine against a specific strain of contagious bird flu cannot even begin until that specific strain of bird flu comes into existence.

Researchers are working on vaccines against current strains of H5N1, and these may have some effect on curbing a contagious strain, because they’d be similar, but not the same.

After getting samples of the contagious form of H5N1, the virus makers begin creating the vaccine from dead viruses. It must be tested for safety and approved for use in humans. This takes time.

After the vaccine is ready, doses of it must be produced. Each dose of the vaccine is grown inside one egg.

The entire process takes 6 to 8 months to produce ordinary winter flu shots. And we know from 2004 that sometimes batches of vaccine are contaminated, and there’s a shortage of the ordinary flu vaccine.

Bird flu will create other problems. It’s believed that people will need two doses of a vaccine against it for full protection. Therefore, to vaccinate everyone in the United States will require 600 million eggs.

Where will all those eggs come from? The world is destroying chickens by the millions now, to control the spread of H5N1 in the chickens. It could take months to come up with enough eggs to grow the vaccine doses in sufficient quantity to stop the spread of the pandemic just in the United States.

And of course the rest of the world will also be clamoring for the vaccine, and overseas companies will also be manufacturing it, using up all the eggs they have available.

Therefore, Health and Human Services head Michael Leavitt has said it would be six months before an effective and precisely target bird flu vaccine would be ready after the pandemic began.

And remember that the 1918 flu spread throughout the world and killed from 20 to 100 million people in the days before jets connected countries and four-lane highways connected cities within countries. People travel much more and much farther and much more quickly now than in 1918.

And yet the worst of the 1918 flu happened in just three months.

And remember also that H5N1 will remain a virus that mutates quickly. After it becomes highly contagious, it will not stop mutating.

By the time we’ve designed and approved a vaccine against the original contagious form of the virus, there’ll be slightly different strains infecting people.

Six months later, the H5N1 virus will be much different than it was at the beginning of the pandemic.

Producing and distributing to millions of frightened people a vaccine that’s precisely targeted toward the virus killing people right now is like shooting at a moving target.

Only we cannot guess where the target is going to go to next.

And it’s moving faster than we can re-aim.



Calvin