Why so many wildly inaccurate articles on bird flu?

[Guest guest]

I really don't understand why we see so many anti-bird flu precaution

articles and why they are so often filled with inaccuracies. Here is

the latest example, followed by the comment that I attempted to post:

The article: http://caymannetnews.com/news-4763--1-1--.html

My reply:

There are several inaccuracies in this article.

First: it says that at most 5 people out of every 1,000 in the

population were affected by the Hong Kong or Asian flu. In fact, in

both cases, the flu " affected some 40-50% of population, of which

25-30% experienced clinical disease. " (http://tinyurl.com/2oaxql).

The author was off by a factor of 100!

Another inaccuracy is the statement that hand washing will prevent the

spread of influenza. Since it is spread mostly by coughing, sneezing,

and simple exhalation, hand washing will do little to stop its spread.

Another: According to WHO (the World Health Organization), the current

bird flu *has* spread human to human, although not often or

efficiently. The fear is that it could mutate the same way the 1957,

1969, and 1918 flu viruses did to become efficiently infectious to

humans. But the really big difference between this virus and those is

that this one is 1000 times more lethal, which is why it is so

concerning. And if bird flu mutated this way three times before, it

is reasonable to be concerned that it could do so again.

The theory that the drug companies are responsible for promoting fear

and concern about bird flu is clearly wrong. Almost all of scientists

sounding warnings about the bird flu threat are associated with

un-affiliated, non-profit, world health associations.

The statement that H5N1 is " reported to be " a strain of H3N2 is only

true to the extent that every variety of influenza is a strain of

every other variety. The statement is meaningless and I believe that

most virologists would call it flatly wrong.

So, on the whole this article is as misinformed and inaccurate as any

I have seen in a very long time. Take the advice of the author at

your own risk.